Simple Cakes: Mary Berry (E)

Product Information

If you don’t have any self raising flour, use plain or all-purpse flour and add an extra ¾ tsp of baking powder.

Measure all the ingredients except the cocoa and icing sugar into a large bowl and beat well with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Put half the mixture in another bowl and add the cocoa powder. Mix well. Cutting down your meat intake or going full veggie? Look no further than the chapter dedicated to vegetable-based mains, which includes hero dishes like Roasted Vegetable Wellington and Wild Mushroom Pasta Bake. If you don’t have self raising flour, swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and put in an extra teaspoon of baking powder.

From the book: Simple Cakes

Measure out the icing sugar then add a few spoons of water. Mix it together until it’s smooth. You don’t want the icing to be too runny otherwise it will run off the fairy cakes. If it is too runny, add a little more icing sugar to stiffen it up. Likewise if it is too stiff and add a drop or two more water. Fairy cakes rather than cupcakes were the bake of my childhood, although both are delicious in their own ways.

To make adding sprinkles a little less messy, I find it helps to pour some into a small bowl first.

Essential kit

With plenty of new festive bakes and desserts to try, Mary Makes it Easy is the perfect cookbook to add to your collection in time for Christmas. Think Celebration Trifle, Bûche de Noël and Very Berry Christmas Fruit Cake.