Cakes and the baking movement are majorly on the up, thanks to the boom in TV baking shows such as Great British Bake Off in 2011. The term ‘cake’ has surged on web searches in the UK, knocking ‘chicken’ off its number one food-search hotspot. So, with cakes looking to be huge this year, in what forms are we likely to see our beloved sponge pop up over the next 12 months?

1. The rival cupcake for 2012 is looking rather Frenchified…The James Beard Foundation in New York predict that canelés are going to be the thing to pop in your bouche. Watch out for this little Bordeaux treat, with a crispy, caramelised crust and chewy, custardy middle, made from crêpe-like batter.

Thanks@chezpim.com

2. Others predict other French fancy, the macaroon will be the big hitter this year,  a good competitor surely, considering it’s darn cute to look at and can be reinvented in all sorts of colours and flavours, just as cupcakes have been.

Thanks@goodtoknow.co.uk

3. Layered cake will be yet another cupcake rival, according to the dirtylaundry.com blog. Now this sure is not something you can whip up in half an hour though!

Thanks @Mariolacookingtherapy.blogspot.com

4. But the cupcake craze isn’t dead, despite certain critics who find the food garish and rather kitsch…and The Guardian’s Charlie Brooker who claims “Cupcakes are for people who can’t handle reality“. But surely Mr Brooker the off-the-wall nature of the mini sponge is precisely its appeal?….

Cupcakes are still king of the bakes, in my book anyways

5. It’s all about moneysaving DIY cakes. Tough financial times have led people to become more resourceful with their cash, which means the bake at home trend is ever-growing. In uncertain times, we are likely to want to stick to trustworthy family recipes, says UK food and drink company My Secret Kitchen.

When the pennies are being stretched, get that apron on and bake your own

6. Cakes in a jar, a new way to present edible gifts. (But just be careful if you’re planning to take your present airborne, with airport officials now classing cake as a ‘potential weapon’ in some cases…)

In 2012 it’s all about the cake and the jar, ‘they’ say

7. Wedding cake trends: According to various wedding blogs, cupcake towers will still be big this year, along with beautifully crafted ‘cake pops’, macaroons and cookies, decorated in coordinated colours, says aprilbakery.com.

Thanks @Marthastewart.com

With a general return of the ‘old school’ cake, 2012 will also see us reunited with the wedding dessert trolly, claims jonbradley.co.uk.

8. Gluten free cooking. More and more people have been converting to G-free, as the category moves from a medical niche, to a mainstream empire, with more brits googling the term than ever. For these reasons many foodies, analysts and companies predict an ongoing boom in cakes, breads and such that don’t contain any of the belly-bloating ingredient.

9. South American treats. My Secret Kitchen also suggests South America will have a big influence on our eating habits. The Bakery Spot blog claims Argentinian Alfajores will be a big hitter: two round sweet biscuits held together by deliciously sickly dulce de leche (or jam). Alternatively the biscuits can be simply covered in black or white chocolate.

Thanks @thebakeryspot.com

10. Bit of Britishness, aprilbakery.co.uk notes the year will be all about embracing our culture and heritage with major events such as the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics. You can see these special dates just crying out for ‘Will’s and Kate’ style cupcake fests as we wave our little union jack flags (nationalist or not, you will end up with one somehow at some point, there’s no escaping).

April Bakery claims the demand for huge, extravagant American style cupcakes, bulging in bright icing will ease, making way for more dainty, English-style cupcakes with natural flavours such as Vanilla, Lavender and Elderflower. Lovely.

My mother produced this tasty slice after finding a recipe on the back of a yoghurt pot.

Born again lemon cake lover...

Lemon drizzle cake: method:

Ingredients:

• 125g  butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 200g plain flour
• 1 heaped teaspoon: bicarbonate of soda
• 3 eggs
• 150g plain yoghurt
• 1 large lemon (zest and juice)

Method:

1. Preheat overn, gas mark 5 (190c)
2. Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.
3. Sieve dry ingredients together in a separate bowl (flour and bicarbonate)
4. Add in spoons of yoghurt and flour, alternating between the two. Blend between additions.
5. Stir in lemon zest/juice.
6. Pour mixture into a greased, 18cm tin.
7. Bake for 40-45mins until all risen.
8. Icing: stir in lemon juice with icing sugar. Just before cake is ready warm the icing gently.
9. Take out your cake, prick to test and then pour on the warmed icing.
10. Enjoy. You’ll find this cake is super moist and fresh tasting….

Hi delicious choc-banoffee pie

This is where the recipe is from:

Method etc

Check out our adorable xmas cupcakes….

A blob of sponge and custard could be in your bowl in less than half an hour (P.s thanks for the photo VBG)

I was delighted to stumble across this easy as anything recipe involving no-fuss, minimal ingredients and an appealing quarter of an hour turn-around which very much suits this evenings’ rather lazy but hungry (okay greedy) self.

Even a fool could cook this 

I doubled the recipe I found, which made enough for about four to five bowls.

Ingredients:

• 100g  butter
• 100g  brown sugar
• 100g self raising flour
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 4 tablespoons of jam or syrup ( I went for Bonne maman jam, can’t go wrong)
• Custard if you fancy

Method:

• Mix in the butter and the sugar
• Add your milk and eggs at the same time
• Add the flour
• Now you’re ready to cook!
• Put about two teaspoons of jam at the bottom of each bowl. Share out te  ixture between the four bowls (you’ll probably put about two tablespoons of mix per bowl)
• Put in the microwave. Cook on high power for 2 mins
• It’s ready already can you believe!
• Tip: It would be useful to have another pair of hands when making this to make sure the custard and sponge are ready at the same time.

After a quick google, yielding of course plenty of results, I came up with this little beaute:

Nutty cake with a dollop of yoghurt - oh yeah

This was based on the recipe I found here.

Ingredients:

• 225g butter
• 225g sugar
• 500g Flour
• 3 Eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 225g yoghurt
• 225g pecan nuts (or however nutty you fancy your cake)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 c (make sure it’s not on ‘grill’, see above)
2. Mix in the butter and sugar as usual
3. Add the eggs, mix ’til fluffy
4. Add the dry ingredients
5. Mix in the yoghurt
6. Briefly toast and then add the nuts
7. You will need either one really deep cake tin or two shallow ones. Grease and put in your cake
8. After 30 mins it’s ready!
9. Mix up the topping and dollop on each serving (best served straight from the oven)

Topping

• 200g yoghurt (can use crème fraîche if you prefer)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Two teaspoons of honey

Mix together and spread on top of cake. Sprinkle on more pecans if you fancy it.

Mistake: Accidently grilled the cake for the first 5 minutes (don’t do this at home) this may have sacrificed some of the cake’s moistness.

Result: Rather good, despite my ditzyness. Loving the crunchy nut combo with the plain, refreshing flavour of the yoghurt.

I must say, it aint too fancy, but crumble is a great warming winter dish that’s easy and hard to **** up.

Here’s a simple and tasty crumble recipe donated to me by my ole pal (and great cook) Katie:

• Get 5 large cooking apples (or non cooking even, both work) and put them in a saucepan on a low heat with quarter of a cup of water and a sprinkle of sugar.
• Leave simmering while you prepare the top, this takes around 5-10 mins.
• Now the topping, basically it’s equal measure of everything, 250 grams of flour, 250 of butter and 250 of sugar. Now, I tend to go for brown sugar (rumour has it however that this is just white sugar in disguise, which sadly kills the whole idea of it maybe being a tad healthier)
• Rub the flour and butter until you get breadcrumbs, stir in the sugar, then chuck in a generous sprinkle of cinnamon!
• Now lay the apple in the bottom of a dish and sprinkle the crumble mix on top. Don’t pat it down, leave it loose.
• You can also put different fruits in and add oats and nuts to the top-there’s endless possibilities!! (If you ask me I prefer the simple option – not into the whole ‘dried fruit’ thing, but each to their own)

Crumble + custard = match made in heaven

so happy

I was so proud...

2. Winning French approval for my cupcakes3. Eating pain au chocs every day

(just. because. I can)

4. Being given possibly the tallest birthday cake      ever seen

Surprised this thing didn't fall over...

5. Learning that savoury cake exists (see below)

This is a follow-on from a discovery I made a few months back: the savoury cake. It’s a must-do for all cake enthusiasts, now you can eat cake for dinner and dessert!

Great summer food too, a nice savoury cupcake with a bit of salad…bring it on