The latest baking trend shaking up 2025 isn’t about pristine fondant or slick buttercream — it’s about embracing the mess. In Pinterest’s 2025 trends forecast, chaos cakes are all about over-the-top, joyful decoration where “more is more” and rules are there to be broken.

This year, we’re giving the trend a spooky seasonal twist — Halloween chaos cakes. Think vivid orange, black, and purple buttercream, candy eyeballs, gummy worms, edible glitter, and all the sprinkles you can shake on top. It’s the ultimate bake for getting the kids involved, letting them take the lead, and turning your kitchen into a fun Halloween art studio.

What is a Chaos Cake?

Chaos cakes are cakes decorated with maximum creativity and minimal rules. According to Plastic Container City’s guide, they feature a mash-up of textures, colours, and decorations, often with unexpected additions like fondant dinosaurs or upside-down toppers. The key? Layers of buttercream, heaps of sprinkles, and whatever your imagination can dream up.

For a Halloween twist, swap bright summer colours for orange, purple, and black, and load up on spooky sweets.

The Cake Base – Keep it Simple

A chaos cake is all about the decoration, so start with a simple sponge that’s quick to bake and easy to work with. We love the Victoria Sponge recipe from Baking with Granny — a classic, soft base that holds up well to heavy buttercream and toppings.

Tip: You can colour your buttercream in sections so you have three bowls — one orange, one purple, one black — ready to go.

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Halloween Decoration Inspiration

1. Candy Eyeballs – Buy ready-made or make your own with The Frozen Biscuit’s 3-ingredient recipe. Perfect for peeking out from the frosting.

2. Gummy Worms – Wiggle them across the cake or let them “crawl” out from between layers. See Desserts on a Dime’s Halloween Dirt Cake for inspiration.

3. Sprinkles – Go for black, orange, and purple mixed sprinkles for a confetti explosion effect.

4. Edible Glitter – Make sure it’s food-safe (check the FDA’s advice) to add shimmer without risk.

5. Novelty Toppers – Mini skeletons, candy pumpkins, or toy spiders can make the cake even more theatrical.

Kid-Led Decorating – The Fun Part!

Let the children take the reins here. Alejandra Ramos, in Today’s 2025 entertaining trends, encourages embracing messy creativity in home baking. The beauty of chaos cakes is that there’s no “wrong” way — if a gummy worm ends up in the middle of the cake or the sprinkles are in a mountain on one side, it only adds to the fun.

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More Spooky Cake Inspiration

• Amazing Halloween Rainbow Party Bundt Cake – Cooking with Sugar
• Easy Tri-Colored Halloween Cake – I Heart Recipes
• Monster Eye Surprise Inside Cake – Haniela’s
• Simple Halloween Cakes and Treats Kids Can Make – Mum in the madhouse

If you and your little ghouls whip up a Halloween chaos cake, we’d love to see it! Tag your creations with #HalloweenChaosCake and tag us on Instagram @muminthemadhouse so we can admire your spooky baking brilliance.

From classic rhubarb crisps to frozen pops and spicy chutneys, there’s something here for every craving.

Rhubarb Desserts

1. Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp – Once Upon a Chef

The perfect combination of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb baked under a golden oat topping.

2. Old-Fashioned Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp – Food & Wine

A classic summer dessert that balances sweet and tart with a crisp, buttery topping.

3. Rhubarb Custard Cake – Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Tart rhubarb baked into a soft vanilla custard base. Pure comfort.

4. Rhubarb Custard Cake – Alexandra Cooks

A more decadent spin with rum and lemon zest, this cake is luscious and elegant.

5. Rhubarb & Custard Traybake – The Guardian

Simple and nostalgic, this traybake layers sweet sponge with sharp rhubarb and creamy custard.

6. Rhubarb Muffins with Crumb Topping – AllRecipes

These muffins are tart, fluffy, and topped with a buttery crumble.

7. Strawberry Rhubarb Bars – Jeannie’s Tried and True Recipes

An easy bake with layers of vanilla cake, sweet strawberries, and tangy rhubarb.

8. Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake – Jeannie’s Tried and True Recipes

A beautiful and sticky caramelised topping over soft sponge.

9. Rhubarb & Ginger Cake – Style Sweet

Warming ginger and rhubarb come together in a sophisticated loaf cake.

10. Rhubarb Sauce –Jukia Eats Treats

Sweet, tart, and perfect for pancakes, ice cream, or stirring into yogurt.

Savoury Rhubarb Recipes

11. Savory Rhubarb Chutney – Full Circle

This chutney has a perfect balance of vinegar, onion, and spice. Serve it with meats or cheese.

12. Rhubarb Chutney – Caroline’s Cooking

Quick and easy to make, this chutney is a wonderful way to preserve rhubarb.

13. Easy Rhubarb Chutney – Savory Spin

A 20-minute savoury treat with warming ginger and a spicy twist.

14. Spicy Rhubarb Chutney – An Oregon Cottage

This robust chutney freezes well and pairs beautifully with curries.

15. Rhubarb & Red Onion Relish – The Australian

A zesty relish made with apples and onions, ideal for BBQs and sandwiches.

Frozen Rhubarb Treats

16. Rhubarb & Greek Yogurt Popsicles – The View from Great Island

Swirls of rhubarb jam and yogurt come together in a creamy, cooling treat.

17. Strawberry Rhubarb Creamsicles – Family Spice

No popsicle mould? No problem! These are frozen in cups and taste like summer.

18. Strawberry Rhubarb Mascarpone Pops – Feed the Swimmers

Rich and creamy mascarpone meets sweet-tart rhubarb jam in these elegant pops.

19. Cheesecake Popsicles – Kate Cooks

Rhubarb and strawberry jam layered with cheesecake filling – dreamy!

20. Keto Ginger Rhubarb Creamsicles – KetoDiet Blog

A low-carb version using clotted cream and orange for a decadent frozen dessert.

More Rhubarb Recipe Collections

21. EatingWell’s Most Popular Rhubarb Recipes

Includes pies, sauces, roast pork with rhubarb, and even rhubarb cocktails.

22. 15 Rosy Rhubarb Recipes – Simply Recipes

A stunning variety of rhubarb creations including spritzers and cobblers.

23. 50+ Rhubarb Recipes – Practical Self Reliance

Crisps, jams, sauces, chutneys, and breakfast recipes galore.

24. 25 Best Rhubarb Recipes – The Unlikely Baker

This ultimate roundup includes galettes, cakes, pies, drinks, and more.

25. 25+ Fabulous Rhubarb Recipes – Only Crumbs Remain

A lovely collection including traditional bakes, custards, and savoury sides.

Final Tips for Working with Rhubarb

• Only use the stalks – rhubarb leaves are toxic.
• Slice stalks into 1-inch pieces for even cooking.
• Rhubarb pairs beautifully with strawberries, ginger, lemon, and vanilla.
• It freezes well! Chop and store it in an airtight bag for year-round baking.

Have a favourite rhubarb recipe we missed? Let us know in the comments below!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz sugar (dark brown is great, but any sugar works)
• 2 oz butter
• 1 Christingle orange (grated rind and juice – don’t forget to remove the red tape before grating!)
• 1 egg
• 3 oz self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Instructions:

• Prepare the Mixture:
  • Beat the sugar, butter, and grated orange rind together in a bowl until creamy.
  • Beat in the egg.
  • Gradually mix in the flour, cocoa powder, and orange juice until you have a smooth batter.
• Portion the Batter:
  • Spoon the mixture into a microwave-safe bowl or several smaller containers, such as mugs or tea cups. Fill each container no more than halfway to allow room for the pudding to rise.
• Microwave the Pudding:
  • Loosely cover the bowls or mugs with a plate or microwaveable clingfilm.
  • Microwave on high for 2–3 minutes, or until the pudding is cooked through. Smaller portions will cook faster, so keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking.
• Optional Freezing Tip:
  • Freeze uncooked puddings in their bowls or mugs, then microwave directly from frozen when you’re ready to enjoy them.

It is simple to make this easy chocolate pudding recipe dairy-free by substituting the butter for vegan alternative.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve warm with a drizzle of cream, a scoop of ice cream, custard, vanilla yoghurt or whipped cream. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar or chocolate chips for an extra touch of indulgence.

This Microwave Chocolate Pudding is a quick, fun way to repurpose your Christingle orange into a sweet, satisfying treat! It’s an easy recipe for kids to help with and a delicious way to enjoy the festive season.

It is such a versatile recipe and my kids love a mug cake and they don’t get much simpler of quicker than this!

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Microwave Chocolate Orange Pudding

Got a Christingle orange left over? Turn it into a delicious and indulgent dessert with this quick and easy Microwave Chocolate Orange Pudding! This simple recipe is perfect for a cozy treat, and you can even use mugs or tea cups to make individual portions.

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine British

Keyword microwaVE, sponge pudding

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Equipment

• Microwave
• Mixer
• Microwaveable Bowl
• Cling film or Plate

Ingredients

• 2 oz sugar dark brown is great, but any sugar works
• 2 oz butter
• 1 Christingle orange grated rind and juice – don’t forget to remove the red tape before grating and give it a wash!
• 1 egg
• 3 oz self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Instructions

• Prepare the Mixture: Beat the sugar, butter, and grated orange rind together in a bowl until creamy.
• Beat in the egg.
• Gradually mix in the flour, cocoa powder, and orange juice until you have a smooth batter.
• Portion the Batter: Spoon the mixture into a microwave-safe bowl or several smaller containers, such as mugs or tea cups. Fill each container no more than halfway to allow room for the pudding to rise.
• Spoon the mixture into a microwave-safe bowl or several smaller containers, such as mugs or tea cups. Fill each container no more than halfway to allow room for the pudding to rise.
• Microwave the Pudding: Loosely cover the bowls or mugs with a plate or microwaveable clingfilm.
• Microwave on high for 2–3 minutes, or until the pudding is cooked through. Smaller portions will cook faster, so keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking.

Notes

Freezing Tip: Freeze uncooked puddings in their bowls or mugs, then microwave directly from frozen when you’re ready to enjoy them.

Serving Suggestions: Serve warm with a drizzle of cream, a scoop of ice cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar for an extra touch of indulgence. 

We used our fail-safe chocolate sponge recipe as the cake base, but you can use a packet.  I am not a cake snob, but do think that learning a simple sponge is perfect for kids to measure and make.

Vampire Cupcakes

Ingredients

6 oz or 175 grams  of margarine or butter
6 oz or 175 grams  of caster sugar
2 eggs
5 oz (150 grams) and 1 oz (30 grams) of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
half a teaspoon of baking powder
3 teaspoons of milk

How to make Vampire Bite Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C or 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Allow the margarine or butter to come to room temperature.

Cream the sugar and margarine together, then add the rest of the ingredients.

Put into case cases and cook for 15 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.  We use an ice cream scoop for filling the cases, that way they are much easier for kids to fill the cake cases.

Marshmallow Fluff buttercream frosting

• 150g softened butter
• 300g icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 200g Marshmallow Fluff

Beat together the softened butter, icing sugar and milk until smooth.

Gradually add the Vanilla Marshmallow Fluff large spoonfuls at a time, until all is incorporated.

We didn’t even pipe on our icing, just used a small spatula to scoop it on to the cakes.  Then using a skewer make two small holes as bite marks and then use red icing to squeeze in our “blood”.

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Vampire Bite Cupcakes

Course Cake

Cuisine British

Keyword cake

Servings 12 Cakes

Equipment

• 12 cup muffin pan

Ingredients

• 6 oz or 175 grams of margarine or butter Salted
• 6 oz or 175 grams of caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 5 oz 150 grams and 1 oz (30 grams) of cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• half teaspoon of baking powder
• 3 teaspoons of milk

Marshmallow Fluff Buttercream Frosting

• 150 g Butter Softened
• 300 g Icing Sugar
• 2 tbsp Milk
• 200 g Marshmallow Fluff

Instructions

• Preheat Oven to 180 Degrees c
• Cream the sugar and margarine together using an eletric mixer of whisk attachment on a hand blender
• Add the remaining ingredients into the bowl and mix together.
• Using an icecream scoop transfer a spoonful of cake batter to a paper liner in each of the muffin tin space – this makes 12 cakes,
  
• Cook for 15 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
• Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely

Marshmallow Fluff Buttercream Frosting

• Beat together the softened butter, icing sugar and milk until smooth.
• Gradually add the Vanilla Marshmallow Fluff large spoonfuls at a time, until all is incorporated.
• We didn’t even pipe on our icing, just used a small spatular to scoop it on to the cakes.
  
• Then using a skewer or toothpck make two small holes as bite marks and then using red gel icing to squeeze in our “blood”.

Notes

• Storage – These cakes will keep for 3 days in an airtight container.

Substitutions

• No Self-raising flour, No Worries, For every 200f of plain or all-purpose flour add 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
• Unsalted or Salted Butter? – Use what you have, if you have unsalted butter then add a pinch of salt as it brings out all the flavours.
• Instead of red icing, try using jam in a piping bag.
• You can replace the marshmallow fluff frosting with cream cheese frosting or buttercream if preferred,

We planted an apple tree and a pear tree the first year we moved into our new home and have never had more than a handful of pears until this year. In the past, we have always had to rely on my Sister in Law for pears to make our pear butter.

I never realised that pears do not ripen on the tree, instead, they need to be removed and either placed on a window ledge (for fast ripening) or ideally in a dark dry place (thanks to Monty Don and Gardeners World for that information).

If your pears are not yet ripe then you can peel, core and chop them and add them to a small amount of water in a pan until they soften. You could also use tinned pairs or overripe pears. This Pear and Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake is so versatile and quick to make.

I am a big fan of a loaf cake, easy to slice and a great cake tin cake. It is so easy to make and is also perfect served warm with custard or vanilla ice cream.

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Pear and Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Course Cake

Cuisine British

Keyword baking, cake, family

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 150 g Caster Sugar
• 150 g Butter
• 150 g Self Raising Flour
• 100 g Dark Chocolate Chips
• 2 Pears Peeled, cored and chopped.
• 2 large Eggs

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade
• Grease and flour a large loaf pan. We use a silicone loaf pan so don't line it, but libe with parchment paper if using a metal tin.
• Using a mixer with whisk attahment cream together the butter and caster sugar. The colour will lighten and then you know it is done.
• Add the eggs and flour and mix together
• Fold in the pears and chocolate chips
• Transfer the batter to your loaf tin.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted near the centre comes out clean
• Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely

Notes

To turn plain flour (all-purpose flour) into self-raising flour add 2 teaspoons of baking powder to every 150 grams of plain flour.

This cake will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Freeze for uptoi 3 months on the day of baking.

Adaptations

• You can substitute the caster sugar for brown sugar for a darker cake.
• Butter – I always use salted butter, but you can use unsalted and add a pinch of salt.  The salt does bring the taste of the pears out. 
• Replace the chocolate chips with the same weight in nuts.

The blackberry season is here in the UK. Wild blackberries (brambles) grow all over the country and start to appear in July and August around the summer holidays. However, depending on weather and location, early September through to early October is often peak season for us as we are based in the NE of England.

We are huge fans of blackberries here and I grew up brambling (picking the freely available blackberries off the bushes on walks) with my parents and have passed it on to my children. There have been many a walk when they have come home with stained hands and faces!

• Don’t wash blackberries until you’re ready to use them. I place them in a colander and dip them into a bowl of cold water and gently swirl them around. To dry lay your blackberries on a cloth or paper towel. Once clean, you can store blackberries in an airtight container lined with a paper towel in the fridge. 

Are blackberries healthy?

An 80g serving, which is about ten berries is one of your five-a-day provides:

• 20kcals/83 KJ, 0.7g protein, 0.2g fat, 4.1g carbohydrates, 3.3g fibre, 128mg potassium, 1.12mg manganese, 12mg vitamin C

Many people call blackberries a superfood. They’re high in beneficial vitamins and minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. They’re low in calories, carbs, and fat. Blackberries are also versatile and easy to add to your diet.

BlackBerry Recipes

Blackberry Breakfast Cake

Baking is just magical – combine some basic ingredients such as flour, sugar, eggs and butter with those blackberries (plus a few other ingredients) together and bake in an oven and you get a mouthwatering cake like this blackberry breakfast cake.

Blackberry Clafoutis

I think that clafoutis is one of my favourite ways to eat berries and this blackberry clafoutis is a quick dessert to make and best served warm or at room temperature.

Blackberry Oatmeal Cookies

My husband loves oatmeal cookies and these cookies are sweet enough to balance out the tartness of the blackberries – they are a brilliant combination and moreish!

Blackberry Cobler

If you are looking for a traditional blackberry cobbler recipe then I don’t think you can beat the Pioneer Woman Blackberry cobbler. It has only 4 ingredients – butter, sugar, self-rising flour, milk, and blackberries… that’s it! My family love this with served with vanilla ice cream.

Blackberry Turnovers

If you have been foraging with the kids then blackberry turnovers are a fun and easy make to cook with them. You make a simple jam with blackberries (frozen works well for this), sugar, water, lemon juice, salt and corn flour and wrap it in ready-made puff pastry. These are cooked in the oven but we made ours in the air fryer.

Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

What makes these blackberry cheesecake bars perfect for my family is the size of them. my teenagers would happily eat a whole cheesecake in one go. These bars are the perfect portion size and look amazing as well as tasting great.

Blackberry Pie

I am a big fan of blackberry pies with a lattice top, I think they just allow the filling to cook better and to be less runny. Sometimes simple is best especially when you have a great crop of blackberries.

Peach and Blackberry Pie

Now I was raised on peach and blackberry pie. We used to holiday in the South West and East of England and my mum always came home with a box of British peaches and they were the perfect compliment to blackberries. I can’t eat this pie without falling straight back into that time and this version has the same braided pie crust my mum used to do!

Blackberry Oat Muffins

Blackberry and oats really are a great combination and these muffins are delicious. Having tried these I can tell you the addition of oats was a big hit in our house. We have a basic failsafe muffin recipe that works great for berries (we used raspberry). Muffins are perfect for using frozen berries if you don’t have fresh blackberries.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble

Now to one of the recipes, we all grew up with a Crumble. Again one that my mum made and we would eat with lashings of custard. I am going to let you in on a little secret, my mum swore by adding Weatabix to the crumble topping. There is a secret ingredient in this recipe too. I think a crumble is a lot like a blackberry crisp, but feel free to tell me if I have that wrong!

Blackberry Lemon Bars

Have you ever had a lemon bar before? (my Australian friend introduced me to them). Well, these Blackberry Lemon Bars take those up a notch!

No banana Blackberry Smoothie

A brilliant smoothie recipe for everyone who isn’t that keen on bananas. This Blackberry Smoothie is packed with vitamin C and so creamy and smooth.

Blackberry Danish Rolls

We love a breakfast Danish roll here – I make mean biscoff ones that have an overnight rise in the fridge. These Blackberry Danish rolls add a lovely berry bite to the sweetness.

Blackberry Jalapeno Jam

If you have a glut of blackberries then this Blackberry Jam is a taste sensation with the addition of jalapenos. It is an amazing addition to a seasonal cheeseboard or served with game.

4 Ingredient Blackberry Scones

I love a simple recipe that works and that is exactly what this scone recipe is and does. There is no running of butter and flour here (which is great for me as I have hot hands).

Blackberry Pound Cake

Whilst we are looking at simple but delicious, this Blackberry pound cake is both. Is is the perfect seasonal cake tin bake. There is a reason it is a classic!

Roasted Blackberry Earl Grey Cupcakes

Now these Roasted Blackberry Earl Grey Cupcakes are more sophisticated taste and are perfect for afternoon tea. Not only do they look delightful, they taste it too.

Blackberry Ice Cream

This blackberry ice cream tastes delicious and is also a beautiful colour. I replicated this in my Ninja Creami and it was a taste sensation!

Blackberry Pop Tarts

I was not of the pop tart era, but my boys were obsessed with trying some after seeing them in the US and I decided to make them rather than buy them as I was concerned about the additives. These Blackberry Pop Tarts are sublime!

Blackberry Creme Brulee

Cardamon and blackberry might be my new favourite taste combination. These Creme Brulees are spot on.

Do you have a favourite Blackberry recipe I have missed? If so please let me know in the comments.

Jam tarts are a classic British bake and one of the easiest recipes to make with children. With just a simple pastry base and a spoonful of jam or curd, you can create a tray of colourful treats that are perfect for parties, after-school snacks, or a nostalgic bake together. Kids love rolling out the dough, cutting shapes, and choosing their favourite fillings, and the result is always delicious.

How to make Jam Tarts with Kids

 I think the hardest part of making jam Tarts with kids is waiting for the jam to cool enough so they can taste it! I have to admit, I am partial to a tart made with lemon curd and there is something magical about using lots of different fillings so you get a rainbow of tarts to try.

As I was making these with the boys I didn’t even use egg wash to ensure the pastry crust went golden brown – I am all about priorities when I have a kid in the kitchen! As you can see above we made the jam tarts when we were making a quiche together and used the leftover pastry dough (if you hate rubbing the floor and fats together then use a food processor and blitz for 4 seconds at a time until it resembles breadcrumbs).

Top Tip – Sqirty Jam is so much easier for younger kids and add less than you think!

You don’t have to have a dedicated tart tin. we used our shallowest cake tin and greased it with a little extra butter. Also as a nod to my childhood, we used a fluted round cookie cutter, if you don’t have one then use a glass to cut out the circles.

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Jam tarts

Jam tarts are a classic British bake and one of the easiest recipes to make with children. With just a simple pastry base and a spoonful of jam or curd, you can create a tray of colourful treats that are perfect for parties, after-school snacks, or a nostalgic bake together. Kids love rolling out the dough, cutting shapes, and choosing their favourite fillings, and the result is always delicious.

Course Cake

Cuisine British, dessert

Keyword baking

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author The Mad House

Equipment

• Cookie cutter
• Tart Tray A shallow cake try is OK

Ingredients

• 225 g plain flour
• 125 g cold butter diced
• 1 –2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 egg yolk optional, for richer pastry
• A pinch of salt
• Assorted jams or curds raspberry jam, strawberry, apricot, lemon curd

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
• Place the flour and salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the egg yolk if using, then add cold water a little at a time until the dough just comes together.
• Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the pastry until about 3mm thick.
• Use a round cookie cutter to cut circles of dough and press them gently into a muffin tin or tart pan.
• Spoon a heaped teaspoon of jam or curd into each pastry case. Avoid overfilling, as the jam will bubble up when baking.
• Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the jam is bubbling.
• Allow to cool slightly in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack. Remember the jam will be very hot straight from the oven.
• Variations

Notes

• Puff pastry – use ready-rolled puff pastry for a lighter, flaky version.

• Shortbread crust – for a sweeter, crumbly tart base.

• Different jams – try a mix of raspberry, strawberry, apricot, and lemon curd so each tart is unique.

• Seasonal twist – mincemeat at Christmas, lemon curd at Easter, or berry jams in summer.

Tips for Baking with Kids

• Rolling and cutting the dough is perfect for little hands – let children help choose their favourite cookie cutter shapes.
• Remind children not to overfill with jam to avoid sticky spillovers.
• Supervise closely when using the oven and handling hot tins – jam can stay hotter than the pastry for some time.
• Pastry can be made ahead, wrapped in cling film, and chilled until ready to use.
• For dietary needs, swap flour for a gluten-free blend or use dairy-free butter alternatives.

Final Thoughts

Jam tarts are a timeless bake that brings instant joy. They’re easy enough for children to help with, versatile enough for any celebration, and delicious whether made with classic raspberry jam or a mix of colourful curds. Simple, sweet, and full of nostalgia, they’re the perfect recipe to introduce kids to the fun of baking.

See all the other great J is for Jam recipes from my fellow cooking with kids co-hosts here

• Super Simple Microwave Strawberry Jam on Still Playing School
• Orange Strawberry Jam Surprise Muffins on The Educators’ Spin on It
• Jam and Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip on Sugar Aunts 
• Jam and Cream Cheese Bites on Frogs, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

This simple, and delicious Madeira Cake using lemon zest to give a hint of lemon flavour and it is a great cake to cook with kids as it is foolproof. and delicious! Oh, and it doesn’t contain any maderia wine!

What is Madeira Cake?

Madeira Cake is a loaf-style sponge or butter cake in traditional British and Irish cookery.

This Madeira cake recipe is one passed down through my family.  Madeira cake doesn’t contain any Madeira, but was so called as it is a simple cake that can be served with a small glass of Madeira Wine! Also, the crack at the top is deliberate and part of the distinctive look of the cake.

We are big fans of no fuss loaf cakes as they are perfect for after-school snacks- the perfect cake tin cake.

My mum’s Madeira Cake with its deliberate crack down the top was always a staple of our cake tin and I love it.

How to Make Madeira Cake

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Maderia Cake

A simple, but staple of the cake tin.

Course Cake

Cuisine British

Keyword baking

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

• 175 g butter Salted
• 175 g Caster Sugar
• 250 g Plain flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 4 Large Eggs
• Finely grated zest of one lemon

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 160 degrees C (gas mark 3)
• Cream the butter and eggs (we use our Kmix for this). I have shown the boys before that when creaming butter and eggs the mixture changes colour.
• Crack your eggs in to a jug and whisk.
• Measure your flour, baking powder and grate your lemon zest.
• Add some of the beaten egg to the creamed butter and flour with a small amount of the flour mixture and continue to wix until all combined.
• Spoon into a pre greased and lined loaf tin (we use a silicon one which means that we do not need to line it).
• Cook for 55 – 60 minutes.
• Remove from oven and leave to cool in tin for around 5 minutes before turning out.

Step by Step Method for making a Maderia Cake

Cream the butter and eggs (we use our electric mixer for this). I have shown the boys before that when creaming butter and eggs the mixture changes colour (it goes lighter). When it comes to butter, I grew up using salted butter, but feel free to use unsalted.

Crack your eggs into a jug and whisk.

Measure your flour, baking powder and grate your lemon zest. It is really important to only take the skin of the lemon and not the pith (which is the white part).  I talked with Mini as to why the skin was so fragrant due to the oils in it. Some people use self-raising flour rather than plain (sometimes called all purpose flour) and baking powder, but my mums recipe uses plain and it works for us.

Add some of the beaten egg to the creamed butter and flour with a small amount of the flour mixture and continue to mix until all combined.

Spoon the cake batter into a pre-greased and lined loaf tin (rather than a round cake tin). We use a silicon one which means that we do not need to line it and love our spray cake release, which makes greasing so simple. If you want to make sure that the cake will come out then you can line your cake tin with parchment paper.

Bake for 55 – 60 minutes in an oven preheated to 160 degrees. You can tell when it is cooked when a wooden skewer comes out clean.

Remove from oven and leave to cool in tin for around 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. remember the crack along the top of the cake is a distinctive part of the cake.

Madeira cake doesn’t need any accompaniment and will keep for 4 days in a cake tin.

Ours never lasts very long and is a perfect lunch box cake, a snack or afternoon tea.

Why not take a look at the wonderful recipes that the other co-hosts have produced this week, all with lemons in them.

Lemon Ginger Ice Cubes from Still Playing School
Lemon bar mason jar cookies from Sugar Aunts
Lemon Truffles from Frogs, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
In addition to just joining in with the A-Z of ingredients this week, we are also linking to Study at home Mama’s 31 days in the kids kitchen activities

Why not take a look at today’s post, which is zebra cake!

Are you looking for a delicious and nutritious snack option? Try this simple Ryvita Fruit Crunch recipe that combines the goodness of whole grains, nuts, and dried fruit for a satisfying and healthy treat. Growing up my dad used to eat Ryvita Fruit Crunch crumbled up with milk like a breakfast cereal, which is what inspired this simple breakfast snack. it is a wholegrain rye cracker with currants, seeds and oats and is full of fibre with a great fruity taste.

Yoghurt and Berry Crunch

So back to our simple and delicious yoghurt and berry crunch, which we hope you will love as much as we do.  If you want to get all fancy then you could use a glass jar so you can see all the layers, but we have used simple ice cream containers which are child-friendly and perfect for lunch outside in the sun.

How to make Yoghurt and Berry Crunch

Ingredients

• Greek yoghurt
• Fruit of your choice, we used raspberries and blackberries
• Local honey
• Crispbreads – we used Ryvita Fruit Crunch, Apple and Cinnamon

Method

This is a really simple dish and you can swap out the greek yoghurt for ice cream making it perfect for the warm days of summer!

Firstly add some Greek yoghurt and then crumble on a Ryvita Fruit Crunch before adding fruit and a drizzle of local honey.

Then you add more yoghurt, berries, a sprinkle of Ryvita Fruit Crunch and more honey.

It is amazing how just a few great ingredients taste delicious.