I have loved baking for years, but am not very adventurous. This will be the place I put recipes that work well, and document my efforts to learn to cook interesting vegetarian lunches because I have to eat something at work.

Recipes for things that I make just put here so I can find them easily

Low(er) fat apple crumble cake

Adapted because I didn't have any peaches, but I did have an apple. As usual I reduced down the sugar because I find a lot of American recipes are a bit too heavy on the sugar.

Ingredients - makes 1 loaf shaped cake with a good 8 slices

Crumb topping

• 25g light or dark brown sugar
• 25g plain flour
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 25g cold unsalted butter

Cake mix

• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 egg
• 100g caster or granulated sugar
• 80mL sunflower (or vegetable oil)
• 120g plain or Greek yoghurt
• 120mL milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Apple layer

• 1 largish eating apple
• 10g dark sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Preheat the oven to 180oC (fan is fine)

Line a loaf tin with parchment / greaseproof paper

Make the crumb topping by mixing the dry ingredients and then rubbing in the butter until it is more like breadcrumbs (it will be a bit stodgy, don't worry). Leave it in the fridge whilst making the cake up.

Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, bicarb) in a large bowl

In a separate bowl whisk together the egg and sugar until mixed

whisk in the milk and oil into the egg mix, then whisk in the yogurt and the vanilla extract

Put around half of the mix in the bottom of the tin.

Peel and core the apple and cut into small pieces - around 1-2cm cubes (ish).

Mix the apples with the sugar and cinnamon

Spread these over the cake layer.

Put the rest of the cake mix on the top.

Sprinkle the crumble topping over the top of the mix - it will be a bit easier to crumble now it is cold

Bake for about 60 minutes in the oven until a sharp knife comes out without cake mix. I tend to cover mine with foil after about 40 minutes

Take out and leave to cool out of the tin before serving (just because it is easier to slice).

Lower fat banana bread - which is really a cake

This is a great way to use up soft bananas, the oil and the yoghurt instead of butter in some cakes reduces the saturated fat. I can't remember where I saw this recipe but I will post it if I find it but I have changed it a bit as well. It would also make muffins but cook at 180oC for about 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas (because that is what I had)
• 60g soft brown sugar (makes it a bit richer)
• 60g caster or granulated sugar
• 30g Maple syrup (this is optional but it adds a bit of flavour and I always have some in because I use it to make granola)
• 150g Greek Yoghurt (plain yoghurt would probably do but Greek Yoghurt tends to have less fat, and more protein)
• 60g Sunflower oil (or Vegetable oil probably)
• 2 eggs
• 240g plain flour (I used a mix of 160g plain and 80g wholemeal)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (helps when baking with fruit)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice (or cinnamon)
• Optional 50g sultanas soaked in boiling water to soften, then drained

Method

Preheat the overn to 170oC for an hour and line a loaf tin with parchment

In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl or jug mix together the yoghurt, oil, eggs and vanilla essence

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until thoroughly mixed in.

stir in the drained sultanas and the mashed bananas until mixed in nicely

Pour into the loaf tin.

Cook for one hour, cover with foil after 30-40 minutes (when the top is set and the right colour)

Leave to cool for a little while

Hot Cross Buns

A bit of a mash up from a couple of recipes

Ingredients - makes 6 largish

• 150mL warmed milk
• 7.5g active yeast (enough for 250g bread)
• 40g Caster Sugar
• 50g butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp heaped mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp cinammon
• 250g bread flour
• 80g mixed fruit

Activate the yeast if needed using some of the warmed milk

Melt the butter in the remaining milk

Mix the sugar, vanilla, spices, flour and then the fruit

Knead for about 5 mins until smooth

rise for 1-2 hours

Shape into 6 large pieces

Rise for a further hour

Cook for about 20 mins at 200oC without a fan

Plain old Victoria Sponge Cake

Not really from anywhere, but adapted over the years from my mum's original 4:4:4:2 recipe

Ingredients

• 150g butter - softened
• 150g sugar (will stand a bit less)
• 3 eggs - allowed to warm to room temperature, beaten
• 175g Plain Flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Drop of milk
• Raspberry jam

Cream the butter and sugar

Beat in the eggs a bit at a time with a spoon of flour

Mix in the vanilla extract

Fold in the rest of the flour and baking powder (which I usually just throw in the flour anyway

If necessary add a bit of milk until it is close to a dropping consistency

Divide as evenly as possible into two sandwich tins that are lined on the bottom

Cook for 180oC for about 20mins

Leave to cool for 5 mins before tunring out

When cool spread one cake with raspberry jam and sandwich together

Apple and Cranberry Tray Bake

Taken from Tray Bakes and More

This was for an apple traybake but I like to add in the cranberries for a pop of colour. Really easy recipe and it stayed light and moist for the several days it took us to eat it all.

Ingredients

• 110g butter
• 110g caster sugar (I used a little less)
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 225g self raising flour
• 225g apples, peeled, cored and chopped (this should be the weight after the peeling and coring, but I made up the difference with cranberries
• 50g dried cranberries (I will be honest and admit this was not exact)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk (this is the recipe amount I needed about double)

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy

Add the beaten egg and vanilla and mix well

Fold through about half the flour, then add the apples to the rest of the flour to help stop them dropping to the bottom of the cake. Fold this in and then the cranberries.

Add the milk to loosen the mixture

Put into a lined cake tin (I also sprinkled on some sugar / cinammon mix I had taking up room in my cupboard), cook at 180oC for about 25 mins.

Simple Summer Plum Cake

Taken from Kath Irvine's Edible Back Yard.

This was so simple and really tasty and could probably be made with other fruit. I used about half the plums in the cake which made it a bit lighter and I cooked it for slightly less time, but this is the original recipe.

Ingredients

• 150g of flour (any will do, could substitute some with ground almonds)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon or cardamon
• 150g dark brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120g melted butter
• 2 beaten eggs
• 500g plums or other stone fruit cut into thick wedges

Mix together the dry ingredients

Mix eggs, butter, vanilla and incorporate into the dry ingredients

Put into a lined tin, pop the fruit on top, optional sprinking of cinnamon sugar (I didn't and it was nice enough)

Bake at 180oC for about 50 minutes.

Sicilian Orange Cake

Taken from Christina's Cucina.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 175g sugar (original recipe calls for 250g)
• 275g plain flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 100g softened butter
• 100g Greek Yoghurt
• 1 large orange (about 300g)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat sugar and eggs until light and fluffy.

Add flour and baking powder with the softened butter, bit by bit and beat in

Stir in the yoghurt

Pulp the whole orange in a food processor until almost pureed

Add to the cake mix along with the vanilla, stir until combined

Put in a tin (springform or loaf) and cook at 175oC for at least 60 minutes - I think mine was slightly underdone so will probably go for 75 minutes next time

Hot cross buns.

Taken from Jane's Patisserie

I made a half batch but think I will up the spices next time.

Ingredients

• 125mL milk
• 250g Strong bread flour
• 30g Caster sugar
• 7.5g fast acting yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• zest half an orange
• 25g butter
• 100g sultanas
• 1 egg

Warm the milk a bit, add the yeast and a bit of the sugar to it to activate

Mix the spices, salt, flour and sugar together and rub in the butter

Add the zest, sultanas and egg

Add in the milk, bring it all together. Knead for 5-10 mins until it is smooth. Put it in a warm place in a lightly oiled bowl for about 1 1/2 hours. Knead lightly to knock it back. Cut into six pieces and put on a lined tray. Leave for about 45 mins to rise again.

Cook for 18-20 mins at 180oC fan.

Apple Pie

I made my first apple pie in ages but got the timing wrong - next time 40 minutes not 30 minutes to try and avoid the soggy bottom.

• 325g plain flour
• 170g butter
• pinch of salt

water to bring it together. Soggy bottom avoided, 45 mins at 190oC on the fan oven.