bicarbonate of soda

These fluffy American-style buttermilk pancakes are best made fresh and served up for brunch with our decadent apple and pecan topping

Buttermilk pancakes

apples

butter

pecan halves, halved lengthways

maple syrup

plain flour

tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

golden caster sugar

eggs

buttermilk

Make the topping. Peel, core and quarter the apples, then slice each quarter into four. Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Cook the apples until golden, but still firm. Stir in the pecans and maple syrup. Heat gently for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

For the pancakes, sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Mix together the egg yolks, buttermilk and melted butter and whisk into the flour mixture until the batter is thick and smooth. Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter until evenly mixed.

Heat a large frying pan, preferably non-stick, and brush lightly with melted butter. Drop 2 or 3 large spoonfuls of batter into the pan to make pancakes about 10cm in diameter. When the surface has dulled slightly and bubbles appear, after about 3-4 minutes, carefully flip the pancakes over and cook on the other side until browned.

To serve, place a spoonful of the apple mixture on a pancake, top with a second pancake and spoon over more of the topping. Repeat to make three more pancake stacks.

Make a date with your couch to best enjoy the warming goodness of this take on an indulgent sticky date pudding from Elena Duggan.

Sugar-free chocolate and sticky date pudding

fresh medjool dates, pitted

buckwheat flour

almond meal

(35 grams) raw cacao powder

vanilla bean, split, seeds

tsp bicarbonate of soda

solidified coconut oil

sugar-free dark chocolate (from supermarkets and health food stores), finely chopped

eggs, lightly beaten

coconut milk

vanilla beans, split, seeds scraped

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Memories of Anzac Day and tea and biscuits with her nan provide the inspiration for these Anzac ice cream sandwiches from MasterChef winner Elena Duggan.

Incredible gluten-free ANZAC biscuit ice cream sandwiches

(95 grams) quinoa flakes

(105 grams) shredded coconut, plus extra for rolling

(200 grams) almond meal

(70 grams) coconut sugar

tsp xanthan gum (from health food stores)

(100 grams) coconut oil

(175 grams) honey

vanilla bean paste

vanilla ice cream

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My family can't get enough of this malva pudding from South Africa, with its light sponge and rich toffee sauce, says Valli.

Malva pudding

unsalted butter, softened

tbs apple cider vinegar

(125 milliliters) milk

(220 grams) caster sugar

tsp vanilla extract

apricot jam

(185 grams) plain flour, sifted

tsp bicarbonate of soda, sifted

Vanilla ice cream, to serve

(250 milliliters) pure (thin) cream

unsalted butter, chopped

(110 grams) caster sugar

tbs brandy

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Get the taste of Ireland with this fresh, no-fuss soda bread

Irish soda bread

plain white flour

plain wholemeal flour

porridge oats

salt

butter,

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C and dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter. Pour in the buttermilk and mix it in quickly with a table knife, then bring the dough together very lightly with your fingertips (handle it very, very gently). Now shape it into a flat, round loaf measuring 20cm/8in in diameter.

Put the loaf on the baking sheet and score a deep cross in the top. (Traditionally, this lets the fairies out, but it also helps the bread to cook through.) Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If it isn’t ready after this time, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and bake for a few minutes more.

Transfer to a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel (this keeps the crust nice and soft) and leave to cool. To serve, break into quarters, then break or cut each quarter in half to make 8 wedges or slices – or simply slice across. Eat very fresh.

Just one look at this chocolate and banana treat is enough to know it won't stay in the cake tin for long

Chocolate & banana cake

sunflower oil, plus extra to grease

caster sugar

self-raising flour

cocoa powder

chocolate chips

bananas

medium eggs, 2 separated

milk

milk chocolate

milliliters soured cream

banana chips, roughly chopped

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment (allow it to come 2cm above top of tin). Mix the sugar, flour, bicarb, cocoa and chocolate in a large bowl.

Mash the bananas in a bowl and stir in the whole egg plus 2 yolks, followed by the oil and milk. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Quickly stir the wet banana mixture into the dry ingredients, stir in a quarter of the egg whites to loosen the mixture, then gently fold in the rest. Gently scrape into the tin and bake for 1 hr 10-15 mins, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool in the tin on a wire rack. To make the icing, melt the chocolate and soured cream together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Chill in the fridge until spreadable. Remove cake from tin, roughly swirl icing over and scatter with the banana chips.

If you're looking for a slice with spice, try this deliciously moist and sticky ginger cake

Triple ginger & spice cake

pack butter

dark brown muscovado sugar

black treacle

glacé ginger

allspice

ginger

tbsp ginger syrup

tbsp icing sugar

Butter and line a 23cm square baking tin (or use a shallow roasting tin, approx 30 x 20cm). Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Put the butter, sugar and treacle into a saucepan and heat gently for about 5 mins until the butter and sugar have melted. Stir in the milk. The mix should be just warm to the touch; if not, leave to cool a little longer, then beat in the eggs.

Mix the chopped ginger and dry ingredients together in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the melted mix into the well, then gradually draw the dry ingredients into the wet with a wooden spoon, until you have a thick, smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin, then bake for 1 hr until risen and firm to the touch. Resist taking a peek beforehand; the cake will sink if the oven temperature drops too quickly before it's cooked through. Poke a skewer into the centre to check that it's cooked - it should come out clean. If not, give it 10 mins more and check again. Leave the cake to cool in the tin. Once completely cool, turn out of the tin ready for icing, or wrap well in cling film and keep in a cool, dry place for up to a week.

To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the gingery syrup. Beat well until you have a smooth, runny icing. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle with icing and cut into squares. If you're planning to let the cake mature for a while, make the icing on the day you want to cut it.

This is the perfect cake that’s wonderful to eat with a cup of loose-leaf green tea. I love that it’s not too sweet and scented with only a hint of raw organic honey. Add apple puree in place of yoghurt to make these cakes dairy free.

This recipe is an extract from Teresa Cutter's new cookbook, Healthy Baking - Cakes, Cookies + Raw ($69.95), available now.

Garden olive oil cakes

almond

(140 grams) buckwheat flour

orange

(120 grams) raw honey

thick Greek-style yoghurt

Thyme sprigs, to serve

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Pretty as a picture and twice as delicious! Recipe by chef James Viles of Biota.

Salted caramel cream with molasses bananas and rye

1L (4 cups) milk

(330 grams) caster sugar

salt flakes

Sunflower oil, to shallow-fry, plus extra to grease

bananas, halved lengthways

(180 milliliters) molasses

dark rye bread, torn

thickened cream

Thyme leaves, to serve

Thyme flowers (optional), to serve

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One of our most requested recipes – puddings don't get any better than this

Ultimate sticky toffee pudding

whole medjool dates

water

self-raising flour, plus extra for greasing

butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

demerara sugar

tbsp black treacle

cream (optional)

light muscovado sugar

double cream

Stone and chop 225g medjool dates quite small, put them in a bowl, then pour over 175ml boiling water.

Leave for about 30 mins until cool and well-soaked, then mash a bit with a fork. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Butter and flour seven mini pudding tins (each about 200ml/7fl oz) and sit them on a baking sheet. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

While the dates are soaking, make the puddings. Mix 175g self-raising flour and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda together and beat the 2 eggs in a separate bowl.

Beat 85g softened butter and 140g demerara sugar together in a large bowl for a few mins until slightly creamy (the mixture will be grainy from the sugar). Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions.

Beat in 2 tbsp black treacle then, using a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the flour and bicarbonate of soda mix, then half of the 100ml milk, being careful not to overbeat. Repeat until all the flour mix and all the milk is used.

Stir the soaked dates into the pudding batter. The mix may look a little curdled at this point and will be like a soft, thick batter.

Spoon it evenly between the tins and bake for 20-25 mins, until risen and firm.

Meanwhile, put the 175g light muscovado sugar and 50g butter pieces for the sauce in a medium saucepan with half the 225ml double cream.

Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Stir in 1 tbsp black treacle, turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble away for 2-3 mins until it is a rich toffee colour, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the rest of the double cream.

Remove the puddings from the oven. Leave in the tins for a few mins, then loosen them well from the sides of the tins with a small palette knife before turning them out.

You can serve them now with the sauce drizzled over, but they’ll be even stickier if left for a day or two coated in the sauce. To do this, pour about half the sauce into one or two ovenproof serving dishes.

Sit the upturned puddings on the sauce, then pour the rest of the sauce over them. Cover with a loose tent of foil so that the sauce doesn’t smudge (no need to chill).

When ready to serve, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Warm the puddings through, still covered, for 15-20 mins or until the sauce is bubbling. Serve them on their own, or with cream or custard.

Wonderfully moist and reminiscent of an old-fashioned gingerbread. Heat up a thick slice in the microwave and have it for pud with a dollop of custard

Rhubarb spice cake

tsp mixed spice

dark muscovado sugar

golden syrup

rhubarb

icing sugar

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and put the kettle on. Butter and line a deep 20cm square cake tin. Sift the flour and spices into a bowl. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in the food processor, then beat in the golden syrup. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in 200ml boiling water, then gradually pour through the spout of the processor. Pulse in the flour, then add the eggs, mixing briefly. Remove the bowl from the processor, then gently stir in the rhubarb.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 50-60 mins, until the cake feels firm to the touch and springs back when pressed. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.

It wasn't until later in life that 93-year-old Bill Bevan discovered his talent for baking. The former trawler skipper and truck driver from Corrimal, NSW had very little experience in the kitchen, but he was a fast learner. “Dad is now recognised as the baker of the family,” says Bill's daughter Sharne. Until last year, Bill made something at least once a fortnight to take to the Corrimal Community Men’s Shed for morning tea — usually banana bread, and sometimes cupcakes or date slice. “He takes pride
in his baking and it delights him that people enjoy what he makes.”

Passionfruit Sponge Cake recipe

tbs plain flour

eggs separated

cornflour

tbs custard powder

tsp cream of tartar

pure icing sugar

passionfruit halved pulp removed

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Loaded with spices and topped with a homemade labneh icing, this carrot cake is anything but ordinary.

Spiced carrot cake with labneh icing

(60 grams) pure icing sugar, sifted

(300 grams) plain flour

cinnamon

tsp ground ginger

can crushed pineapple, drained

carrots, peeled, finely grated

(375 milliliters) sunflower oil

grams)

(110 grams) sultanas

rose petals (from gourmet food shops), to serve

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ANZAC biscuits deserve to be lauded for their taste alone, let alone for what they have come to represent. For these biscuits are a symbol of remembrance, courage and unity. Coconutty, buttery and with the molasses-y flavour of brown sugar, these melt and mix biscuits elevate the humble oat to giddy heights. This recipe has just enough golden syrup to add a light caramel edge to the crispy biscuits. Which leads us to the million-dollar question, should your ANZAC biscuits be crispy or chewy? Here at taste.com.au central we’re divided and this is why we love this recipe. Cooked following the recipe the biscuits are chewy or you can flatten them slightly before popping in the oven for a crispy version.


Quick and Easy Anzac Biscuits Recipe

oats

brown sugar

coconut

g butter

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Known as honeycomb in Australia, South Africa and Ireland, cinder Toffee in Britain, seafoam in America, hokey pokey in New Zealand, Puff Candy in Scotland and sponge toffee in Canada, it's a favourite worldwide, and if you're trying your hand at making it at home, this is the recipe you want to be following.

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Top 17 bicarbonate of soda recipes from across the web

The most viewed bicarbonate of soda recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Buttermilk pancakes

Sugar-free chocolate and sticky dat...

Incredible gluten-free ANZAC biscui...

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Irish soda bread

Chocolate & banana cake

Triple ginger & spice cake

Garden olive oil cakes

Salted caramel cream with molasses ...

Ultimate sticky toffee pudding

Rhubarb spice cake

Passionfruit Sponge Cake recipe

Spiced carrot cake with labneh icin...

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Welsh rarebit muffins

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The most viewed bicarbonate of soda recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine