Easy but impressive recipes needed!

[annabrownlow]

My friends have started a sort of afternoon tea come-dine-with-me/bake off as a weekly get together. Good idea i thought, I love cake... I buy it from the shops all the time.
But my friends have gone to such amazing efforts to bake lovely things, and I'd feel bad about cheating.

I'm terrible at cooking and baking so can anyone help me with recipes that would be exciting and impressive... but really easy!?

Good God why put yourself through it if you're not a natural? Unless of course you want to learn....it's not something that comes quickly in general. Baking well takes practice.

To begin with I would stick to simple classics such as

Victoria SPonge

Lemon Drizzle Traybake

And when you're feeling more confident

Chocolate Cake

All the recipies above are Mary Berry's I find hers are the best without fail. On the last link there is a section with baking tips. Read those and good luck!

This cake is so incredibly easy, you make it in the food processor and then make the buttercream in the food processor as well. No effort but it tastes brilliant.

I'm not sure how impressive it looks but this Nutella cake is lovely

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1688/cinnamon-nutella-cake

This clementine cake is really, really easy to make. Literally boil, blitz and cook.

Do you have a mixer? I don't bake often but find the mixer makes all the difference. Then you can make a lovely cake mix without much effort.

Or buy the packet stuff and decorate it well I got this ginger cake mix the other day and it was delicious, and then decorated it nicely. And lied

Do scones but cut them out small. Mini things look so cute and there will be loads so will look impressive.

I've got a cracking oatmeal and raisin cookie recipe - but it might be too informal for your get together. It's not very afternoon tea-y.

Buy Mary Berry's 'Simple Cakes' book. All the recipes are very straight forward and absolutely delicious. Most involve just measuring ingredients into a bowl and whisking. Invest in an electric hand whisk (Kenwood do one).

Scones are tricky though....I'm quite a good cake maker but my scones never get that lovely tall look!

DDs do MB's Lemon drizzle (as two small loaf tins as I don't have a tray) and their variation on orange cake.

This is Victoria sponge (3/4 eggs dependent on what the farm has), few drops of Tesco finest orange essence. Butter cream with a couple of tablespoons sweet orange/mandarin jam stirred in. Sprinkle with top with icing sugar.
(Add rind and splash of juice form real orange if you can be bothered)

Wow brilliant suggestions thanks very much! I might try a couple of these...
(hopefully they wont end up in the bin.)