Trusted Baking Recipes from a Self-Taught Baker

"Carrot cake is a really lovely way to use up any carrots you have knocking around in the bottom of the fridge," says Sophia. Named after Queen Victoria, who used to eat it at teatime. In fact, the whole practice of afternoon tea was created by the Duchess of Bedford, who invited the Queen to join – and the trend was started.

This Welsh fruity tea bread is traditionally known as bara brith, which translates as ‘speckled bread’. This bizarrely named dish has, thankfully, never had anything to do with toads. It was originally a way to make cheap cuts of meat go further – by submerging them in Yorkshire pudding batter. Sausages are the number one choice now, and it’s still a great way to make an affordable but really filling meal. Contrary to what the name suggests, this roll of cake, jam, and buttercream does not actually originate from Switzerland.

This simple bake is made by topping the apple pieces and sugar with flour, butter, and sugar topping. This easy-peasy version also has oats for extra texture, or you can add in chopped pecans for crunch or ground almonds for sweetness. "People often think scones are hard to make but they are actually very quick and simple," says Sophia. "The trick is not to over-handle the dough and to keep it slightly sticky. A hot oven is a must too to get a lovely colour on top." These mini versions are so delicious and a beautiful British bake. A perfect mouthful to accompany an afternoon cuppa, or to serve up with sandwiches as a full high tea.

• The knowledge I’ve learned over the years has created a fantastic foundation on which I can build and share with readers.
• Many traditional pound cake recipes call for sour cream, so I thought, why not yogurt?
• The hands-on work is minimal here, but thanks to a long, slow rise, this bread comes out with a perfect golden crust and soft interior every time.
• These cakes are so lovely and easy to make, they make a great project to do with the kids.
• Sausages are the number one choice now, and it’s still a great way to make an affordable but really filling meal.
• It’s topped with delicious cream cheese icing and chopped nuts and it is perfect for a slice in the afternoon with a cup of tea or coffee.

Truth be told, it doesn’t originate in the UK either, but we have adopted it and taken it to our hearts. This version, replete with the essential dated, is by This Morning chef Phil Vickery. The caramel sauce is from a tin, which makes it quick and easy to do and the results are delicious.

To take this cake over the top, slather it with my luscious chocolate frosting! Tasting it, you’d never guess that there’s a secret veggie ingredient (baked sweet potato!) hiding inside it. The second of our great Welsh bakes – these little biscuits size cakes make a very moreish snack. They are a bit like a very flat scone, but you eat them on their own – no need for cream and jam because they’re dusted with sugar so they’re sweet enough.

Do your bit to save this piece of Welsh heritage by making this version at home. Date and walnut is a veteran of bake sales, coffee mornings, and school fetes. This original recipe from Woman’s Weekly magazine in 1939 is one of the oldest recorded, and it’s still an absolute classic. This gorgeous recipe is from the British queen of baking, Mary Berry, and it’s pretty fool-proof. This cake is fun to make and learning to roll it is a great skill to master. This recipe takes you through the process with a how-to video and the results are really impressive.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

We’ve already covered scones with cream and jam but it’s not a list of British bakes without mentioning the savoury version too. Once you’ve mixed and rolled out the dough and cut out the scone shapes, they take minutes to bake – a British classic in no time. These cakes are so lovely and easy to make, they make a great project to do with the kids. This recipe even takes you through with a step-by-step video. Cupcakes might have stolen the limelight with their acres of sugary buttercream, but butterflies are the traditional British version. Traditionally the tops are sliced off these mini sponge cakes to make space for a jam and cream filling.

Lemon cupcakes

You can make your own but the results from readymade are so good and so much speedier, we think it’s a very worthy cheat. It’s a strange flavour combination, usually using instant coffee. Part of the appeal is the nostalgic nature of the taste.

This version by pie connoisseurs, The Hairy Bikers is packed with juicy meat, mushrooms, and veg and topped with golden flakey puff pastry. Scones have been dividing Britons and bringing them back together for centuries. Pretty much the only thing we can all agree on is that we like eating them for afternoon tea with lashings of cream, fruity jam, and a cuppa. This easy-going vanilla cake is the ultimate fuss‑free bake – light, fluffy and super simple. It’s forgiving with tin sizes too, making it the perfect place to start if you’re new to baking…

Chocolate cake always makes a brilliant birthday or special occasion bake – it’s so decadent and delicious. For almost as long as chocolate has been around, we’ve been putting it in cakes. The urge to wrap chunks of steaky meat and gravy in a pastry shell is as old as cooking and in Britain, we do it with aplomb. Made with stewing steak and ale, and topped with a thick pastry crust, it’s an all-occasions feast. Enjoy it as a special weeknight dinner with chips or mash, or even as a great alternative to a roast for Sunday lunch.

In addition to decorating them with matcha (3 ways!), I mix it into the batter, so they’re green through and through. These 6-ingredient squares could pass for breakfast or dessert, which is good news, because you’ll want to eat them all day long. If you don’t have pistachios on hand, feel free to swap them for whatever nut you do.

‘Short’ refers to shortening – butter – which gives the shortbread its fantastic crumbly texture. This recipe is beautifully buttery and delicious, for a really traditional result. Baking your own bread might sound like a challenge but it’s actually pretty easy, and the coffee rush café this loaf is a great place to start. It makes great sandwiches or an accompaniment to summer salads or charcuterie boards.