Category: Baking

Baking recipes including all sorts of treats such as cakes, cupcakes and cheesecake.

Baking · Tarts and Pastry

Passionfruit Lemon Tart

What Jessica Baked Next83 Comments

Luscious passionfruit and lemon sweetness are combined in this gorgeous tart! Really easy to make, packed full of zingy flavour and great served with fresh berries.

Originally posted in April 2015, recipe and photographs updated May 2023.

I’m sharing this absolutely gorgeous Passionfruit Lemon Tart.  I’ve been making this recipe for years now and it’s a definite favourite springtime/summertime dessert of mine and my family.

The most perfect, buttery and crisp, sweet shortcrust pastry is topped with a silky smooth passionfruit and lemon filling. Once you’ve tried a piece of this tart, you’ll find it impossible to put your fork down!

Since I’ve started food blogging and attended culinary college/school, I have developed a love for making my own sweet pastry and tarts. I love how many variations and recipes can be made out of one pastry recipe. The addition of icing sugar is the trade “secret” to exceptionally light and crisp pastry – that’s something my mum has taught me to use when making sweet pastry.

You’ll bake your pastry case until lightly golden and set it aside to cool.

Now, we move onto the filling. To describe it, it’s incredibly creamy, fruity, sweet and oh-so good! Another important step I now do, is leave the tart to chill overnight in the fridge. Though that’s really hard because all you want to do is devour the whole thing, it really is such a crucial step.

I discovered why chilling is super important the first time I made this tart. I remember when I first made the recipe, I allowed it to cool to room temperature and then made the error of cutting straight in. The slice revealed was unset, but as an experiment, I popped the remaining tart into the fridge and left it there overnight. In the morning, it was now fully set and each slice came out flawless. The flavours had also developed and the tart tasted even more delicious.

The errors I’d made on the first bake were rectified and the very next tart I made was the perfect recipe and made its way onto the blog!

This tart serves 8 generous slices, even more if you cut it slightly thinner. It’s a lovely dessert recipe for spring/summer and goes wonderfully paired with fresh berries and some whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

It’s a pâtisserie-worthy dessert, sure to be loved by many!

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Passionfruit Lemon Tart

Luscious passionfruit and lemon sweetness are combined in this gorgeous tart. Really easy to make, packed full of zingy flavour and great served with fresh berries. Once you've tried a piece of this tart, you'll find it impossible to put your fork down!
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 8
Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

Pastry:

  • 200 g plain flour
  • Small pinch of salt omit if using salted butter
  • 115 g butter (salted or unsalted) cubed and chilled
  • 25 g icing sugar sifted
  • 1 medium or large egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

  • 4-5 passionfruit
  • Juice and zest from 1 lemon
  • 150ml double cream
  • 4 tablespoons crème fraîche
  • 85 g caster or granulated sugar
  • 2 medium or large eggs
  • 2 medium or large egg yolks

Instructions

  • To make the pastry: Tip the flour and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter and, using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the icing sugar. In a small bowl, blend together the egg yolk and water. Once mixed, add this wet mixture to the flour mixture and mix to form a dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth. Wrap in clingfilm and leave in the fridge for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C / 400 °F / Gas Mark 6. Lightly flour a work surface, roll the pastry out and line a 23cm / 9-inch loose-bottomed fluted tart tin. Chill in the fridge for a further 20 minutes - this prevents the pastry from shrinking in the case.
  • Prick the base of the pastry with a fork, line with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake the tart case in the preheated oven on a baking tray for 10 minutes. Then remove the baking paper and baking beans and return the pastry case back to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes until it's turned a light golden colour and set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C° / 160°C / 350 °F / Gas Mark 4.
  • To make the filling: Halve the passionfruit and scoop out the seeds and flesh into a sieve that's placed over a jug or bowl. Reserve the seeds and pulp, press with the back of a spoon until you have 75ml of passionfruit juice in the jug (I needed 5 passionfruit for this amount). In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the passionfruit juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, double cream, crème fraîche, sugar, eggs and egg yolks until smooth. Pour into the pastry case.
  • To bake and serve: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until set. Leave to cool in the tin, then place the tart in the fridge for a further 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled topped with extra passionfruit pulp, berries and pouring/whipped cream, if desired.
    The tart will keep stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

More recipe inspiration!

Strawberry Tart (Tarte aux Fraises)

Passionfruit and Lime Cream Pots

Biscoff Chocolate Tart

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Baking · Cakes

Eton Mess Cake

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Welcome the summer days with my easy Eton Mess Cake! Serve this scrumptious traybake at a Coronation or spring/summer garden party. This stunning cake will feed a hungry crowd!

This sensational vanilla traybake is baked until risen and perfectly golden, it’s then topped with whipped double cream, chopped fresh strawberries, raspberries, crushed meringue pieces, and finally, each slice is finished with a drizzle of tangy homemade raspberry coulis!

I’ve created a special recipe to mark King Charles’ Coronation. This is a moment in history and a wonderful occasion we are celebrating. But it’s also a cake you’ll love baking all summer long or for any kind of celebration.

I’ve seen lots of fabulous recipes everyone is baking for the Coronation. My Coronation recipe is this Eton Mess Cake. It’s a hybrid of two British desserts, a classic sponge cake and Eton Mess. Two of the very best!

Eton Mess is an easy dessert made by combining whipped cream with crushed meringue and berries.

You’re going to adore every single aspect of this cake. The fluffy vanilla sponge, the lovely creamy topping that’s filled with juicy berries, and sweet crumbles of meringue, of which, you’ll get to enjoy in each bite of the cake. Though, it’s optional, the raspberry coulis takes this cake to a different level of deliciousness. If you don’t want to make the coulis, you can even swirl some jam through the cream.

It’s also a great Wimbledon-inspired dessert too, if you’re looking for any recipe inspiration for that!

There’s nothing more British than strawberries and cream…

A light and refreshing cake recipe. Decoration is effortless, but I think even with simple decorating, this cake really has the wow factor, and will certainly impress!

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Eton Mess Cake

Easy Eton Mess Cake! Serve this scrumptious traybake at a Coronation or spring/summer garden party. This stunning cake will feed a hungry crowd!
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 16
Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

Cake Batter:

  • 300 g butter (salted or unsalted) or margarine margarine produces a lighter sponge
  • 300 g caster or granulated sugar
  • 5 medium or large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 300 g self-raising flour
  • 4 tablespoons milk

Decoration:

  • 300 ml double cream
  • 1 tablespoon icing sugar
  • 125 g fresh raspberries washed and left whole or chopped in half
  • 200 g fresh strawberries washed, hulled and chopped into small pieces
  • 2 meringue nests add more to the top if you like

Raspberry Coulis:

  • 200 g fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 2 tablespoons icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoons lemon juice or water

Instructions

  • Start by making the raspberry coulis. Place the raspberries, icing sugar and lemon juice/water in a small saucepan. Heat gently and continue to cook until the raspberries break down and you’re left with a thick and glossy sauce. Take off the heat and pass the coulis through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Discard the seeds. Leave the sauce to cool before refrigerating.
  • Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Line a 23cm x 30cm (9 x 13-inch) baking tin with baking parchment.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter/margarine with the sugar for about 2 minutes, until light and creamy. Add one egg, along with the vanilla extract, and a tablespoon of the flour. Mix well to incorporate, then repeat with the remaining eggs and the flour. Finally, add the milk and continue mixing to combine - don't over mix.
  • Transfer the cake batter to the lined baking tin and smooth the top with the back of a spatula or spoon. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden, risen and a cake tester, when inserted into the centre of the cake, comes out clean without any uncooked batter remaining. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transport it to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
  • Once the cake is cooled, it's time to decorate. Carefully remove the cake from the tin, peel away the parchment paper and transport the cake to a serving plate/platter. Take the cream and whip until soft peaks have formed, spread this across the top of the cake. Top with the fruit, followed by the crushed meringue. Serve slices of the cake, drizzled with the raspberry coulis and extra crushed meringue, if desired.
  • The cake will keep stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Make your very own meringue with my fantastic Meringues recipe!

Three more strawberries ‘n’ cream recipes!

Strawberries and Cream Puff Pastry Tarts

Strawberry Tart (Tarte aux Fraises)

Strawberries and Cream Shortbread Sandwiches

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Baking · Biscuits and Cookies

Melting Moments

What Jessica Baked Next2 Comments

Delicate buttery biscuits, lightly flavoured with vanilla and rolled in a choice of oats, desiccated coconut, or crushed cornflakes. Before baking, the biscuits are then topped with a sweet glacé cherry. These traditional Scottish biscuits have a taste of nostalgia.

Melting Moments are delectable, buttery biscuits that just melt in the mouth. Made with store cupboard ingredients, these biscuits are simply divine. Best of all, there’s no chilling or rolling out the dough.

I wasn’t aware of this at first, but there are actually two types of Melting Moments. One of them I was familiar with. That is a biscuit that has custard powder added to the dough, but the version of Melting Moments that I’m sharing with you today, I didn’t realise existed.

I discovered these at work. With our small team of chefs, we discuss recipes and new bakes we want to try out. My colleague mentioned she’d eaten these biscuits at school and was keen for us to bake some.

We cracked on baking several batches and they proved to be a hit. We couldn’t resist trying some as soon as they left the oven – this is definitely the best part about baking!

As soon as I’d finished that last bite of the delicious, freshly baked biscuit, I knew I just had to share the recipe on here!

Since sharing my Easy Oat Biscuits, this recipe is the most viewed bake near enough everyday. I’ve really been happy to see many photos of the ones you’ve been baking!

I thought I’d share another easy biscuit recipe. These Melting Moments are fairly similar, but the differences are, they’re made without brown sugar and instead of mixing oats into the biscuit dough, the dough balls are simply rolled in the oats instead. Finally, each biscuit is traditionally topped with a half/or whole glacé cherry before heading to the oven for baking.

I topped some of my biscuits with more than one cherry half. I love the sweetness the little bit of cherry on top adds! If you don’t have any glacé cherries, then even a square of chocolate is a fantastic alternative.

If you fancy changing the recipe, swap the vanilla extract for almond extract instead to make a Bakewell-style biscuit, or you could even add the zest of a lemon to the dough.

These biscuits have crisp edges and a lovely cake-like texture in the centre. They’re ever so moreish, one is not enough.

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Melting Moments

Delicate buttery biscuits, flavoured lightly with vanilla and rolled in a choice of oats, desiccated coconut or crushed cornflakes, then topped with a glacé cherry.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 12
Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

  • 200 g butter (salted or unsalted) softened
  • 125 g caster or granulated sugar
  • 1 medium or large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 225 g self-raising flour
  • 50 g porridge oats (rolled oats also work fine too) substitute with the same amount of desiccated coconut or crushed cornflakes

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Line 3 large baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy - this will take about 2 minutes to achieve.
  • Now add the egg and the vanilla. Mix again to combine. Now add the flour and fold through until you have a soft dough formed - don't over mix.
  • Place the oats, coconut or crushed cornflakes on a side plate or in a bowl. Take 50g portions of the dough and roll into even balls. Take each ball of dough and roll in the oats/coconut/cornflakes until coated well.
  • Evenly spread the balls of dough across the lined baking trays, allow enough room for each biscuit to spread - about 2-3cm between each. Top each ball of dough with half a glacé cherry.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the biscuits have a spread and are lightly golden around the edges. Don't worry if they appear soft, they will continue to cook as they cool on the baking trays. Allow the biscuits to cool on the baking trays for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
  • As they cooled, I pressed a few extra pieces of halved glacé cherry on the top of a few of my biscuits. The biscuits will keep at room temperature, covered or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

If you like these Melting Moments, then you just have to try my Easy Oat Biscuits next!

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Baking · Candy and Sweets · Chocolate · Cookies

Mini Egg Cookies

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Soft and chewy cookies, filled with crushed Mini Eggs, dark chocolate chips and white chocolate chunks. Topped while still warm with even more Mini Eggs and chocolate!

Easter is getting closer and I felt like baking cookies, as I hadn’t made any for such a long time.

I love all kinds of cookies. I’m not fussy at all!

I’m all for the super soft, chewy ones, the deliciously thick Crème London/Levain Bakery cookies, and thin and crispy cookies!

I’ve taken the elite Easter chocolate, Cadbury Mini Eggs, and added them to a batch of cookie dough. Today, I’m presenting to you my Mini Egg Cookies.

Over the last few weeks, most supermarkets here have unveiled huge displays of Easter eggs and various Easter favourite chocolates – there’s an incredible amount of choice. A couple of my favourites include Cadbury Mini Eggs and Malteser Bunnies.

You’re going to fall in love with the texture of these cookies. They’re super soft, with a gooey middle that’s filled with chocolate.

Chocolate wise in this cookie, you can add a combination you like. I went for a mixture of dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, along with crushed Mini Eggs. You can add more Mini Eggs if you want. I like decorating the tops with more Mini Eggs for extra crunchy texture – this also ensures you get Mini Eggs in each bite of your cookie!

I find the easiest way to prepare the Mini Eggs for the cookie dough is to crush the Mini Eggs in the bag they come in with a rolling pin. You want a mixture of big and small pieces. Then tip the crushed eggs straight into your cookie dough! Alternatively, you can add the Mini Eggs whole into your cookie dough.

I used a Cadbury Mini Egg bar to top my cookies too. It’s delicious – I used the extra chocolate I had leftover from this bar and filled a croissant for breakfast. It’s game-changing!

These cookies are a scrumptious Easter bake! So good eaten freshly baked to really enjoy the gooey, soft texture. Equally enjoyed with a scoop of ice cream or dunked in a glass of milk.

With this recipe, you’re now ready to get your cookie fix this Easter!

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Mini Egg Cookies

Soft and chewy cookies, filled with crushed Mini Eggs, dark chocolate chips and white chocolate chunks. Topped while still warm with even more Mini Eggs and chocolate!
Prep Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 22 minutes
Servings 18
Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

  • 280 g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornflour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt add just a pinch if using salted butter
  • 170 g butter (salted or unsalted) melted and cooled for 5 minutes
  • 150 g dark or light brown sugar
  • 100 g granulated or caster sugar
  • 1 medium or large egg
  • 1 medium or large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 150 g Cadbury Mini Eggs crushed or roughly chopped
  • 150 g chocolate chips or chunks I used a mix of dark chocolate chips and chunks of white chocolate - you can add more mini eggs instead
  • Cadbury Mini Eggs and chocolate extra to decorate the tops of each cookie

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cornflour and the salt - only add a pinch of salt if using salted butter.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter with both types of sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Add the whole egg, egg yolk and the vanilla extract, and whisk again to combine.
  • Now add the wet ingredients to your bowl of dry ingredients. Gently fold together to combine. Add your Mini Eggs and other chocolate of choice, stir to mix through. Cover the bowl and chill the cookie dough for at least 2-3 hours, or up to 3 days. I leave mine overnight and then allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling.
  • When ready to roll the cookie dough, take 60g portions and roll into balls.
  • Space the cookie dough out on 2-3 large baking trays - you might need to bake the cookies in batches. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges - the cookies will appear very soft, but that's what you want. Press extra chopped Mini Eggs and chocolate on top of each cookie while they're still hot. Leave the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking trays, then they're ready to serve.
  • The cookies will keep for up to 3 days, stored in an airtight container or a covered plate at room temperature.

Below are the Easter cookies I baked last year. These were vegan and were filled with dark chocolate chips and hazelnuts – yum!

We’re crazy for cookies here on WJBN! We’ve shared many biscuit/cookies with you, below are some favourites!

Easy Oat Biscuits

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pret’s Dark Chocolate Almond Cookies

Butter Cookies

Triple Chocolate Cookies

Scottish Shortbread

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Baking · Bread · Light Lunches

Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns

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A savoury spin on hot cross buns! These Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns are packed with flavour from mature Cheddar, they’re topped with a cheesy cross and even more cheese. I serve mine with a quick, homemade chive butter.

Recipe originally posted in March 2014. Recipe and photographs updated March 2023.

This is a recipe redo from 9 years ago! The recipe and photographs were in need of a little update.

You’ll find hot cross buns in supermarkets all across the UK. The traditional hot cross bun is filled with dried fruit and mixed spice, but in recent years, new flavours have appeared and become equally popular choices.

We’re talking chocolate hot cross buns, some with cocoa powder in the dough and others with chocolate chips added. I have a recipe for Vegan Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns.

Red velvet is another flavour I’ve come across, along with apple and cinnamon, and caramelised white chocolate and fudge.

All these sweet hot cross buns are great, but you can also get savoury hot cross buns, with many, including one of my favourite ingredients. Cheese.

These Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns consist of a simple dough that’s flavoured with cayenne pepper and grated mature Cheddar cheese. The cross-topping is usually made by mixing flour and water, but mine is made by mixing together grated Pecorino cheese, flour and water. The cheese adds that extra salty, cheesy deliciousness to each hot cross bun!

Right before baking, I sprinkled the tops of each HCB with even more Pecorino – if you’re not vegetarian, then you can use Parmesan instead.

Serve your cheesy hot cross buns with a liberal amount of salted butter. I made my own chive butter, by mixing softened butter with chopped chives from the garden and a little bit of black pepper.

Also, why not fill your savoury hot cross bun with some crispy bacon – I love vegetarian bacon and think this would pair wonderfully for brunch/lunch. Or spread with butter, followed by your favourite chutney and some extra cheese.

The recipe is time-consuming, but there’s no better feeling than eating a batch of homemade bread you’ve baked right in your own kitchen.

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Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns

A savoury spin on hot cross buns! These Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns are packed with flavour from mature Cheddar, they're topped with a cheesy cross and even more cheese. I serve mine with a quick, homemade chive butter.
Prep Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes
Servings 12
Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

Hot Cross Bun Dough:

  • 250 ml milk
  • 50 g butter (salted or unsalted)
  • 500 g strong white bread flour
  • 14 g dried yeast 2 x standard 7g packets
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 medium or large egg
  • 150 g mature Cheddar coarsely or finely grated

Cheese Cross Topping:

  • 5 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Cheddar can be substituted
  • 5 tablespoons plain flour
  • 5 tablespoons water

Cheese Topping:

  • 25 g Cheddar or Pecorino grated

Instructions

  • In a small pan, heat your milk and butter until the butter has melted and the milk is just warm to the touch - you don't want the milk boiling hot.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add your bread flour, yeast (to one corner), salt (to the opposite corner to the yeast) and the cayenne pepper (if using). Give these ingredients a good stir so they're evenly mixed.
  • Now add the warmed milk/butter mixture, along with the beaten egg and stir until a soft dough comes together.
  • Knead by hand or in a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook attachment for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
  • Cover the bowl and leave the dough somewhere warm for 2 hours or until it's doubled in size.
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, mix the grated Cheddar into the dough by hand. Divide it equally into 12 pieces (I weigh for accuracy and each dough piece weighs roughly approx. 80g) and roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place the balls of dough on a large, lightly greased baking tray, leaving space for them to rise. Leave for the dough to rise for another hour, or until the dough has risen and joined up.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Make the cheesy cross topping by mixing the grated cheese, flour and water gently until it's just come together - try not to over mix this, otherwise it becomes tough when baked.
  • Transfer the cheesy cross topping to a piping bag, snip the end a little just to make a small hole. Pipe a line across the top of the buns and then pipe another line the opposite way, so each bun is topped with a cross. I went over the top of each line again to use up the majority of my mixture - don't worry if you don't use it all.
  • Sprinkle over the grated cheese and then bake the buns for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden - mine took 25 minutes. Allow to cool and then serve with plenty of butter!

Vegan Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

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Baking · Cakes

School Cake

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A true British classic – this is my take on the popular old-fashioned School Cake. This simple, fluffy vanilla traybake is topped with icing and lots of colourful sprinkles!

When it comes to cake, the simplest of cakes is definitely a winner in my opinion.

The cake I have for you today is easy to make and even easier to eat!

School Cake is a nostalgic bake that often reminds many British people of their childhood at primary school. My sister and I went to school in the 2000’s. We actually don’t remember having this cake, but I’ve seen this recipe everywhere!

When talking to my family, we discussed our memories of school food, and obviously, pudding was our main topic of conversation. Sweet treats we remember enjoying at school included chocolate shortbread and flapjacks.

If you love flapjacks, then you just have to try my popular British Flapjacks recipe ASAP!

I bake cakes like this at work very often, so I thought about sharing one on my blog. You can make this cake one of two ways. The all-in-one method or creaming method. I like to cream my margarine and sugar first, then add the eggs, along with the vanilla extract, flour and milk.

I would recommend using margarine over butter. Butter adds amazing richness, but personally, for me, the margarine keeps the cake super moist and tastes more traditional. Plus, a bonus of using margarine, is that you can use it straight from the fridge, unlike butter which needs to be softened.

Decorate this amazing vanilla traybake with a simple white icing. Then follow that with a generous amount of sprinkles (either sugar strands or hundreds and thousands).

Leave the icing to set, then slice into squares as big or small as you like.

We ate this cake as it is, and also with some custard. This divine cake stays moist for days, it’s perfect for all occasions. Whether that be for a weekday/weekend pudding, or for a birthday party.

Take a step back in time to your school days with this fabulous, retro cake!

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School Cake

A true British classic. My take on the popular old-fashioned School Cake. This simple, fluffy vanilla traybake is topped with icing and lots of colourful sprinkles!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 16
Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

  • 300 g butter (salted or unsalted) or margarine margarine produces a lighter sponge
  • 300 g caster or granulated sugar
  • 5 medium or large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 300 g self-raising flour
  • 4 tablespoons milk
  • 325 g icing sugar
  • 4-5 tablespoons water or enough for a thick, spreadable icing
  • Sprinkles (either sugar strands or hundreds and thousands) to decorate

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Line a 23cm x 30cm (9 x 13-inch) baking tin with baking parchment.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter/margarine with the sugar for about 2 minutes, until light and creamy. Add one egg, along with the vanilla extract, and a tablespoon of the flour. Mix well to incorporate, then repeat with the remaining eggs and the flour. Finally, add the milk and continue mixing to combine - don't over mix.
  • Transfer the cake batter to the lined baking tin and smooth the top with the back of a spatula or spoon. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden, risen and a cake tester, when inserted into the centre of the cake, comes out clean without any uncooked batter remaining. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transport it to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
  • Once the cake is cooled, prepare the icing. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the icing sugar with enough water to make a thick, spreadable icing - start adding a teaspoon of water and keep adding until you get the consistency you desire.
  • Spread the icing over the top of the cake, then cover with a generous amount of sprinkles. Leave the icing to set, before slicing up into 12-16 squares. The cake will keep for up to 3 days stored at room temperature.

Try these cake recipes next!

Classic Victoria Sandwich

Chocolate Traybake

Carrot Cake Traybake

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Baking · Muffins

Magdalenas (Spanish Lemon Muffins)

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Magdalenas are delicious, light and fluffy Spanish lemon-flavoured muffins.

Today, I’m channeling all the springtime vibes with this gorgeous, zesty lemon muffin recipe.

I’ve been enjoying Magdalenas since first visiting Spain. When I visit Spain, I always pick up a pack of Magdalenas for breakfast to enjoy, but I also find myself eating these for a mid-afternoon snack, or after dinner for dessert.

We love sharing recipes from all over the world here on WJBN and celebrating different cuisines.

Magdalenas are soft, citrus-y muffins that are beautifully light. You’ll find them in supermarkets and in bakeries all across Spain, among other baked goods.

Towards the end of January, I made my Crunchie Cheesecake again. That recipe is pure chocolate indulgence, but after eating several slices of cheesecake, I wanted something not as rich as my next bake.

Last month, I also shared my first muffin recipe on this blog and said this year, I would definitely be sharing more muffin recipes with you. If you haven’t seen them yet, here are my Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins.

This isn’t my first attempt at baking Magdalenas. I baked these a couple of years ago. However, the muffins I made were yummy, but they weren’t exactly what I remembered Magdalenas to be like.

I decided to find another recipe to follow and landed on this one by Anna Recetas Fáciles.

The previous recipe I used contained extra virgin olive oil instead of butter. I found the olive oil flavour too strong. I much prefer using a combination of vegetable oil and melted butter.

These Magdalenas are made differently to the muffin recipe I shared with you last month. In the first step, rather than creaming the butter with the sugar, we whisk the eggs with the lemon sugar until frothy.

Once you’ve done that, you will add the milk, melted butter and oil, and then fold the dry ingredients in and allow the muffin batter to rest in the fridge for at least one hour. Resting time is essential and will aid the rise and help keep the muffins super tender.

Magdalenas are very similar in texture to a classic French Madeleine. The only difference here, is that Madeleines are baked in a shell-shaped tin. They have the same lemon flavour and textured sponge.

The lemon can be substituted for orange or lime zest. I want to try orange zest next time I make these and also add some chocolate chips in too!

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Magdalenas (Spanish Lemon Muffins)

Magdalenas are traditonal Spanish lemon muffins, with a light and fluffy texture.
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12
Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

  • 150 g granulated or caster sugar plus extra for the muffin tops
  • Zest from one large lemon
  • 4 eggs
  • 60 ml milk
  • 100 g butter (salted or unsalted) melted and warm
  • 80 ml vegetable oil
  • 200 g plain flour
  • 10g baking powder
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Using your fingertips, rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release the oil.
  • Crack the eggs into the mixing bowl and whisk for 2-3 minutes or until they're foamy and have lightened in colour.
  • Add the milk, melted butter and vegetable oil. Whisk again to combine fully.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder and a smallish pinch of salt over the other ingredients and gently fold to incorporate until no lumps of flour remain. Be gentle when folding and try not to over mix.
  • Cover and chill the cake batter for at least one hour. When ready to bake the magdalenas, preheat the oven to 220ºC / 200ºC Fan / 425ºF / Gas Mark 7. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners. Evenly distribute the cake batter between the paper liners. Sprinkle the tops with a little extra sugar.
  • Bake the muffins for 10 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 200ºC / 180ºC Fan / 400ºF / Gas Mark 6 and continue baking the muffins for a further 5 minutes until the muffins are well risen and a skewer, when inserted in the centre, comes out clean without any uncooked batter remaining.
  • Leave the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the muffin tin, then transport them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. These muffins are best eaten fresh on the day of baking, but they will keep for up to 3 days stored at room temperature.

Try these lemon recipes next!

Lemon Poppyseed Drizzle Cakes

Lemonade Scones (3 Ingredients)

Pistachio Lemon Drizzle Cake

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Baking · Chocolate · Muffins

Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins

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The fluffiest blueberry muffins studded with creamy white chocolate chips.

This comes as a shock to me, but this is the FIRST muffin recipe I’ve shared on WJBN!

Muffins are something I don’t tend to make often, but I’m going to rectify that now.

I love how simple they are to make, no different to a cake but without all the need for elaborate decoration. Simplicity is key here.

When it comes to muffins, the ultimate muffin, in my opinion, is the classic blueberry muffin. A chocolate chip muffin and a chocolate muffin are both close behind.

So, as blueberry muffins are my favourite, that’s where I thought I’d start with my muffin recipe creations.

These Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins are beautifully rustic. They are seriously light, fluffy, not at all dense thanks to the addition of yoghurt (which makes the softest muffins) and gentle mixing.

This muffin is filled with lots of blueberries, meaning you get plenty of sweet and juicy blueberries in each bite. The blueberries burst as they bake in the oven and will fill your kitchen with a gorgeous aroma.

I also decided to add a pack of white chocolate chips, because chocolate always makes everything better, in my opinion!

The creamy white chocolate works wonderfully with the blueberry flavour. You can use dark or milk chocolate chips instead, or just skip the chocolate all together and add even more blueberries to your muffin batter.

Once the muffins come out of the oven, they only need to cool for about 10-15 minutes and they’re ready to eat.

Even after a couple of days, if we do have any left, I heat one up in the microwave and it’s just like a muffin fresh from the oven!

When I start early at work, I love to wake up to a plate of these on the kitchen countertop for breakfast.

Or at the weekend, instead of having to flip pancakes, these muffins make an easy breakfast to grab along with a glass of juice or cup of coffee.

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Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins

Homemade blueberry muffins studded with white chocolate chips.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12
Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

  • 100 g butter (salted or unsalted) or baking spread (I use Stork) at room temperature
  • 140 g caster or granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 140 g full-fat natural yoghurt substitute with buttermilk or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 250 g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 150 g blueberries fresh or frozen
  • 100 g white chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter/baking spread with the sugar for 2 minutes until fluffy and lighter in colour.
  • Now add the eggs and beat to combine - don't worry if it looks curdled at this point, as once you add the dry ingredients, they will come together. Mix in the vanilla extract along with the yoghurt and milk.
  • Now take one tablespoon of the weighed out flour and stir that through your chocolate chips (this stops the chocolate sinking to the bottom of the muffins. You don't need to do this with the blueberries though). In a medium sized bowl, stir together the remaining flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt (omit this if you're using salted butter).
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Now add the blueberries and white chocolate chips and gently fold to combine - be careful not to over mix at this point.
  • Divide the muffin batter between the paper liners. Bake for 5 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 180°C / 160°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4 and continue baking the muffins for 15-18 more minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the centre.
  • Once the muffins are baked, allow them to cool for a few minutes and then transport them to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. The muffins will keep for up to 3 days.

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Baking · Dips and Sides · Gluten-Free · Vegan

Spanish Roasted Almonds (Almendras Fritas)

What Jessica Baked Next5 Comments

Spanish-style almonds flavoured with olive oil, smoked paprika and garlic. A quick recipe to prepare ready for snacking on.

Almendras Fritas is a traditional Spanish tapa. The almonds are usually fried, but instead I’ve roasted mine and once lightly toasted and still hot from the oven, I’ve mixed the almonds with olive oil, garlic and paprika seasoning, and flaky sea salt.

In Spain, you’ll typically find fried almonds (only seasoned with salt) on the side in bars, ready to devour with a beer or glass of wine.

They also make a fabulous, healthy snack to munch on. They’re perfect for all occasions, whether it be for a mid-morning/midday snack to re-engerise yourself with, or served up at a party alongside other tasty nibbles.

Last summer, I went on a holiday to beautiful Nerja in Andalusia. It was on that trip that I discovered the Spaniards’ love of savoury and sweet nuts.

Walking around most cities or towns, there are many stalls selling warm almonds. We also found a shop that sold caramelised nuts. They took anything from almonds, to cashew nuts, to sunflower seeds and coated these nuts and seeds in caramel – some with salt added too.

I brought back a few packs to eat at home, but this is something I’ve wanted to recreate for the blog since my holiday.

But first, I chose to make a savoury version of roasted nuts.

I intended to share this recipe before Christmas/New Year and wanted to post it alongside these Cheese and Mustard Puff Pastry Pinwheels. In the end, time got the better of me, but I made sure this recipe went straight to the top of my 2023 recipe planner.

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Spanish Roasted Almonds (Almendras Fritas)

Spanish-style roasted almonds, flavoured with smoked paprika and garlic.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

  • 300 g raw almonds
  • 1 teaspoon garlic granules
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt I use sea salt, but table salt is fine too
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
  • Evenly spread the almonds out on a large baking tray. Toast the almonds for 5-8 minutes until slightly darkened in colour - watch them carefully as the nuts toast very quickly.
  • While the almonds are toasting, prepare the spice mix. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic granules, smoked paprika and the salt.
  • When the almonds are ready, transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil and the spice mix and toss to combine.
  • Serve the almonds warm or at room temperature. The almonds will keep stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

The recipe makes enough almonds to generously fill a medium sized serving dish and will roughly serve about 6 people.

Deliciously crunchy and each almond has a tasty coating of smoky paprika and garlic.

You’ll find these addictive and will be eating them constantly by the handful…

Similar recipes to try next!

Patatas Bravas – my most popular savoury recipe

Paprika Roasted Potatoes

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Cheese and Mustard Puff Pastry Pinwheels (3 Ingredients)

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Baking · Chocolate · Crêpes and Pancakes

Homemade Crêpes

What Jessica Baked Next45 Comments

Soft and fluffy traditional French Crêpes are quick and easy to make from scratch. This 4 ingredient recipe is one to have ready for Pancake Day!

Originally posted in February 2015, recipe and photographs updated January 2023.

When I’m craving homemade soft, buttery and fluffy crêpes this recipe ticks all the boxes for me.

These crêpes are incredibly easy to make as the batter can be made in a blender or just in a mixing bowl with a whisk. The batter also doesn’t require chilling before cooking, but it can also be made ahead of time.

I enjoy serving my homemade crêpes with chocolate hazelnut spread, Chantilly cream and berries, but the neutral flavour of these means you can serve and top them with anything that takes your fancy!

With Shrove Tuesday approaching next month, I’m sharing one of my favourite pancake recipes.

Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day is a day we celebrate and eat lots of homemade pancakes. The reason is that it uses up butter, eggs and other items that are given up for Lent.

I have very fond memories of Pancake Day growing up. We ate plate after plate of pancakes, all with different toppings!

I love big, fluffy American-style pancakes equally as much as I adore crêpes, and this Nigella recipe has never let me down – it’s a recipe I’ve made for years.

This is the kind of dessert I could eat forever and I would be happy. I love a thin crispy pancake packed full of warm Nutella, that really is dessert heaven for me!

These crêpes make an awesome weekend breakfast. They’re light, airy, and delicious with the warm, oozy Nutella spilling out.

Crêpes are great served with savoury fillings such as ham (a vegetarian option is also brilliant too), cheese and mustard. Another favourite of ours is lemon juice and sugar, it’s such a fresh and sweet flavour combination.

The list and choices are endless!

You can even make a Crêpe Cake too! Layer each crêpe, spread with your choice of filling and continue going until you’ve used all your crêpes up – you will probably need to make a double batch of this recipe to make enough crêpes for a cake.

Bookmark this recipe to make right away or next month for Pancake Day! You might also like to try my popular Fluffy American Pancakes or Fluffy Vegan Pancakes too!

I made a double batch of this recipe, and that made plenty of crêpes for dessert one night and breakfast the next day. We can’t get enough of these and they use very little ingredients, which is an added bonus!

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Homemade Crêpes

How to make traditional French Crêpes! These thin pancakes are great served with your favourite savoury or sweet fillings.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

  • 30 g butter (salted or unsalted)
  • 150 g plain flour
  • 325 ml milk
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly.
  • In a blender or mixing bowl blend/whisk the flour, milk and egg until combined. Now add the melted butter and combine until you have a smooth and thin pancake batter. If there are any lumps in your batter, pass through it through a sieve. At this point you can chill the batter for up to 2 days before using - I always allow my batter to rest overnight, but this is optional.
  • Heat a small amount of extra butter in a small pan (the pan I use is approx. 20cm / 8-inch in diameter). Once melted carefully wipe away any excess butter. Take roughly 2-3 tablespoons of the pancake mixture into the pan and swirl around until a thin, crisp pancake forms covering the base of your pan. It will only take about a 1 minute to cook on one side. Now flip over and cook on the other side for about another 30 seconds until lightly coloured. Once cooked place on some parchment paper and keep warm in the oven - placing a layer of parchment paper in between each crêpe to avoid them sticking together.
  • Repeat the above step with the remaining batter. Fold or roll the crêpes and serve warm with a choice of fillings and toppings.
  • Crêpes will keep once cooked, covered for up to 3 days. They can be frozen, wrapped well for up to 3 months - when ready to serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave in 20 second bursts until hot.

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