A fresh take on seasonal favourites adds Middle Eastern spice and cleverly accommodates leftover hot cross buns for afters

The daffodils are out, parading their annual magnificence, and I can’t help but be enchanted by the beauty of spring. While I’m not religious, I also can’t help but revel in the festivities of Easter. Eggs, lamb and hot cross buns are all traditional, but these fuss-free recipes give them a new lease of life. Buy in some flatbreads and pickles to serve alongside the meat, so you aren’t stuck in the kitchen for the whole day. After all, there are more important things to do – such as hunting for chocolate eggs!

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A real blow-out, luxury Easter cake of joy – and no chocolate for a change!

Easter is a time for celebration, and this definitely counts as a proper celebration cake. Taking inspiration from bakewell tart, it has three layers of moist almond sponge broken up with cherry jam and a silky swiss meringue buttercream. I only ever use almond extract in bakewell – it’s one of those ingredients you either love or loathe, but I find that just a few drops bring the right amount of fragrant marzipan flavour to this Easter cake.

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Some complain that pricey sourdough is elitist and pretentious. Others lambast cheap sliced white as unhealthy and unsustainable. How did our most basic foodstuff become a source of conflict and division?

The cheapest loaf in my nearest supermarket costs 45p. The cheapest loaf in my local artisanal bakery costs £5. Which of these facts winds you up?

For Giles Yeo, a professor of molecular neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge, it is the £5 sourdough. Writing in the Guardian this month, he railed against “bougie” bakeries charging more for “fancy” bread. For Chris Young, the coordinator of the Real Bread Campaign , it is the 45p white sliced. In response to Yeo’s article, he pointed out that ultra-processing enables supermarkets to sell bread so cheaply.

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The cookbook author and TikTok creator – AKA @thekindnessechoes – shares her egg- and dairy-free takes on classic sweet treats

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Cleverly using just one size of cake tin for all her recipes, the baker and author has come up with a stunning array of beautiful cakes. Here, we pick five of our favourites from her new cookbook

Before I moved to the UK, my love for lemons was limited to savoury dishes, lemonade and shikanji, an Indian lemon drink. It wasn’t until 2001 – on the third day of my new life in the UK – that I tried lemon cake. I didn’t know then that it would become my favourite.

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The malty, treacly and slightly sweet traditional Irish bread: our resident perfectionist weighs up the options and comes up with her own perfect version

Beer and bread have a long and mutually beneficial relationship – before the advent of commercial yeasts, barm, or the froth from the top of the fermenting brew, was commonly used to leaven bread – but beer-flavoured breads are a more recent phenomenon. Though loaves claiming to contain lighter ales can feel like a game of hunt the hop, the rich, assertive flavour of stout makes it hard to miss, and its malty sweetness is a particularly good pairing with moist, brown Irish soda bread.

As Cherie Denham , author of The Irish Bakery , points out: “The Irish like nothing more than a freshly baked loaf and a pint of well-poured Guinness – so this is the perfect combination of our two favourite things.” A further selling point, should one be needed, is that this loaf takes just over an hour from start to finish, and barely five minutes of your time, which is more than it takes to pour a perfect pint, but not that much more. After that, you just need patience, and to remember that the best things come to those who wait.

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The use of bean water in your baking makes use of a miracle ingredient and saves money on expensive eggs, too

Today’s macaroons are easy and fun little treats using just a few store-cupboard ingredients. Whenever I use a can of beans (which, frankly, is most days), I try to include the aquafaba, or bean water, in whatever it is I’m making. Inevitably, though, I sometimes end up with a bit left over, which means I have to get creative to find a way to use it up. Sometimes, I’ll include the liquid in a soup or stew, or use it to make mayonnaise , caesar salad dressing or a whisky sour. When my sweet tooth kicks in, or when I want to bake with my daughter, however, I often use it to make a simple sweet snack such as today’s macaroons. Using aquafaba in baking saves money, too. Good eggs are expensive, so I’d rather save them for when they’re essential to a recipe.

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A sharp but fluffy lemon curd sandwich cake covered in whipped vanilla cream

Chiffon cake is a cloud-like delight. I’ve omitted the sugar syrup you often find in other recipes for it, because I think it detracts from the lightness of the texture – you want a soft, airy crumb. You can use a shop-bought lemon curd for ease, but I’ve shared a homemade one if you feel inclined to try it; I love a little sharpness to contrast with the round sweetness of the vanilla cream coating.

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Only four ingredients are involved in this step-by-step guide to the custardy classic with the crusty top

From gelato to quiche, I’ve never met a custard I didn’t like – and you can’t get much more custardy than a crunchy, creamy creme brulee, which, despite its name, is probably as English as Bird’s custard powder and arguably even more delicious. Fancy enough to impress, yet surprisingly simple to execute in advance, it’s an excellent choice for a special occasion.

Prep 5 min
Cook 50 min
Makes 2

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