the best cake

This is an easy banana bread recipe that gives perfect results every time. Be sure to use really ripe bananas - the blacker the better.

Each serving provides 334 kcal, 5g protein, 53g carbohydrates (of which 30g sugars), 11g fat (of which 6.5g saturates), 2g fibre and 0.8g salt.

Banana bread

flour

tsp bicarbonate of soda

salt

110 grams/4 ounces butter, plus extra for greasing

caster sugar

free-range eggs

bananas,

85 milliliters/3fl oz buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice

tsp vanilla extract

Mary Berry's easy Victoria sponge cake recipe is a baking classic and a tasty tea-time treat. 

Each serving provides 501 kcal, 5g protein, 50g carbohydrates (of which 36g sugars), 31g fat (of which 19g saturates), 0.8g fibre and 0.8g salt (serving with 300g of jam and 300ml cream). 

Mary Berry's easy Victoria sandwich

225 grams/8 ounces caster sugar,

tsp baking powder

butter

strawberry jam

whipped double cream (optional)

This recipe is from The Great British Bake Off, in which ten home bakers take part in a bake-off to test their baking skills and battle to be crowned best amateur baker. They begin with cake in the Cotswolds, including a Victoria sponge.

Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood show you how to bake with easy-to-follow recipes and advice on the Get Baking website.

Mary Berry's perfect Victoria sandwich

Our really easy chocolate cake recipe is perfect for birthdays. It’s so moist and fudgy and will keep well for 4–5 days. For buttercream quantities, instead of ganache, use our <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/sponge_cake_calculator">cake calculator</a>.

Each serving provides 477 kcal, 6.5g protein, 56g carbohydrates (of which 40g sugars), 25g fat (of which 10.5g saturates), 2.5g fibre and 0.6g salt.

Easy chocolate cake

350 grams/12½oz caster sugar

cocoa powder

1½ tsp baking powder

1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

250 milliliters/9fl oz milk

125 milliliters/4½fl oz vegetable oil

250 milliliters/9fl oz boiling water

chocolate

200 milliliters/7fl oz double cream

Mary Berry makes it easy with this delicious coffee and walnut cake. It makes a great treat for Mother's Day.

Equipment and preparation: You will need two loose-bottomed 18cm/7in sandwich tins.


Mary Berry's coffee and walnut cake

grams/3½oz unsalted butter, softened,

grams/3½oz caster sugar

eggs

grams/3½oz self-raising flour

level tsp baking powder

50 grams/1¾oz chopped walnuts

tbsp coffee essence

grams/2¾oz unsalted butter, softened

225 grams/8 ounces icing sugar, sifted

tsp milk

tsp coffee essence

walnut halves, to decorate

This fantastically easy chocolate fudge cake is rich, moist and treacly with a glossy ganache finish.

Chocolate fudge cake

dark chocolate, chopped

200 grams/7 ounces butter, cubed,

100 milliliters/3½fl oz water

grams/4½oz self-raising flour

grams/4½oz plain flour

sugar

golden caster sugar

75 milliliters/2½fl oz crème fraîche

dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)

grams/3½oz unsalted butter, softened

icing sugar

150 milliliters/5¼oz double cream

unsalted butter

150 grams/5¼oz dark chocolate, plus extra chocolate shavings, to decorate

Mary Berry's spectacular walnut cake is perfect for special occasions - with three layers there's sure to be a slice for everyone!

Mary’s frosted walnut layer cake

225 grams/8 ounces self-raising flour, sifted

grams/3½oz walnuts, finely chopped

225 grams/8 ounces butter, softened,

free-range eggs, beaten

walnut halves

125 grams/4½oz butter, softened

vanilla extract

tbsp milk

¼ tsp cream of tartar

Make this ginger cake traybake in advance and you can freeze it before adding the icing - in fact freezing improves the taste.

Ginger and treacle spiced traybake

225 grams/8 ounces margarine, softened

black treacle

tsp ground mixed spice

allspice

ginger

75 grams/2½oz icing sugar, sieved

tbsp stem ginger syrup

This salted caramel sponge is layered with salted caramel frosting for complete decadence. 

Equipment and preparation: You will need 3 x 18cm/7in cake tins.


Salted caramel cake 

250 grams/9 ounces unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

100 grams/3½oz golden caster sugar

100 grams/3½oz soft light brown sugar

golden syrup

eggs,

vanilla bean paste

½ tsp sea salt flakes,

100 milliliters/3½fl oz milk

grams/4½oz soured cream

sea salt flakes

250 grams/9 ounces unsalted butter,

425–450 grams/15 ounces–1lb icing sugar, sifted

milk

James Martin’s simple steps for making Madeira cake, will have you whipping up a soft, buttery afternoon treat.

Madeira cake

butter,

lemon, zest only

citron

Banana cake, aka banana bread, is one of the easiest cakes to make. Ever. This one is plain but it's only a starting point. Add nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chunks, spices too. Check the tip at the bottom of the page to read how.


Easiest ever banana cake

bananas

150 milliliters/5fl oz sunflower or vegetable oil

275 grams/9¾oz white self-raising flour

Don't worry if you don't have scales. You can make this easy banana cake in no time.

Top 10 the best cake recipes from across the web

The most viewed the best cake recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Banana bread

Mary Berry's easy Victoria sandwich

Easy chocolate cake

Mary Berry's coffee and walnut cake

Chocolate fudge cake

Mary’s frosted walnut layer cake

Ginger and treacle spiced traybake

Salted caramel cake

Madeira cake

Easiest ever banana cake

Top 10 the best cake recipes from across the web

The most viewed the best cake recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Banana bread

Mary Berry's easy Victoria sandwich

Easy chocolate cake

Mary Berry's coffee and walnut cake

Chocolate fudge cake

Mary’s frosted walnut layer cake

Ginger and treacle spiced traybake

Salted caramel cake

Madeira cake

Easiest ever banana cake

The most viewed the best cake recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine