Budget bakes please

[Namechangeforthis88]

Does anyone have reliable recipes for large quantity home baking on a budget? Preferably not too faffy or time consuming? Hoping for the kind of thing you can at least double.

This is for the same event that had me looking for suggestions for filled rolls for a small army last year, but it looks, so far, like I'm dodging filled roll duty last year.

I do a very basic sponge where everything weighs the same. I double it for freezing. 250g best for baking marge/butter, 250g sugar. 250g eggs and 250g self raising flour. Bit of Milk if needed. Bit of vanilla.

Sometimes I bake it then add jam and coconut on top. Sometimes I grate 3-4 large carrots, swap the granulated sugar for 50/50 dark brown and light brown sugar and add those with a heaped tsp of cinnamon and ginger. Sometimes I zest an entire lemon into the mix with a splash of lemon flavour and use the house to make icing. In short it's incredibly versatile and my family and friends love them all but the carrot cake is amazing.

Also I use those metal foil trays for large scale baking. Easier to cook and transport.

This is a brilliant easy tray bake cake that kids love. I usually go for 1.5x the ingredients to make a large one that I use a roasting dish to cook.

4 eggs
1tsp vanilla essence
1 cup oil
1 cup of boiled water to which you have added 5-8 teaspoons of cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups plain flour
4 heaped teaspoons baking powder.

Mix the went ingredients together.In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add all together and mix then bake at 180 for about 25-30 minutes,

You can also swap out the cup of water/cocoa for either milk (to make vanilla) or orange juice (to make an orange cake).

I do't bother icing - melt some chocolate and drizzle over the top.

Oh, and added bonus - it's dairy free ifyou have lactose intolerant types. Which i do.

I would do a version of wacky cake which is a cheap depression era cake. I’ve made this version but you can substitute the olive oil with something cheaper. Added bonus is that it’s vegan.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/10/chocolate-olive-oil-cake/

Would cookies be acceptable? Butter and eggs seem to have gone up a lot, but flour and sugar not as much. Cookie dough uses lower proportions of those pricier items than something like a classic cake, and of course doesn’t need buttercream or frosting.

Brilliant, thanks everyone. Butter and eggs really does push the price up. You look at a recipe that calls for pretty much a whole packet of butter and 3 or 4 eggs and it does put you off!

The recipe I posted, if you increased it by 50% would do about 30 portions. . So I think the cost is relatively inexpensive. And the oil can be just regular vegetable oil so relatively inexpensive.

Jam tarts, rock buns and scones are all cheap and cheerful, and not too much of a faff to make.

My basic cheap cake recipe is a variation of the yoghurt pot cake with whatever “goodies” I have waiting to be used up. I’ve done it so many times I don’t even measure it.
One egg
hand whisked with a slug of sugar (half pot?)
add sunflower oil(1 pot)
1 pot of yoghurt, white or fruit but not purple or your cake will be grey! Greek is fine but plain white is more acidic and makes a paler crumb.
4 pots of self raising flour. Or plain with baking powder.

This makes a basic muffin-type mixture and it’s so cheap to add dried fruit and rum flavour, chocolate chips, apple chunks, coconut, lemon zest.
A second egg makes more of a Madeira cake consistency.

Jam tart is always a winner (the way to my DH’s heart) but you need buttery pastry imo.

Nigella’s version is richer than mine obviously…
https://www.nigella.com/recipes/yogurt-pot-cake

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/anzac-biscuits

Same, but a traybake version. No eggs in either recipe too. You could add sultanas or drizzle melted chocolate over the top if looking for a luxury version. https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/anzac-slice/11e84f01-6455-4c07-ba96-588e4030c122

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/raspberry-jam-coconut-slice/93504c61-43a9-4692-b57b-eb95171bff24

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/lemon-slice/060db05a-dae6-49a6-b6f5-fab60b2c9471

I do basic sponge as a traybake plus either cheap tubs butter icing and sprinkles or if want a more budget option water icing and sprinkles

get ingredients from Lidl or Aldi

use disposable traybake tins - this type of thing - much less hassle

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Disposable-Aluminium-Containers-Cooking-Freezing/dp/B0843TFXVR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=28AHZBJYOYDC3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ubcF0yVG4BPnSIPqIZ1c9YL3MNk_le-wSNzDiQC3os_7BaaSBYGytPkrQLuR9uHE94SplO-kvos-XDH8ruTdN7yI1EMtc5wWSENWGsmXEpOl-z6Wshj4xuFp4rrzXTQJDb8mq3rGzzVfwM8T3N1ZuVI9k_4wMeVCnubHTQootLW15uYcOZIjP-b3j52DYK1VpsomVUJYJhQlTBHjWKwMbSUEhcqYR231oYB0vEoDVR3lbFamcgoYBf3QEwRk_PWvzPEkWrzAUmfDKqWloJS0qF8QSkKwgOM5W-WpsLa3M94.w2c0YOi5gI1nkzl5esDnG4EbEjaAK-6yZn28pYztD5Q&dib_tag=se&keywords=foil%2Btraybake&qid=1716493590&sprefix=foil%2Btraybake%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Essential-Housewares-323mm-201mm-Bakes/dp/B005FDWHOO/ref=sr_1_5?crid=28AHZBJYOYDC3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ubcF0yVG4BPnSIPqIZ1c9YL3MNk_le-wSNzDiQC3os_7BaaSBYGytPkrQLuR9uHE94SplO-kvos-XDH8ruTdN7yI1EMtc5wWSENWGsmXEpOl-z6Wshj4xuFp4rrzXTQJDb8mq3rGzzVfwM8T3N1ZuVI9k_4wMeVCnubHTQootLW15uYcOZIjP-b3j52DYK1VpsomVUJYJhQlTBHjWKwMbSUEhcqYR231oYB0vEoDVR3lbFamcgoYBf3QEwRk_PWvzPEkWrzAUmfDKqWloJS0qF8QSkKwgOM5W-WpsLa3M94.w2c0YOi5gI1nkzl5esDnG4EbEjaAK-6yZn28pYztD5Q&dib_tag=se&keywords=foil+traybake&qid=1716493590&sprefix=foil+traybake%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-5

Sorry those links have come out huge

@Namechangeforthis88 try using the spread for baking rather than butter in the cakes. It's vegetable oil based and a bit cheaper. Makes lovely sponges though.

This is one of my favourite threads ever for its joy and love
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_classics/3527870-Which-is-the-tastiest-Protestant-traybake

Crikey, didn't realise suggestions were still coming in! I think I'm going to end up compiling a recipe book at this rate. I look forward to taking a closer look with s cup if tea. Thanks everyone!

these are fab so easy and the recipe makes lots, plus there's lots of variations on the thread too https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/471992/homemade-hobnobs

@Sgtmajormummy for your yoghurt pot muffins, what temperature and how long in the oven? Thanks. Presume "standard" size pot like one person portion?

180 degrees C for 12-15 minutes, for muffins.
I’ve looked up the ingredients using a 125ml pot on a more reliable site. Theirs is called the “7 pot cake”*

1 pot yogurt
2 pots sugar
1 pot sunflower oil
3 pots plain flour
1 medium egg (2 for a richer mix)
1 teaspoon baking powder (or use self raising flour)

Mix everything together (I use a balloon whisk) and add the goodies.
180 degrees C for 50 minutes if you’re making it into one large cake.

• funny because on another threat I’m criticizing American “cup” measurements!

The joy of being a vegan baker! You don't actually need eggs for most cakes. You can also substitute oil for butter to keep costs down.

https://bakedbyclo.com/vegan-vanilla-sheet-cake/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/68436/vegan-brownies/

Use Stork not butter. It makes lighter cakes and is a lot cheaper. Every time I use Stork people compliment the texture, the flavour, and ask for the recipe. When I've used butter for special occasions, the cake is always flatter and heavier, and tastes fatty, so I've given up.

I love @WitchyBits recipe ideas and use a similar approach. Basic equal weights ingredients then jazz it up. I use Stork and the cheapest free range eggs (Only £1.30 in Waitrose for 6). I don't skimp on flour though. Cheap flour often doesn't rise properly.

One very fancy-tasting simple one is to add zest of an orange or two to the basic mix, scrubbed with a brush first to get rid of any wax and to release its oils. And some flowers from fresh garden lavender - just a couple of heads, washed and the individual florets plucked from the stem. I usually add two tsps of vanilla essence too, or of orange essence if I have some. Then add an icing drizzle on top made with icing sugar and the fresh juice from the orange, and scatter a few more lavender florets on top.

Ime, the trick is in the prep. Beat stork and sugar together for several minutes until it gets really silky and melty. Then add eggs, then flour. All in one recipes are simpler but don't have such great texture.

@Lilacdew I use supermarket own make versions of stork. Will say baking spread or best for baking on it.

Fab. Thanks everyone! So many great ideas, I can't decide now! Definitely doing several. It's not till next weekend (I like to plan ahead!). I'll update.