Who does not enjoy getting dirty in the kitchen? Whether you are stirring up a jumble of biscuits with the kiddies or making a sumptuous centrepiece for a unique afternoon tea, why not like our fast and simple baked food recipes?

Fruity additions - Sponge cake is popular with everybody else but if you learn that yours usually falls flat, consider using self-rising 1 and 1 tsp baking powder - it is likely to make a true difference. And you may readily jazz up a plain sponge cake with summer fruits: chop strawberries in to pieces and mix them together with raspberries and redcurrants. To get a boozy version, soak the veggies in 2 tablespoons framboise liqueur. Use the fruit to fill out the cake, together with cream, rather than jam.

Cake for pudding? - In case you're making a moist cake you may transform it to a dessert. Just serve it using a vanilla mascarpone cream. To make this, stir vanilla infusion and better yet, vanilla sugarinto a tub of mascarpone. When you wish to make use of it, simply sieve the glucose remove components of bunny - or just bury a couple vanilla pods to some jar of sugar. It's worth it as sweet adds a lovely flavour to all baked food recipes.

The best chocolate cake ever - Chocolate cake is on the high in lots of people's sweet cure list. This recipe is fundamentally a Victoria sponge cake awarded the chocolate therapy! It's a true cure. Whether you're looking for only a little less indulgent, it's possible to simply fill the cake with chocolate cream rather than covering it at the same time! Cream 225g butter with 175g caster sugar and 50g moderate brown sugar. Add 4 eggs, lightly crushed. Fold in 225g self-raising flour, 2 tsp baking powder 2 heaped tbsp cocoa mixed into a paste using 4 tbsp boiling water. Bake in 2 x 20cm sandwich tins in 170C for about half an hour or until elastic in the centre. Leave to cool slightly.  In yet another bowl crush 250g softened unsalted butter until soft and creamy then add 275g sieved icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Gently add the vanilla and chocolate and mix until everything is smooth and glossy. Use a quarter of this icing to sandwich the cakes then ice the sides and top.

Jazz up your biscuits - Make plain snacks a little more special by sandwiching them use mascarpone or whipped cream you can add grated lime zest or orange zest, or finely chopped ginger or mint leaves (to chop them, roll them up and finely slice them into chiffonade). Or make a puree from summer veggies and stir this to cream or mascarpone.

In the mix - Muffins are also tremendously popular. Remember not to mix the batter in the event you want them to rise and be light and fluffy. Muffins lend themselves into all kinds of further flavours: Try stirring in a few blueberries or blueberries, or when you possess a sweet tooth, chocolate chips. You may also add seeds - poppy seeds are good, or get a batch of sweet muffins with ham and cheese, or chives and cheese.

Whatever the occasion, you're sure to come across a baking recipe here that turns out a very simple affair into a memorable feast.