Cupcake

Mocha Cheesecake can be made in a baking paper-lined, 23cm springform pan. Note

When time is limited, make your baking work for you. These recipes will take you from afternoon tea to dessert!

Passionfruit is a beguiling combination of the refreshingly tart and the exotically sweet. It adds a final flourish to Eleanor Ozich’s gluten-free sweet treats

Jordan Rondel creates rich and rewarding gluten-free cakes

Whisk an eggwhite until foamy and brush onto rose petals (make sure they are unsprayed and safe to eat). Place petals on paper towel and dust with caster sugar. Set aside to dry in the sun, if possible. Store airtight. Note

Suitable to freeze. Ganache suitable to microwave. makes 24 Note

With just 15 minutes baking time there's no need for these fruit mince cupcakes to merely be enjoyed at Christmas. Treat yourself all year long!

Raid the strawberry patch, take the ripest, freshest, reddest berries, mix them with sugar and cream, perhaps a little alcohol, a little citrus zest, and create desserts that will send everyone into raptures

These cupcakes can be made up to a day ahead. Note

Use a round-bladed knife to spread frosting over tops of cakes. Note

If you prefer, you can use regular cocoa powder in this recipe instead of Dutch cocoa powder. You can replace mascarpone with cream cheese, if you like. Note

Green tea contains polyphenols which help protect cells against free radical damage and can increase bone density. Note

From plaiting bread to decorating cupcakes, there’s fun for young and old with Sophie Gray’s easy kitchen creations

Cupcakes can be made and iced a day ahead, but don’t attach the ears until you’re ready to serve as moisture in the icing on top of the cupcakes can soften the ears at the base, causing them to flop or break off! Store your assembled cupcakes in a single layer in an airtight container. […]

You can find Persian fairy floss, also known as Pashmak, at Middle Eastern groceries and gourmet food stores. It makes a great dessert decoration. Only decorate the cakes with the fairy floss when ready to serve, as the floss can melt quickly. Note

Instead of filling with chocolate cream, fill cakes with a teaspoon of jam, then a dollop of whipped cream, if preferred. Note

Use scissors dipped in icing sugar to cut Turkish Delight. Note

Vegetables add a subtle flavour and texture to these tempting baking treats by Sophie Gray

You can bake this mixture in a paper- lined 20cm round cake pan in an oven preheated to 180°C/160°C fan forced for 1 hour, 15 minutes. White Chocolate Ganache: Makes 3/4 cup For a quick and easy dessert, serve granache warm as a fondue with fresh fruit for dipping. Note

Makes 6 Replace figs with dried dates. Dried figs are in the dried fruit and nut aisle. You can bake this mixture in a paper-lined 20cm round cake pan in an oven preheated to 180°C/160°C fan forced for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted at centre comes out clean. Note

Makes 12 You’ll need 3 large dried figs. Apple puree is in the canned fruit aisle of the supermarket. Note

You’ll need 2 tablespoons juice for the icing. Note

You’ll find jersey caramels in the confectionery aisle. Swap jersey caramels for chopped dark chocolate or chocolate hazelnut balls. Note

Makes 18 To make extra-stable paper cases, stack 2 together, one inside the other, then fill. Make ahead: Bake golden joys up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container. Note

Top friands with thickly sliced strawberries instead. You can replace chocolate bar with chopped dark chocolate melts. Note

If you use a traditional friand muffin tray, the mixture will make 10 friands instead of 12. Thaw frozen blueberries on paper towels at room temperature for 20 minutes. Note

You’ll need 1 large lemon for zest and juice; grate zest first, then juice lemon. Note

MAKES 12 For larger cupcakes, cook mixture in 8 holes of a 3/4-cup Texas muffin tray. Allow about 5 minutes extra baking time. You’ll need 3 passionfruit. Swap 1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple for 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple. Note

You can use buttermilk or soy milk instead. Swap coconut for almond meal (ground almonds). Note

Always bake a cake as soon as batter is ready so it rises well. When done, stand in the pan to cool. Note

Make these bunny cupcakes as an Easter treat and let the kids help decorate them. Using marshmallows, liquorice, M&Ms to create the bunny faces, these cupcakes are just as delicious as they are cute.

Before using coffee cups, make sure they are oven proof. You can also use 1-cup ramekins. Note

The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into its centre comes out clean and dry. Note

Makes 12 If prefered, top with choc chips or grated chocolate Note

To prevent mixture from overflowing, never fill patty cases more than 2/3 full. You can use a muffin pan to make large cupcakes. You will get about 12. Note

If preferred, you can use buttermilk or natural yoghurt in place of sour cream. Store in an airtight container. This cake also freezes well. Makes 12 Note

When cutting tops off cakes, make a small recess to allow for the cream. Note

Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes

You need about 3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple. Note

To “fold” means to mix liquid or dry ingredients with a gentle lifting motion, rather than beating vigorously. This helps produce a tender cake. Note

To test whether cakes are cooked, insert a skewer into one. If it is clean and dry when removed, the cakes are cooked. Note

This can also be made in a 10 x 20cm loaf pan – increase cooking time to 50-60 minutes. Note

If using instant coffee granules, dissolve with 2 teaspoons of boiling water to make a paste. Note

When making syrup, ensure sugar has dissolved before it comes to the boil, then simmer, without stirring, to prevent crystallisation. Note

Toss coconut in a dry frying pan over medium heat until golden. Remove immediately. Or toast on a baking tray at 180°C for 5-10 minutes. Note

We used a standard muffin pan – if you use mini muffin pans the mixture will make about 24. Reduce cooking time to 15 minutes Persian fairy floss (pashmak) is available from specialty and Middle Eastern food stores. Note

Candied macadamias are available from specialty nut shops. If liked, top with chopped scorched almonds or chocolate shavings. Note

Fondant carrots are available from specialty kitchenware shops or cake decorating shops. Alternatively, you can make your own using (lower moulding paste. Colour it with liquid food colouring and shape into mini-carrots – then use a small amount of pasts, coloured green, to make the curly tops. Note

Use white or dark chocolate, if preferred. Note

MAKES 12 These cakes freeze well. Decorate them after thawing. If liquid glucose is unavailable, you can use honey or warmed jam. Note

To make chocolate coffee beans, melt 50g chocolate. Place 1/3 cup coffee beans in a sieve and drizzle chocolate over. Allow to set. Note

You could serve these cupcakes without golf decorations by simply topping with flaked coconut. If tapioca pearls are unavailable, use fondant and roll into small balls. Note

It’s important to beat the butter and sugar together very well, to dissolve the sugar. Note

When dusting cake pans always use the same flour that is used in the cake. This mixture is perfect for 2 x 20cm round cake pans. Note

These pans come in a tray like a muffin pan and are available from specialty kitchenware shops. Use a 12 hole medium muffin pan instead if you like. Note

MAKES 6 Note

It’s best to use chocolate balls that have a solid centre. Cakes are cooked if a skewer inserted in the centre is clean and dry when removed. Note

This mixture also makes a single cake in a 20cm springform pan. You’ll need to increase cooking time to 40-45 minutes. Makes 24 Note

This cupcake flower garden also looks very pretty arranged on a tiered cake stand. Note

MAKES 18 Note

Cakes are cooked when they pull away from the sides of the pan and a skewers inserted into the centre comes out clean and dry. Note

This is a foolproof recipe for children or those who don’t like washing up! Note