Fruit-filled recipes for a stunning Spring garden party

By
Henry M
-
Cake Ideas

The sun is shining and the sun is finally out, which means one thing – garden parties are on the agenda. If you’re planning an afternoon event in the sun you’re going to need to delight your guests with some sweet spring treats.

If you love the Great British Bake Off – and want to give Mary Berry a run for her money, get your oven gloves on and ready to whip up these delights.
We’ve tried and tested all of the recipes and scored them out of 10 on their difficulty to make, meaning you can choose your recipe based on your baking skills.

We’ve scoured the web and compiled some of the most popular fruit-packed recipes that are best served with a glass of bubbly and a ray of sunshine.

STRAWBERRY & REDCURRANT CAKE


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Ingredients
  

  • 200 g self-rising flour (can be gluten-free)
  • 100 g coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
  • 240 ml unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 50 g coconut oil melted
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp lemon extract
  • 50 g fresh strawberries chopped

For the topping

  • 200 g coconutor other dairy free yogurt
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsp Lio Licious Freeze-dried whole redcurrants
  • fresh strawberry slices

Instructions
 

  • Get making!
    1. Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin.
    2. Combine the almond milk with the vinegar in a bowl and set aside for 10 minutes to curdle to create a ‘buttermilk’.
    3. Mix together the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder and bicarb in a bowl.
    4. Pour in the buttermilk, maple syrup, coconut oil and lemon extract and stir well, then fold in the strawberries.
    5. Spoon into the tin and spread out evenly. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until risen and golden. Leave to cool then pop out of the tin and onto a wire rack.
    6. Meanwhile beat together the yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla and keep in the fridge until needed.
    7. Once the cake has cooled, spread over the yogurt mixture. Arrange the whole redcurrants and strawberry slices on top - then slice and enjoy!

FUDGE & APPLE BROWNIES

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Ingredients
  

  • 3 pcs sweet potatoes pealed, chopped and cooked
  • 100 g dates soaked in boiling water for 10 min
  • 6 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
  • 4 tbsp almond butter
  • 6 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
  • 100 g ground almonds
  • 3 tbsp Lio Licious Aple Powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 3 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil melted
  • 4 tbsp maple syrup
  • 4 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder

TO DECORATE

  • 30 g pistachios shelled
  • 3 tbsp Apple Powder

Instructions
 

  • Get making!
    1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line a 9x9in baking tin.
    2. Place ⅔ of the cooked sweet potato chunks, drained dates, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, almond butter and cacao or cocoa powder in a blender and whizz up well until smooth.
    3. Add in the ground almonds, oat flour, apple powder and cinnamon and whizz up again until you have a slightly thick batter. Stir in the diced apples.
    4. Spread the mixture out into the tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until firmed. Leave to cool in the tin.
    5. Add the remaining cooked sweet potato to a blender along with the coconut oil, maple syrup and cacao or cocoa powder for the topping - blend until thick and smooth. Chill in the fridge until needed.
    6. Once the brownie has cooled, spread the topping over to cover then cut into 9 - 12 pieces. Blitz the pistachios and apple powder in a blender to form a fine crumb then sprinkle over. Enjoy!

SUMMER FRUITS PAVLOVA

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Ingredients
  

  • 4 egg whites 250g (8oz)
  • caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla Extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp cornflour
  • 1 1/2 tsp vinegar
  • 2 tbsp strawberry powder

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 1 1 carton double or whipping cream sugar (to taste)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract fresh fruit (whatever is in season)
  • Whole strawberries
  • Edible glitter (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Get making!
    1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
    2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and draw an outline of a circle-approx 25cm in diameter.
    3. Whisk egg whites until they hold a stiff peak
    4. Add vanilla extract and sugar 1 tsp at a time whisking constantly, until the egg whites are glossy. You’ll know that all of the sugar has been incorporated properly when the meringue mixture no longer feels grainy.
    5. Whisk in the cornflour and vinegar into the egg white mixture. Slowly whisk in the Strawberry powder until fully combined.
    6. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray in the shape of circle, to resemble a wreath. Create a slightly higher border to the pavlova as it will be easier to pile on the topping.
    7. Place in oven and reduce heat to 150°C. Bake for 1 hour or until firm to touch.
    8. Turn off oven and leave inside for another hour with the door slightly ajar. Do not worry if there are cracks-most of these will be covered by the topping.
    9. Whip cream to soft peaks and fold in Vanilla extract and sugar ( according to taste). Assemble Pavlova wreath by topping with the whipped cream mixture and sprinkle with dried fruits (and edible glitter for extra sparkle!).

CARROT CHEESECAKE

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Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup pecan halves, plus more, chopped, for garnish
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded carrot (2-3 medium carrots)

FOR CHEESECAKE

  • 3 (8oz) packages cream cheese softened
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp lemon zest + 2 tbsp lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

SOUR CREAM TOPPING

  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tbsp sour cream
  • 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch kosher salt

Instructions
 

  • Carrot Cake
    1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350ºF. Spread 1/2 cup of the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden and toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool, and then finely chop.
    2. Combine the pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs in a separate bowl. Stir the carrots into the egg mixture. Fold the carrot-egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch springform cake pan and tap it on the counter to even out the batter. Bake until the cake bounces back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. The cake can be made a day ahead and stored in the pan.
    Cheesecake
    1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the flour, lemon zest and juice and vanilla, about 1 minute.
    2. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the carrot cake. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large piece of foil. Put in a roasting pan or a large baking dish and fill halfway up the sides of the cake pan with water. Bake until the cheesecake is pale yellow and just jiggles slightly in the center, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest in the hot oven for 30 minutes. Remove, run a sharp knife around the edge and let cool completely on a rack. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
    Sour Cream Topping
    1. Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, sour cream, vanilla and salt. Spread on top of the cheesecake; garnish with chopped pecans. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cut into slices and serve.

SANGRIA CAKE

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Ingredients
  

  • 100 g pears (pealed and chopped)
  • 100 g peaches or nectarines stoned and chopped
  • 100 g strawberries
  • 100 g cherries stoned and chopped
  • 280 g golden caster sugar
  • 225 g butter softened
  • 1 orange zest only
  • 150 ml red wine
  • 225 g self-rising flour
  • 100 g pack ground almonds
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 50 ml orange liqueur (we used Cointreau)
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar

TO DECORATE

  • 1 small orange cut into wedges
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges
  • a handful of strawberries (optional)
  • a handful of cherries (optional)

Instructions
 

  • 1. Tip the pears, peaches, strawberries and cherries into a bowl and sprinkle over 50g of the sugar. Stir, then set aside for 30 mins to macerate.
    2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease and line the base and sides of a 23cm loose-bottomed, round cake tin with baking parchment
    3. Tip remaining sugar, butter, orange zest and 100ml red wine into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until well blended. Add the flour, almonds, baking powder and eggs, then beat again until smooth. Add half the chopped fruit and 1 tbsp of the liquid from the bowl too and mix gently with a spoon to combine. Put the mixture into your prepared tin and smooth the top so the mixture is level.
    4. Bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hr - 1 hr 15 mins until risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover with foil if the cake starts to brown too much on the top. Once baked, leave in the tin for 15 mins before transferring it to a wire rack to cool.
    5. Once the cake is cool enough to handle, but ideally still a little warm, heat the remaining red wine and orange liqueur together with the granulated sugar in a pan until melted, raise the heat and boil for a few mins until syrupy. Flip the cake over and pile the rest of the fruit on top of the cake with then pour the boozy syrup over.
    6. Decorate with the orange and lemon wedges along with extra strawberries and cherries if you like. Serve with crème fraiche, or a good quality vanilla ice cream.

PEANUT BUTTER, CHOCOLATE CHIP, & ZUCHINNI BARS

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Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour divided
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup butter milk
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream peanut butter, butter and brown sugar until blended. In another bowl, whisk 1-1/4 cups flour, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture. Beat just until mixture is sandy. Remove 1/2 cup crumb mixture for topping.
    2. To remaining mixture, beat in remaining flour, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk. Stir in zucchini. Spread into a
    3. greased 9-in. round baking pan. Stir cinnamon into reserved topping. Sprinkle over batter; top with chocolate chips.
    4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out with moist crumbs, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

MARY BERRY’S WIMBLEDON CAKE

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Ingredients
  

  • 3 large eggs separated
  • 100 g (4oz) caster sugar
  • Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
  • 75 g (3oz) semolina

FOR THE FILLING AND TOPPING

  • 100 g (4oz) strawberries
  • 1 passion fruit
  • 150 ml (1/4 pint) whipping or double cream whhipped
  • Icing sugar, to finish

Instructions
 

  • Get making!
    1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Grease a 20cm (8in) deep round cake tin then line the base with baking parchment.
    2. Measure the egg yolks, sugar, grated orange rind and juice and the semolina into a bowl and beat until thoroughly blended.
    3. In a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry, then gently fold into the orange and semolina mixture. Turn into the prepared tin.
    4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until well risen and the top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger.
    5. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.
    6. Reserve a few strawberries to decorate the top of the cake, then slice the remainder. Halve the passion fruit and scoop out the pulp.
    7. To fill the cake, cut it in half horizontally and sandwich the slices together with the sliced strawberries, passion fruit pulp and whipped cream.
    8. Just before serving, decorate with the reserved strawberries, sliced or left whole, and sieve some icing sugar over the top

 
 

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