Recipes

Super Silky Classic Vanilla Buttercream (Frosting)

My Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is unlike anything you've ever had before! While it uses the typical ingredients for a classic Vanilla Frosting, the powdered sugar is dissolved in milk before adding to the butter, giving a super smooth and fluffy buttercream frosting that isn't gritty like a typical American Buttercream Frosting. Give it a try - you'll be as amazed as I was!

vanilla frosting piped on a cupcake — Perfect Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe with you!

This is the perfect, nostalgic tasting vanilla buttercream that is perfect for stacking layer cakes, swirling on sheet cakes, or piping onto cupcakes. It uses all the classic vanilla buttercream ingredients, but I use one little trick that gives you the most amazing smooth buttercream frosting: Dissolving the powdered sugar in the milk before you start. Unlike other recipes, this buttercream frosting is not gritty. I also add a little bit of Golden Syrup (or corn syrup or liquid glucose) to help with the texture of the frosting and to make it super easy to work with. Both these things combined give the most amazing frosting - you almost won't believe it is made with powdered sugar.

Making Vanilla Frosting this way is an absolute game changer - a classic buttercream made with powdered sugar can often be a little bit gritty. Dissolving the powdered sugar solves this issue instantly and gives a texture that is closer to a Swiss Meringue Buttercream. The result is a soft, fluffy, smooth buttercream frosting that is a dream to work with and is the most perfect base recipe for adding other flavours - I love to add in melted chocolate and cocoa to make a delicious double chocolate buttercream frosting.

Let me show you how. I promise this one is an absolute game changer. My vanilla buttercream frosting makes enough to frost an 8" cake with enough to spare, however it is super easy to scale - there are notes in the recipe card on scaling it back for a sheet cake or cupcakes! This frosting pairs perfectly with my Classic Vanilla Cake.

sugar dissolved in milk — Powdered Sugar in Milk

butter and Golden Strup — Golden Syrup, Vanilla and Butter

Whipped butter with syrup — Whipped Butter Mixture

whipped frosting on spatula — Perfect Whipped Frosting!

What is so life changing about this frosting!?

First I have a little confession to make - I made a discovery that blew my mind recently and it might blow yours too. For years I have made American Buttercream Frosting the traditional way - creaming butter and then adding powdered sugar and mixing it in. While this is a super delicious, nostalgic frosting, it can be a little gritty in texture due to the powdered sugar.

I developed a recipe I have been using for a few years which uses both heavy cream and golden syrup (or corn syrup or liquid glucose) to get my vanilla buttercream as fluffy and smooth as possible due to the cream in the mixture dissolving some of the powdered sugar. It's pretty good, but if you really want a beautifully smooth buttercream with no grit, dissolving the sugar in the milk is the way to do that.

I have added both versions in the recipe card - they use the same recipe quantities, it is just the method that differs.

finished Frosting — Hot Milk + Powdered Sugar = The Secret to a smooth Frosting

American vs Swiss Buttercream

Let me take a quick second to explain this one as it can be a little bit confusing. The main difference is in the ingredients. What you are using it for can determine what kind you choose to make.

American Buttercream Frosting (Such as this recipe)

Made from Butter, Powdered Sugar, Vanilla, and a liquid of some kind (heavy cream or milk).
Made the traditional way (cream the butter, add the powdered sugar and the liquid), it is super easy to make, and gives that sweet, nostalgic flavour of buttercream frosting.
You can easily control how stiff it is by adjusting the quantity of liquid.
Made the traditional way it sets with a crust when you chill it which helps with stability. If you make it by dissolving the powdered sugar, it will not crust as the sugar is dissolved.
A super popular choice for kid's birthdays, frosting cupcakes, or if you need something quick and easy.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Made by making a meringue which then has butter whipped into it.
Takes a little more work as you have to make a meringue and then add the butter
Silky smooth texture that is super easy to work with
Much less sweet than an American Buttercream - some people do think that it is too buttery though so it comes down to personal preference.

piped frosting — This Vanilla Frosting pipes like a dream

Does dissolving the sugar in the milk have any down sides?

The only thing that changes when you dissolve the sugar for this vanilla frosting recipe is that it does not crust, which is usually a trademark of an American Buttercream Frosting.

For me this isn't an issue - It sets up nice and firmly in the fridge, similar to how a Swiss Meringue Buttercream does. If you want your cake to set with a crust on the outside like a regular American Buttercream Frosting does, you can follow the method in the recipe notes to achieve this. It can be helpful to have a crusting buttercream if you are making things like piped cupcakes etc.

Why do you add Golden Syrup?

Adding an invert sugar like golden syrup (or corn syrup or liquid glucose) to frosting recipes does a few things. It helps to dissolve the powdered sugar by adding some moisture (not an issue when we are dissolving the sugar in the first step), but it also helps with the texture of the vanilla frosting - it makes it almost a little more 'stretchy' and easy to work with. I found during the recipe testing process that adding it in when you are beating the butter in the initial step helps to get the butter nice and fluffy too.

I use golden syrup as I love the taste of it and it is what I keep on hand, but corn syrup or liquid glucose work great too - golden syrup will give the vanilla frosting a slightly more yellow colour so if you're aiming for a very white frosting, you may want to use corn syrup or glucose, or you can also leave it out.

Piping vanilla frosting — Perfect for Cupcakes

classic vanilla frosting — Super Smooth Finish

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Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

How to Frost a Cake - the Ultimate Guide

Ever been intimidated by frosting a cake? Don't be! My Ultimate guide on how to frost a cake will walk you through the process of making a layer cake step-by-step - I promise once you know what you are doing, it's much easier than you think! I have been doing it this way for years.

Hi hi! Popping in today with the ultimate how to guide on how to frost a cake! People often tell me this is intimidating to them - I promise that it doesn't have to be. There are a few wee tips and tricks that I will share with you on how to stack, fill, and frost a layer cake.

This process works whether you are making a simple two layer cake with just frosting as a filling, or whether you're adding a filling and are worried about it leaking out - I've got you covered!

This guide is a little bit wordy. However, I wanted to really set you up for success here. This is the entirety of what is floating around in my brain on how to make a layer cake. I hope that it is helpful!

stacked layer cake — Cake Layers ready to go

Some things to think about before you frost a cake

The first thing you want to think about is obviously the cake. I have used my classic Vanilla Cake as an example in this post. You want to make sure that the cake is completely cool as a slightly warm cake and frosting is truly a recipe for a very sad time. I like to make the layers the day before if I can and then leave them to cool then wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight. Alternatively if you have made your layers ahead of time and frozen them, I bring them out and leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes or so and then decorate partially defrosted. Cold cake means that your frosting will stick to it properly and you're not going to be worried about the layers falling to bits. I find that using a chilled cake also means that you don't have to wait too long for the crumb coat to set before you finish frosting the cake.

If you have made the cake the same day make sure that you leave enough time for the crumb coat to chill properly and for the cake to have enough time to completely chill throughout before you transport it anywhere. Cold cake = stable cake.

Find your top layer.

Choosing which layer goes on the top is also important here - I always place the top layer of cake on upside down, so before you start look at all your layers and find the one with the nicest 'bottom', which will be the top of the cake.

Choosing your frosting - this one is personal preference!

This really depends on what sort of taste you are after. My favourite to frost a cake with is a Swiss Meringue Buttercream because I like that it isn't too sweet, is always super smooth, and is really easy to decorate with. My Classic Vanilla Frosting is also a great option, so is my Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Make sure that you make enough - there is nothing worse than not having enough frosting. If you are planning on adding piping you will want to make a little extra frosting too.

finished swiss meringue buttercream — Swiss Meringue Buttercream

stacked up cake — Top layer = Upside Down

Helpful Equipment for Frosting a layer Cake

While these tools aren't necessary to have, and you can likely make do with just an offset spatula or scraper, they all make life a lot easier!

Cake Turntable. These are super helpful to have if you are making cakes often. You can absolutely just use a plate and turn it on the counter, but a turntable makes life so much easier. Mine is a stainless steel one from Ateco.

Cake Board. I have a bunch of acrylic ones that I re-use, but you can purchase them relatively cheaply from craft or kitchen stores. You can also frost the cake straight onto the serving platter! If you are transporting the cake somewhere else though, using a disposable cake board is a lot easier as you don't have to worry about bringing dishes home.

Scraper. You will use this for smoothing the sides of the cake. I use a stainless steel cake scraper as I find that it gets a really nice smooth finish and you can also heat it up to help give an extra smooth finish on your last pass, but a bench scraper or a plastic scraper will work great too.

Cookie scoop. This is optional again, but I like using a scoop to add the frosting in between layers to make sure that I get a nice even layer of frosting in between. Any size works - you just want to make sure you do the same amount of scoops between each layer!

Piping Bag. I have a roll of these I got from a cake supply store, and they are super helpful for frosting a cake if you are adding a filling. You use it to pipe on a buttercream dam to help hold the filling in.

Offset Spatula. If I had to choose my top five utensils for baking, an offset spatula would absolutely be one of them. It is super helpful for smoothing the filling layers, covering the outside, filling in gaps, and giving a nice smooth top edge.

tools for stacking cakes — Helpful tools for frosting a cake

Step One: Flat Cake Layers.

If you don't have flat cake layers, stacking your layer cake is going to be a disaster. I bake my cakes with cake strips on the pan to help give nice flat layers, which means that I only need to trim a little off the top (or sometimes none!) before stacking and frosting. It gives you much less wastage and I find that it also means the cakes bake up with a nice straight edge on them which makes them easy to frost.

For a full rundown on cake strips and a side by side comparison, along with an at home alternative, check out my post: Cake Strips and How To Use them

To trim cake layers, you can either use a cake leveller (I make a lot of cakes so I have one) - it is basically a frame with a height adjustable blade. Alternatively you can carefully trim any domed parts off the top of the cake using a serrated knife. You don't need to cut off the entire top if it is only a little domed - just try to make them as flat as possible. I like to level my cakes before chilling or freezing them.

cake pan with bake even strip — Cake Strips = Flat Layers

Step Two: Start Stacking.

Now we can start stacking. I like to place a wet paper towel between the cake board or serving plate and the turntable to help keep it steady when stacking up the cake.

Add a little smear of frosting to your cake board, and place the first layer of cake onto it. Now, there are two options here depending on if your cake has a filling (such as lemon curd, jam, etc) or not.

No Filling (Frosting only): Using your cookie scoop if you have one, place several scoops of frosting onto the top of the first layer. I use a #24 cookie scoop and for a cake with only frosting in the middle, I usually do 3-4 scoops (So about half a cup of frosting). Add more if you would like a thicker layer. Smooth down with your offset spatula and get it as flat as you can.

add frosting first layer — Smooth first layer of buttercream

To add a Filling: Place 1-2 scoops of frosting on the first layer of cake. Use your offset spatula to spread it out evenly. It will be a thin layer - it is to give your buttercream dam something to stick to. Fill your piping bag with frosting. Cut a hole in the end of the piping bag, and pipe a fairly thick circle of frosting around the outer edge of the cake. Make sure that you close it off so that it is a complete circle. Use your offset spatula to smooth the inside edge of the circle of frosting so that it is sealed against the thin layer of frosting you put down first. This makes a good seal, and means that your filling won't leak out. Add your filling - leave a little room, do not fill all the way to the top of the dam.

buttercream dam added — Piped buttercream dam

filling added — Helps to hold the filling in

Add the second layer of cake (This applies regardless of if you have used a filling as well as frosting or just frosting). If this is a two layer cake, remember to put it upside down so the smooth bottom of the cake now becomes the top of your cake! Line the cake layer up as well as you can and place it on the stack. Seal it on with buttercream - apply with your offset spatula, making sure you fill all the holes between the layers, then give it a quick smooth. I often see this step missed when stacking a cake and it makes a big difference. It secures the layer to the layer below it, and reduces the chances of the entire cake ending up wonky. If your buttercream is really soft, you can put the cake in the fridge at this step too to help stabilise things before continuing.

Fill again. If you are adding a third layer, repeat the filling process again, then add your final layer on top of the cake (upside down). Repeat the process again, sealing your cake onto the other layers.

Step Three: Crumb Coat

This crumb coat step is super important for sealing in your cake, and providing a base layer to add on your final finishing layer of buttercream. The crumb coat doesn't have to be thick or super tidy, you just want to make sure that the cake is covered in a thin layer of frosting all over. This seals in any loose crumbs to make sure that they don't get into your frosting later on. Apply a thin layer of frosting all over (you will already have some on there from sealing the layers so you only need to add a little extra), and smooth off with your offset spatula and scraper.

If you can, give your crumb coat 15-20 minutes minimum to chill (I like to do 30 minutes). I find applying the final layer of buttercream is much easier if the crumb coat is well chilled.

crumb coated cake — Ready for the fridge

Step Four: Finish it off

This is where you finish the cake however you like. You can go for a more rustic finish, or go for a smooth side. I like to do the top first and get it properly smooth, and then work on the sides. Add a thick ish layer of buttercream (remember it gets scraped off when you scrape the edges of the cake), making it as even as you can. The first pass with the scraper will show you where you need to add more, and remove any lumps with too much. Keep filling in holes and turning the cake on the turntable until you get a smooth finish you are happy with. Make sure that you hold the scraper perpendicular to the side of the cake to give a nice straight edge. I like to try and make my last pass of the cake in one full rotation if possible.

If you are using a metal scraper, one wee trick that I like to use is to run the scraper under hot water and dry it off, so the scraper is warm but dry. This warm scraper method gives a lovely smooth finish on the cake - however please note that if you have chocolate in your frosting or a lot of food colouring in your buttercream this may discolour the frosting so please test in on the buttercream first.

using scraper — Metal Scraper - my fave tool!

final coat added — Ready to finish as you like

Troubleshooting - the fridge is your friend!

If you find yourself with a cake that doesn't seem to be behaving, use the fridge. If it feels like things are a little unstable, pop the cake into the fridge (you can even do this as you add layers which I like to do if it is hot weather and I am using a buttercream dam and don't want my filling leaking out). A cold cake is far easier to work with than a warm one, so don't be afraid to pop it into the fridge mid assembly if needed!

lemon curd inside buttercream dam — Same concept but with lemon curd

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I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!

Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Cake Strips - the secret to flat cake layers

Do Cake Strips really work?! I used to think they were just extra work and not worth it until I realised they are the secret to baking beautiful, flat cake layers. This post talks you through cake strips, how to use them, and how to make DIY Cake strips. I promise you the extra few minutes is worth it!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share all my tips and tricks on cake strips and how to use them! I truly used to think that cake strips were a waste of time, but since using them, I realise they really do make a difference in how flat your cake bakes up. While they are a little bit more work, I'm never going to ask you to do something that isn't worth it. Here's a quick and dirty on why I love them:

The cakes bake up flat. Because of how cake strips work, they mean you get a nice flat cake that is so much easier to work with. No big dome in the middle of your cake that you have to trim off and end up with exess cake.
More cake makes it into your cake. Flatter cakes = less trimming = more cake actually makes it into your cake because you have less wastage.
No overbaked edges. Using cake strips I find the edges of my cake bake up a little 'blonder', meaning you avoid the risk of a tough cake crust from it over baking at the edges.

I tested my vanilla cake recipe both using and not using cake strips to give you a side by side comparison, and the difference speaks for itself. If you can be bothered, the results really are worth it.

Cake pan fitted with a cake strip before batter is added

What even are cake strips? The Science Behind them

The reason that a cake domes? Because the edges bake before the middle does. The cake pan is hotter at the edges, so the sides of the cake bake first and 'set', which means that as the middle continues to bake and rise, it has nowhere to go, so it domes. Adjusting the oven temperature to a little lower helps to prevent this, but cake strips really make a big difference to how flat your cake is.

Here's how cake strips work: Cake strips are essentially just a wet material that is wrapped around the outside of the cake pan before baking. They slow down the speed that the edge of the cake bakes at so that it bakes at a similar time to the middle, giving you a flat cake. Even baking = a flat cake. The wet material stops the sides of the cake getting too hot.

You can either buy cake strips custom made for the purpose (I have a few sets of the Wilton Bake Even Strips that I have owned for years and years and you can use them over and over), or you can make your own at home (more on this later in the post).

cake batter in pan — With the cake strips I have, I like to fit them before I add the batter

Do cake strips really work? A side by side comparison

Unfortunately, yes they do. I am one of those people who hates to add extra steps if I don't need to / the outcome isn't worth the effort, and cake strips are one of those things which are worth it.

To demonstrate this, I made my Vanilla cake recipe (which I swear I made a hundred times during the recipe testing process), and added a cake strip to one pan and not the other. I weighed the quantity of batter in the pan, so every variable was the same, except for the cake strip.

You can see the results in the image below - the pan with the cake strips baked up super evenly, flatter, and the edges of the cake didn't slump in. You can see how much was needed to be trimmed off to make the cakes perfectly flat to assemble them, and that the cake which had a cake strip used ended up with less wastage and more even edges.

cake strip vs no cake strip — Baked cakes - left is strips, right is none

cake strip vs no cake strip trimmed cake — Big difference in how much cake is wasted!

diy cake strips

If you don't own your own cake strips but still want to give this method a try, you can easily make your own cake strips at home. Either you can use an old towel cut into strips just narrower than your pan and secured with safety pins, or you can use a damp paper towel - fold it up into a strip that is just narrower than the edge of the pan, and then secure with a strip of tin foil that is slightly wider than the strip of paper towel.

Both these methods work great, I have demonstrated the paper towel version in the images below. The old towel method is probably more similar to the purpose made cake strips method as the towel will hold more moisture, so choose what works best for you (we didn't have any towels that could be cut up!)

DIY cake strip — DIY - foil and a wet paper towel

stacked layer cake 1.5 times recipe — Flat layers = Minimal trimming

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I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!

Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream - Yes You Can!

If you haven't made Swiss Meringue Buttercream before, I am about to change your life. My Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe gives a smooth, not-too-sweet buttercream which is a dream to work with. There's no need to be intimidated - I'll hold your hand every step of the way. My Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, and more, and is always my first choice for piping frosting!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe with you! I have made this so, so many times over the years, using it for everything from a quick cake at home to six or seven individual cakes for friend's wedding tables. Swiss Meringue buttercream is easier to make than you think, and the buttercream itself is beautifully smooth and amazing to work with, making it perfect for stacking layer cakes, finishing cupcakes or sheet cakes, and especially for piping.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream sets up beautifully, giving you a nice stable cake, and because it doesn't have any powdered sugar, it is perfect for piping and for getting beautiful smooth edges on a cake. Not to mention the taste - it is smooth and not too sweet, and is the perfect base for adding other flavours to.

This Swiss Meringue uses the same Meringue base recipe that I use for topping pies - except we take it one step further and add in butter to form the most dreamy frosting.

I have made Swiss Meringue Buttercream hundreds of times over the years - let me show you how! I promise it doesn't need to be intimidating.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream is always my first choice for decorating a layer cake. I have used it in my guide on how to frost a layer cake - check the post for a step by step guide!

egg whites and sugar — Egg whites and sugar

double boiler — Double boiler - I use my mixing bowl

cooked egg whites — Cooked egg whites and sugar

What is Swiss Meringue Buttercream?

Swiss Meringue Buttercream is a buttercream frosting that has been made by whipping butter into a Swiss Meringue, which is made by cooking the egg whites and sugar together in a double boiler before whipping. Once the meringue is thick and fluffy, butter gets whipped into it to form the most smooth and dreamy frosting.

How does Swiss Meringue Buttercream differ to American Buttercream Frosting?

Swiss Meringue Buttercream and American Buttercream are quite different - one is meringue based, while American Buttercream Frosting is made with powdered sugar. It really comes down to preference - Swiss meringue buttercream is more buttery, less sweet, doesn't crust over, and is super smooth, while American buttercream crusts over when you let it dry, is much sweeter, and isn't as smooth due to the powdered sugar in the recipe (However my vanilla buttercream frosting recipe does have a workaround for this!). Both are delicious, but Swiss Meringue buttercream will always be my top pick because of how smooth it is to work with.

If you're more of an American Buttercream Frosting person, my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is a super delicious recipe!

cubed butter — How large I cut my butter

cake with swiss meringue buttercream — SMBC is a dream for stacking!

Troubleshooting - This Buttercream will curdle on you, but just keep mixing.

One thing that is different about my Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe is that you will notice that I use cold butter. Because you start by cooking your egg whites and sugar to make a Swiss meringue, you have a slightly warm mixture by the time it comes to adding in your butter. Adding small chunks of cold butter will help to bring down the overall temperature of your buttercream - if your butter is too warm, it becomes soupy and really hard to work with. Buttercream that is smooth but still slightly on the cooler side is going to be easiest to work with.

However because of this, Swiss Meringue buttercream goes through a crazy stage during the mixing process where you're going to wonder if you have it all wrong. It will be curdled and look super lumpy - this is fine. Just keep mixing. Set a timer and walk away from the mixer if you need to. If it really isn't coming together you can remove a tiny bit of the buttercream and warm it in the microwave and then add it back in to bring up the overall temperature, but I promise you a weird curdled looking buttercream is totally normal and you have to just keep whipping!

split buttercream — Your buttercream will likely look like this - don't panic!

finished smooth buttercream — Just keep whipping. As the buttercream warms a little it will be fine.

How much Buttercream does this recipe make?

My Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe as written makes enough buttercream to generously fill and frost a two layer 8" cake, or fill and frost a three layer 8" cake with just enough buttercream. If you are worried about not having enough buttercream, or if you are making a larger layer cake or adding any piping details, you can make the larger volume by using the larger quantities in the recipe notes. There is nothing worse than being caught short with not enough buttercream so I would lean toward making a little more than needed - it freezes well too.

For frosting cupcakes or a sheet cake which typically use less buttercream, use the scaled down quantities. I know this seems like a lot of unnecessary detail but I really want to avoid you being left with either not enough or far too much buttercream when you are making this. If in doubt, make the larger quantity. The process for making the buttercream regardless of the size of the batch is exactly the same so just adjust ingredient quantities depending on how much you need.

Freezing and defrosting Swiss Meringue Buttercream

The great thing is if you make too much buttercream, you can very easily freeze it for another time. Place it in a ziploc bag and squeeze any extra air out of it, and then label it and freeze it for up to three months. When it comes time to use it, defrost in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours until softened (break it up into pieces if you want it to go quicker), then re-whip it until light and fluffy. If you find it is curdling or seizing, you can remove a little of the buttercream and warm it slightly in the microwave and then add it back into the mixing bowl. This brings up the overall temperature of the buttercream and will help it mix up to be light and fluffy.

How do I make Swiss Meringue Buttercream white?!

I struggle with this living in New Zealand, as we have super yellow butter here (IYKYK). A little trick I like to use to help offset the yellow of the butter slightly is to add a tiny bit of violet food colouring. This works in a similar way to a purple blonde shampoo, in that the purple colour offsets the yellow and makes it appear whiter. If you're not bothered that's fine too!

cake with buttercream covering — Adding the second coat

❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️

I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!

Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

The Only Vanilla Cake Recipe I Bake

Stop looking - this is the only Vanilla Cake Recipe I bake! Whether you're after a cake that is perfect for making a layer cake or a classic vanilla sheet cake, my vanilla cake recipe can do it all. One batter, multiple formats, endless frosting opportunities, this moist and tender vanilla cake will be your new back-pocket recipe.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share another base cake recipe with you - this time for my go-to vanilla cake. While this may look like a basic vanilla cake recipe (and it is), I have tested different iterations over and over again to come up with something that is not only easy and versatile, but amazing served either as is with some fruit and yoghurt, or dressed up with a super easy vanilla buttercream or whipped chocolate frosting.

This vanilla cake recipe can be baked into two 8" rounds, which I often serve individually, or it can be made into a 9x13" vanilla sheet cake. We love options. We also love this cake - my husband once took down six slices alone in one day.

I make my vanilla cake with buttermilk and sour cream, which make it the perfect texture, and both ingredients provide amazing moisture, making this a great cake to make ahead of time (it also freezes like a dream!). My Vanilla cake is also great for making shaped themed cakes for kid's cakes, as it is nice and stable.

smoothed down cake batter — Smooth down and bake!

One batter, three cakes: A Cloudy Kitchen Classic

One of the things that I love so much about this cake is that you can bake it in multiple formats depending on what you are needing it for. I am using this format for all of my base recipes, so that there are lots of options. The recipe is written for two 8" (20cm) cakes, but here are all the options:

As a Layer Cake

My vanilla cake recipe makes two 8" (20cm) cakes, which are perfect for layering into a two layer cake. Pair it with whatever frosting you like. The recipe notes as written are for two 8" (20cm) cakes. Dividing it between three 8" (20cm) pans also works perfectly for a three layer cake, or you can make 1.5x the recipe and divide it across three pans for a chunkier cake.

As a Sheet Cake

This vanilla cake recipe also makes a perfect 9x13" sheet cake. The baking time is almost exactly the same as the layer cakes as they are a similar thickness - I have found that in my oven they take about 37 minutes, I start checking after 35 and sometimes leave them in for 40 depending on how they are going. I like to bake on a lower temperature for a sheet cake to help it bake up flat. You can also spread it across a half sheet pan for a thin sheet cake.

As Single Layer Cakes

This vanilla cake recipe is also great if you wanted to serve them as individual cakes for a more chill single layer situation - either mix up the frostings, or freeze one for another time - you can just pop it out and frost (or even just serve with some whipped cream and berries for a really easy dessert)

For all my tips and tricks on stacking a layer cake, check out my guide: How to stack and frost a cake

as written as a two layer cake — As written - two layer cake

As a three layer cake — One batch divided into 3 pans

baked sheet cake — One batch as a sheet cake

side on shot of filled vanilla cake — One batch as three, filled!

Mixing method for Vanilla Cake: to cream or to reverse cream?

There are two main methods you will likely come across if you look at vanilla cake recipes on the internet: a traditional creaming method, and the reverse creaming method (plus probably a few others but these are the ones we are going to discuss today).

Basically, you can take the exact same ingredients, and how you manipulate them will determine the final product of the recipe. Here are the two that I tested:

reverse creamed vs regular creamed cake — Reverse creamed on the left, traditional creamed on the right

Traditional creaming: This is what we are used to seeing in most cookie, shortbread, frosting recipes etc. You whip the butter and sugar together for an extended period of time, until they fully incorporate, and the mixture becomes thicker and fluffier. This is incorporating air into the batter, giving the baked good lift and texture (which is extra important in a recipe like shortbread which doesn't use baking powder or soda).

This method is the classic for a reason - it works great. However, the risk that you run when you make a cake such as this vanilla cake is over working the batter, causing gluten to form when you add the flour, which can lead to a slightly tougher texture in the cake. Some recipes get around this by using cake flour, which is a lower protein flour, but I prefer to just be careful with how I incorporate my flour - this is also why we add in the wet and dry ingredients alternately to avoid over mixing.

reverse creamed — Reverse creaming of dry plus butter

creamed butter and sugar — Traditional creaming of sugar and butter

Reverse creaming: This technique involves adding all the dry ingredients including the sugar into the bowl, then slowly incorporating the softened butter in until it looks like wet sand, then adding all the wet ingredients in in one go.

What this does is the butter coats the flour particles in fat, which prevents the formation of gluten within the cake batter. This gives you a more dense but also very tender textured cake. The density comes from not incorporating air during the creaming process, and the tender texture from the reduced gluten formation in the flour.

Which did you choose and why?

I tested both extensively - you can see in the images below that I made the same recipe, one reverse creamed and one with the classic creaming method. It really is down to personal preference, but for this recipe specifically I felt that the traditional creaming recipe was the texture that I was after - the sour cream and buttermilk in the recipe contribute some density to the texture of the cake, and so I preferred the batter made by creaming.

reverse creamed cake vs traditional — Reverse creamed up top and traditional down the bottom

strips of cake with creamed vs reverse — Traditional on the left - see crumb difference!

Frosting pairings for Vanilla Cake

My vanilla cake recipe is so versatile - it really is the perfect blank canvas for whatever frosting you would like. I have paired it with my classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, which is your 'basic' (in a good way) vanilla frosting. I also love to pair it with my Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe, which is what I choose to use when I am looking for a super smooth finish and a buttercream that is a delight to pipe with. It really depends on personal preference - make it your own here! When I made the sheet cake version I paired it with my whipped double chocolate frosting which is also so delicious.

sheet cake with chocolate frosting — Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting

How do you get such flat cake layers?!

When you are making a layer cake, ideally you want the layers to bake up as flat as possible so that when it comes to assembly, you don't need to trim the cakes before stacking. Cake strips seem like a lot more admin but I promise you that they are worth it.

Using cake strips works. The reason that cakes dome is because the edge bakes faster than the middle, so once the edges are set, the middle then finishes baking and has nowhere to rise, so it rises up. The solution to this is to use cake strips, which are special strips that you wet and place around the cake pan, which causes the edges of the cake to bake at a slower rate, giving the middle time to catch up and not forming a dome.

If you are wanting more information on cake strips, I have a full post on this: Cake strips and how to use them (and alternatives)

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Fluffy Double Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Stop looking - this is my forever chocolate frosting recipe. With two options - either a rich double chocolate buttercream frosting which uses melted chocolate and cocoa, or a more classic nostalgic cocoa powder only chocolate buttercream frosting, this silky frosting has you covered no matter what you're feeling. I use it to finish cupcakes, cakes, and layer cakes, and it pipes like a dream!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe with you!

I have been working on this one for quite some time now, tweaking it over and over to get the perfect (to me anyway) chocolate frosting, and I really do think that I got there. This chocolate frosting has two variations - a double chocolate version which is rich, fudgy, and just so, so good, and a cocoa powder only version, which is still silky and delicious, and if I had to describe it I would liken it to a chocolate buttercream version of the cult favourite, shitty chocolate icing (aka my brownie frosting recipe).

I have a couple of little tricks I use to make this a perfectly silky Buttercream - I add the cream in with the butter, which helps the powdered sugar dissolve when added, and I also add in a little golden syrup or corn syrup which helps with texture and silkiness of the buttercream.

This chocolate frosting recipe is perfect for cakes (pair it with any of my cake recipes), cupcakes, or anything that needs a little bit of a boost. It is amazing to work with and pipes like a dream - you will soon see why it is my go to! If you're after a vanilla version, check out my classic vanilla frosting recipe.

My Chocolate Frosting recipe makes enough to frost a three layer (8 or 9") cake with enough to spare - there's nothing worse than getting caught short without enough buttercream. However it is super easy to scale and I have added quantities in the recipe notes on how to scale it back for a sheet cake or cupcakes!

butter cream and vanilla — Whip butter with Cream etc

whipped together — Whipped Butter Mixture

dry ingredients in — Add in cocoa and sugar

melted chocolate mixed in — Melted Chocolate goes in

The key to a great chocolate buttercream frosting - it isn't what you might think!

You might notice a few things in my chocolate frosting recipe which you haven't seen before. Let me explain to you why I've used them and the purpose they serve:

Adding the cream in with the butter - gives a super smooth frosting.

One of the things people often complain about with an American Buttercream frosting recipe such as this one (as opposed to a Swiss Meringue Buttercream which isn't made with powdered sugar) is that it can be a little gritty. Unfortunately this is the nature of the powdered sugar, but there are a few ways around it, one being making sure that there is enough liquid in the recipe to help dissolve the powdered sugar. I add the cream in with the butter right at the start of the process, so that when the powdered sugar is added, the liquid from the cream helps to dissolve the sugar. I found during the recipe testing process that this was much more effective than adding it with the dry ingredients.

Adding an invert sugar - golden syrup, liquid glucose, or corn syrup

You will also notice another ingredient you may not be super familiar with in a chocolate frosting recipe - golden syrup. You can also use corn syrup or liquid glucose here, but I love the taste of golden syrup and always have it on hand so that is what I have used - I use this in my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe too.

Again, adding the invert sugar helps the cream in the buttercream out by helping to dissolve the sugar, but it also adds an amazing texture to the frosting - it almost makes it 'stretchy', and nice and soft and extra easy to work with. I found that adding it in with the butter makes the butter mixture nice and soft and easy to incorporate with the powdered sugar and cocoa mixture.

frosting on cake — Super Fluffy Frosting on my Vanilla Cake

chocolate buttercream piped on cupcake — Pipes Perfectly!

The right temperature ingredients are very important here

Sometimes you can get away with your ingredients not quite being the right temperature. Unfortunately, this chocolate frosting recipe is not one of them - especially if you are making the chocolate version. If the mixture is too cold, when you add the chocolate it will seize, and give you little lumps of chocolate through the chocolate frosting. Not the end of the world, but it doesn't give that beautiful smooth finish.

You want to make sure that your butter is nice and soft and at room temperature, along with your cream. If you are worried that your ingredients are too cool, an easy fix for this is to gently warm your cream on the stove or carefully in the microwave. This brings the overall temperature of the chocolate buttercream up just a little. I have a cold house in winter so I always warm my cream in the wintertime if I am making frosting.

cupcakes with a swirl of buttercream — Perfect Silky Frosting

swirled chocolate frosting on cake — That also makes beautiful swirls!

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Brownie Chunk Chocolate Chip Cookies

These chocolate chip cookies are the best of both worlds! With a brown butter cookie base, chunks of chocolate, and chunks of underbaked brownie, these are such a fun variation on a classic chocolate chip cookie!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share the recipe for these brownie chunk chocolate chip cookies! These went low key viral on social media recently, and so I figured I should probably write up a proper recipe for them!

In the initial video I used my brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe as a base, however I found that it spread a tiny bit too much, so I switched to my small batch chocolate chip cookies, which is a slightly firmer dough, and has a chill time so the cookies spread a little less. This did the trick

In the initial recipe I only used brownie chunks, for this recipe I also incorporated in a little bit of chopped chocolate too just to give a little bit of texture.

These are a tiny bit more work with having to make brownies first and then the cookies, but they are SO good, I promise that they are worth it!

Brownie chunks in cookies?!

Yep, you read that correctly. I made a ⅓ batch of my classic brownie recipe (I always scale recipes around eggs if I can), and baked it in an eighth sheet pan (a large loaf pan works well too). I then baked it until it was only just set, froze it, then chopped it into little pieces. Keeping the pieces frozen until I added them in worked well to help stop them from getting too smeary when I scooped the cookies.

Two quantities of butter in the recipe?

I get this every time I post a recipe with brown butter - this is not a typo. You lose moisture when you brown butter due to the water evaporating, so I get you to weigh the butter both before browning and afterward, as different butters release different amounts of water.

If you need a little more information on brown butter, I have a whole guide on my site where I talk you through the whole thing - Brown Butter 101 - the Ultimate Guide!

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My Favorite Rhubarb Cake

Looking for an easy way to use up fresh rhubarb? I got you! My easy rhubarb cake has a fluffy, tender butter cake base, and is topped with chopped rhubarb. This throw together cake is perfect for an easy make ahead dessert, or any time you need a slice of delicious cake! It stays moist for days.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my super easy rhubarb cake recipe with you! This recipe is yet another twist on my very favorite butter cake recipe - this time with chopped rhubarb on the top!

There isn't loads to say about this recipe except that I think you're going to love it if you love rhubarb. I love to bake with rhubarb and always have, and this cake is not only really easy to put together, but it really lets the flavour of the rhubarb shine through. There aren't any extra tricky steps here - you just chop the rhubarb and pop it on top of the cake!

My Peach Cake uses the same base and is amazing made with either fresh or canned fruit if you're after instructions on a different variation!

pan lined for rhubarb cake — How I line my pan

pan with cake batter added — Pan with Batter

cake topped with rhubarb — Add rhubarb on top

Choose your shape - square or round?

I used a round pan for making my rhubarb cake - there is a sneaky trick where if the recipe is made in a square pan, if you add an inch to the size, that gives you the round pan equivalent. So for this rhubarb cake, I make my butter cake in a 9" square pan, so I used a 10" round pan. If you've got a 9" square that will work great too and you do not need to change the bake time.

I like to line my round pan with two pieces of parchment paper underneath the circle of parchment paper that I use in the pan, which gives me a 'sling' which makes the cake really easy to remove once it is baked.

cut piece of cake on plate — Slices like a dream!

Adjusting a recipe to account for a topping

I often mix and match my recipes - particularly with my butter cake recipe. When you add something on the top of a cake, in this case rhubarb, or maybe a streusel topping (both would be amaaaazing), you will need to increase the bake time slightly. The topping not only weighs down the cake a little, but it provides some extra moisture, which can extend the bake time.

When you test for doneness try and insert your skewer into a piece that doesn't have any rhubarb on it so that you can get an accurate test of how baked your cake is. You are looking for the skewer to come out clean with only a few moist crumbs attached. Remember that different ovens bake differently and sometimes even at different temperatures (which is why I always advise to use an oven thermometer), so you are best to go off visual cues than just the bake time.

side on piece of rhubarb cake — Perfect tender butter cake and tart rhubarb is the best combo!

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Perfect Peach Cake

My easy peach cake recipe is the ultimate throw together dessert that looks super fancy but is a super low lift. A tender butter cake is topped with either fresh or canned peaches (both work beautifully!) and then baked into the most amazing cake - I almost never have leftovers!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my peach cake recipe with you! This is yet another iteration of my super easy and super versatile butter cake, this time topped with peaches!

I make this cake all the time - it is the perfect throw together, and everyone always loves it. It keeps well for days once you make it too - it is one of those 'little sliver every time you walk past the rack' kind of cakes.

If you haven't made my butter cake before, I promise you you are going to love it. It is light and tender, has an amazing moisture thanks to the sour cream, and you can finish it so many ways.

I didn't do it for this cake, but if you wanted to, you could also add a streusel topping to the top of the cake before baking for an extra textural element! You will need to add a little extra time onto the bake time to account for the extra weight the streusel adds but it is SO good.

Fresh or canned peaches for Peach cake?

Honestly, either work here. If it is peach season, use fresh - you don't even need to peel them, just slice them into segments and arrange on the cake. I like to sprinkle the surface with a little sugar when I am using fresh peaches just to help draw out a little of the moisture so that they brown nicely and you get a lovely crunchy crust on your cake. If you've been here before you will know I am a stickler for baking using grams, but because the peaches are just going on top of the cake, you can use as few or as many as you want - how many you use will depend on the size of the peaches and also how thick you cut your segments. I usually use about 3 fresh peaches. This is a great use for those peaches which might be past their prime for eating too - they will bake up perfectly!

However, I make this all the time using good quality canned peaches. I like to pat them dry, then cut into segments (I usually use 4-5 peach halves but this will depend on how big they are). I don't add extra sugar on top of the cake when I use canned peaches as they are already in a syrup.

Choose your format - round or square!

Want to know a sneaky little trick? If a recipe is made in a square pan, you can add one inch to the size of the square pan, and that gives you the round pan equivalent! I make my butter cake in a 9" square pan, but made this peach cake in a 10" round pan. I switch between the two depending on what I am feeling - I always feel like for some reason a square cake is good for like a morning or afternoon tea, and for dessert I like a round one! Maybe that's just me.

All this to say, make this in either a 9" square or a 10" circle pan - the bake time is the same!

How to easily remove a cake you can't flop onto a rack

Because this peach cake has a 'right way up' and isn't getting a frosting like a layer cake, I like to do an extra step for insurance to make sure that it is easy to remove from the pan. I do two strips of parchment paper under the round piece of parchment, and then clip them to the side of the pan, which means that when it is time to remove the cake, I just use the parchment as handles to remove from the pan. If you have to flip it onto a plate or a rack that is totally fine too, but I prefer this method for a just in case step!

Testing for doneness on a peach cake

Because we are adding fruit onto the top of this peach cake, it weighs down the batter a little, so it takes a bit longer to bake than the version without fruit. To test for doneness I like to just poke a skewer or a paring knife into the cake, and if it comes out with a few moist crumbs on the top, it is done. Make sure that you poke a piece of cake that doesn't have the fruit on the top and aim for somewhere in the middle as that part bakes the slowest.

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Lemon Curd Cookies (Lemon Thumbprint Cookies)

My lemon curd cookie recipe is quick, easy, and gives the most beautiful vibrant lemon thumbprint cookies. A soft and buttery lemon dough is filled with a silky lemon curd for the perfect lemon cookie.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my recipe for lemon curd cookies! I posted my lemon curd recipe on my website recently and had a ton of extra in my fridge, so figured I might as well get this recipe up for you!

If you're familiar with my raspberry thumbprint cookie recipe these are super similar except made with lemon - a quick and easy cookie that looks really fancy but is a relatively low lift recipe. I tweaked the butter just a tiny bit to help them spread a little more, and to give a nice crater to fill right up with silky lemon curd.

This lemon curd cookie recipe also uses the same dough as my snowball cookies, so if you wanted to double up, you could definitely do so and make two trays of cookies!

Homemade vs Store bought lemon curd

During the recipe testing process I made these lemon curd cookies using both store bought and home made lemon curd. While making your own is extra delicious in my opinion (the flavour is just so much better!) you can absolutely use store bought too if it is what you have on hand.

I used about 160g of my homemade lemon curd if you need an idea of how much to have on hand.

Making the perfect indentation for thumbprint cookies

I know they are called thumbprint cookies, but I cheat and use a teaspoon measure to make the indentations on my cookies. I like to ball up the dough, roll in sugar, and then press them down a little to form a puck shape. I then use a teaspoon measure that has a round 'bowl' and dip it in sugar to help it not stick. I made the indentation on these lemon curd cookies quite deep so that I could fit as much curd in them as possible.

Just use whatever you have on hand - the end of a rolling pin or something similar might also work well to give you a nice round indentation.

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Super Silky Lemon Curd

My easy homemade lemon curd recipe only has 5 ingredients and is thick and stable and perfect for using as a lemon spread, as a cake or cookie filling, or wherever you need a hit of lemon. It can be made with either egg yolks or whole eggs depending on what you have on hand - I will hold your hand every step of the way. I tested all the variables so that you don't have to. No tempering eggs or double boiler needed - this lemon curd recipe is all made in one pot!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my easy lemon curd recipe with you! I have been making this for years and don't know why it doesn't have its own spot on the blog because it is so easy to make and so much better than store bought.

Homemade lemon curd is a great way to use up extra egg yolks if you have any on hand, although I also tested making lemon curd with whole eggs if you don't want to be left with whites.

Lemon curd is a great thing to have in your fridge to brighten up almost anything - I love serving it alongside my butter cake, as a filling for my Vanilla Cake, or as the filling for my linzer cookies, but the options are nearly endless here.

I have made lemon curd a lot of times and read a lot of recipes online - my recipe is one which is properly thick, and stable enough to use as a cake or cookie filling without leaking everywhere. I've got you covered.

Whole Eggs vs Egg Yolk only for Lemon Curd

You've probably seen recipes for lemon curd made with egg yolks only, or using whole eggs, or a combination of both. Either work great and I tested the recipe both ways, so you can use whatever suits you best or what you have on hand. You can see both methods in the image below.

Egg yolk only lemon curd. This is my personal preference. Lemon curd made with egg yolks is much firmer, a little richer, and tastes a little less 'eggy' - I think that it lets the lemon flavour shine through best, and I prefer the firmer consistency as it makes it much better to use for filling cakes or cookies.

Whole egg lemon curd. This also works just as well - I made it with 3 eggs instead of 6 yolks. Whole egg lemon curd is a little looser, so works perfectly if you're looking for a lemon curd to drizzle, or to use as a lemon spread.

Basically do what you like here, both work, it just depends on the consistency that you are after (If it matters) and how many egg yolks you have on hand.

The thing to remember is egg yolks = firmer lemon curd, whole eggs = less firm lemon curd. To replace yolks with eggs, replace two egg yolks with one whole egg. Feel free to mix and match with what you have.

Don't you need to use a double boiler to make lemon curd?!

You will often see recipes which use indirect heat - where they use a double boiler (a bowl over simmering water) to make lemon curd. I found during recipe testing that this wasn't necessary - it works just fine in a pot, cooked over low to medium heat. I prefer to strain the curd before chilling it down just in case there are any cooked pieces of egg in the mix, but you absolutely can make it right in the pan - it is also much quicker!

When to add the butter - at the end or in with the rest of the ingredients?

There are two ways to do this when making lemon curd - the butter can go in at the beginning with the other ingredients, or you can add the butter at the end to stop the cooking process. Again, I tested both ways during the recipe testing process and found adding the butter along with the other ingredients gives you a more silky curd - adding it toward the end the curd had a slightly fattier mouthfeel.

A few ways to tell when Lemon Curd is done

I think this is what people struggle with a little. There are a couple of ways to test for doneness when making lemon curd:

Temperature. Look for 170°f / 76°c on an instant read thermometer.

The 'line' test. When lemon curd cooks to the correct temperature it will thicken to the point that it coats the back of a spatula or spoon, and you can draw a clean line through it with your finger.

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Streusel-Topped Banana Nut Muffins

My easy Banana Nut Muffins are soft, fluffy, and filled with walnuts. They are quick to make, and topped with a delicious crunchy streusel topping. These are a great way to use up any over ripe bananas!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share the recipe for my Banana Nut Muffins! These are a quick and easy twist on my banana bread muffins which are a super popular recipe on my site. The base is the same, we just add in some walnuts and the most amazing crunchy streusel topping to add a little bit of something to the tops. Sour cream in the batter is there for moisture, and the muffins are soft, fluffy, and just so delicious.

These Banana Nut muffins are super simple to make - the recipe makes 10 large muffins. We love them so much and I hope you do too!

Homemade Muffin Tin Liners

I often make my own muffin liners - they are super easy to make, and give beautiful large 'bakery style' muffins. I buy pre-cut parchment paper which is 5.5" / 14cm across, but you can also cut your own squares. There are two options for how to make them - either you can just squish the paper in using something round, or cut slits in the paper to give a tidier 'tulip' liner. The image below shows where I cut my paper to do the tulip method!

where to cut muffin liners — Marks showing where to cut

paper muffin cups in pan — Press into the pan.

10 Minute Streusel Topping for muffins

I have been making a super easy streusel topping lately and putting it on everything, and it goes perfectly on these banana nut muffins. I make it with cinnamon, oats, and finely chopped walnuts, but you can play around with the spices in there or leave out the oats if you like! If you don't want to make the streusel topping, you can also just top these with a sprinkle of raw / turbinado sugar for a delicious crunchy finish.

filled muffin pans with streusel topping — Add streusel before baking

baked muffin with streusel — For the most perfect texture!

The key to a good muffin top - two bake temps.

You will see in the recipe that there are two different oven temperatures - an initial higher temperature, and then a lower one after 10 minutes of bake time. This is very much intentional - I found during recipe testing that giving the muffins an initial blast of heat helps the muffins to rise up nice and high, while the lower temp allows the inside of the muffin to finish baking.

top down shot of banana muffins on a tray

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10 Minute Streusel Topping

My easy streusel topping recipe (also called crumb topping) is perfect for cakes, quick breads and muffins as a way to add the most amazing crunchy texture. You can make it ahead and store in the freezer until ready to use. This is a base streusel recipe, with options to add spices, oats, and chopped nuts to customise it however you like!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my streusel topping recipe with you! Streusel is one of those amazing recipes you can have in your back pocket to quickly whip up and pop on top of something before it goes into the oven to give it a little bit of something something.

I make this streusel topping all the time - the quantity in this recipe works great as a topping for a batch of muffins, a single layer cake (I add it to the top of my butter cake a lot), or a generous topping for a quickbread such as my banana zucchini bread.

If you are looking for a crumb topping for pies, I have the perfect recipe too: Crumb Topping for Pie which is a scaled up streusel recipe and adds a perfect topping to a fruit pie!

Choose your own adventure streusel recipe

You will see in the recipe that there is a base recipe, and then options for adding to it. The options really are endless here - I like adding in oats and nuts, and mixing up the spices depending on what I am putting it on and the flavour profile that I am working with.

If you want a little more texture, finely chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts or pistachios would be perfect. Oats an an amazing chewy texture and I love the combination of nuts and oats with fruit. If you want to keep it simple, make it as written.

Adjusting recipes to use streusel topping

For the most part, when you add a streusel to a recipe, the baking step will be the same, you may just have to adjust the baking time slightly, as the added weight of the streusel may weigh it down (especially in a deeper pan like a loaf pan) so it will need a little more time. If the recipe is developed to already have the streusel on the top, you can follow it as written.

side on shot of cake with streusel topping

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Super Easy Banana Zucchini Bread

If Zucchini bread and Banana bread had a baby - this would be it. My Zucchini Banana Bread recipe uses a moist banana bread base, with sour cream for extra moisture, then has grated zucchini folded in. It is delicious and keeps well for days and is a great way to use up overripe bananas and zucchini!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my Banana Zucchini bread recipe with you! This recipe is essentially my Banana bread recipe, which is a super popular quick bread recipe on my site, with a little zucchini added in. Great for if you don't have quite enough banana, have zucchini to use up, or you just want a lightly less banana forward banana bread (turns out that's a thing?!)

This recipe is super easy and I know that it is going to be one that I make all the time. The crunchy sugar topping on the top is the best thing ever. I know you'll love it as much as I do. If you want even more crunch, my streusel topping just before baking also works amazingly.

grated zucchini with banana and yoghurt — Banana, Yoghurt and Zucchini

creamed butter and sugar with eggs — Add eggs in

add zucchini and banana to batter — Incorporate zucchini and banana

Do I need to blot the zucchini?

Lots of recipes online will have you squeeze out excess moisture when you are baking with zucchini. You don't need to do this here. The recipe is developed to use fresh zucchini and no need to squeeze it. Try to use zucchini that haven't grown into big marrows (It happens to me all the time) - those have lots of seeds and it's not what we are after. Save those for your cooking.

zucchini bread batter in pan — Add the sugar top

baked banana zucchini bread — For the best crunchy topping!

Don't skip the crunchy topping.

I almost always finish off my quick breads (and some cakes and muffins) with a sprinkling of raw or turbinado sugar. It gives the top of the loaf just the most amazing crackly top, which is just so good. You can skip this if you want, but I highly recommend giving it a try. I do this on my banana bread muffins too and it is the best.

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5 Minute Garlic Aioli

My easy Garlic Aioli recipe is made with only 6 ingredients and takes 5 minutes to make with a stick blender. It is thick, luscious and perfect for serving alongside roast vegetables or fries, as a dip, or on sandwiches. Making your own aioli at home is much easier than it looks and makes you feel like a total pro!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my easy garlic aioli recipe with you! I make this all the time at home - it is so quick and easy to whip up, and you can tweak it to your liking to make your own perfect aioli. I always have some sort of mayo based condiment in the fridge - either this or my homemade mayonnaise. They are super quick and easy to whip up. Knowing how to make your own aioli from scratch is a total game changer and much cheaper than the store bought version!

While this isn't a traditional aioli recipe which doesn't include egg, this is what I grew up calling aioli and is what you would get if you ordered it as a side at a restaurant. It is perfect for dipping fries into!

A sneaky wee trick to take the raw garlic tang away

The main time consuming (3 minute) step when you are making my aioli recipe is letting the fresh garlic hang out in the lemon juice for a few minutes before adding the remaining ingredients and blending. This takes the raw garlic bite away from the aioli and lets you have a garlic packed aioli without as much of a strong raw taste.

I also like quite a lemony aioli - you can sub vinegar if you want, or drop it down to 15g of acid of your choice. I like to use wholegrain mustard to get little mustard seeds in the aioli, but a dijon will also work great too.

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2 minute Mayonnaise

2 Minutes and 5 ingredients stand between you and making epic homemade mayo. My easy Mayonnaise recipe is made with a stick blender and gives you a thick, luscious, creamy mayo that is perfect for serving as is, or for using as the base of a salad dressing. Tweak it to your liking, and add herbs and other flavorings for a twist on the perfect mayo!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this easy homemade mayonnaise recipe with you! If you have ever wondered how to make mayonnaise, you have come to the right place. I know I am a baking blogger, but hear me out. I make this at home all the time, and it is so good I figured it was finally time to share it with you! I often make a rosemary version to serve with potatoes or fries, but the plain homemade mayo as is is also just so, so good, and you feel like a total pro.

This recipe is designed to be made with a stick blender - you just pop everything into a jar, hit it with the stick blender, and in two minutes you can have mayo thick enough that you can hold the jar upside down. Just the best.

The best part about making your own mayo is that you can tweak the recipe as you like. If you would like a garlic version, my homemade garlic aioli is perfect!

Tweaking the flavours in homemade mayonnaise

You can mix and match things with my mayo recipe depending on personal preference. I prefer mine quite lemony so use 30g of lemon juice, but you can drop this down to as little as 15g if you like - you can also use vinegar of your choice if you don't have lemon juice. Mustard is included in mayonnaise to help emulisify the mayo and stop the mix from separating. I like to use a dijon mustard to keep things smooth, but if you would like visible mustard seeds, just use wholegrain.

You can also add herbs if you like - I love making rosemary mayo if I feel like dinner feels a bit boring and needs a little something something. The steps are exactly the same, you can just add in the herbs before you blend. Adding herbs makes an amazing condiment to have with fries, or the perfect base for a salad dressing - potato salad with a homemade herb mayo as the base is SO good.

Yes, weigh your ingredients.

The most annoying part about making mayo? Measuring everything out and dirtying a bunch of measuring spoons and cups. Not here. You can do the whole thing on the scale - just zero the scale between each ingredient. SO easy.

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My Holiday Cookie Box 2025

This is my holiday cookie box for 2025! I made these cookies over a few days and ended up with enough for 12 boxes for gifting with 10 different cookies and treats in them. Whether you only put a few together or go all out, making cookie boxes is a super fun holiday activity and one I will be repeating every year for sure!

Hi hi and welcome to the Holiday Cookie Box Bonanza of 2025! If you've been here for a while you will remember that I used to make super intricate treat boxes, but I haven't done any for years, and instead of making just the one box, this time I wanted to make a bunch of boxes that we could give to friends and family!

I ended up making 10 different items for these boxes which was probably a little over ambitious, but I broke the workload up over a few days which I will include some tips and tricks for. I purchased 10 cookie boxes, but had some cookies leftover after assembling, so I would say that the quantities that I used made enough for 12 boxes easily.

These were SO fun to gift to friends and family and they really loved receiving them. I will definitely do these every year now I think!

Who made the cut: 10 Different Cookies and treats!

It was SO much fun choosing the cookies and treats that I made for this holiday box. I like doing a few things that work well as fillers like caramels and rocky road, a few classic round cookies which required no chilling and I knew I could just bust out, some bars, and then one or two 'fancy' cookies so that you get a really beautiful box when you put it together. Go for a mix of things that are more complicated and easy to make.

1. Funfetti Sugar Cookies

These are a twist on the classic vanilla cookie that is on my website. I made the recipe as written, and used jimmies sprinkles rather than the confetti cookies. These are a no chill cookie that can be ready in about 30 minutes so is super easy.

Get the Recipe: Funfetti Sugar Cookies

2. Checkerboard Cookies

These took me so many tries to get right (getting the dough dimensions nailed down is tricky!) but I love them. They use the same dough as my pinwheel cookies and I also have a super easy zig zag version in the same post too.

Get the Recipe: Pinwheel cookies (notes on checkerboards are in the post!)

3. Homemade Caramels.

These are super easy to make, great to make ahead, and make great filler for popping into any spaces you have in your cookie box. Love them. Make them quite a lot.

Get the Recipe: Soft and Chewy Homemade Caramels

4. Rocky Road.

Again, another easy filler recipe. I just made a single batch of my rocky road - the great thing about this is you can throw whatever you like into it and it's going to be amazing. I did Malteasers, turkish delight, salted roasted peanuts, pretzels, and marshmallows. So good.

Get the Recipe: Homemade Rocky Road

5. Sprinkle Covered Chocolate Cookies

I wanted to do a few little bite sized things in the cookie box and these chocolate cookies are perfect. I just scaled the scoop size down, then dipped them in chocolate and dipped the base in sprinkles - there are notes in the recipe card on how I did that! If you don't want to use sprinkles you can leave them plain, do just chocolate on the bottoms, or dip them in crushed nuts.

Get the Recipe: Chewy Chocolate Cookies

6. Sugar Cookie Bar Christmas Trees

I LOVED how these came out - I used my go-to sugar cookie bar recipe and cut it into triangles then piped frosting onto them in blobs and finished with sprinkles. SO cute, super easy, and it made loads. I doubled the sugar cookie bars and used the other batch for the peppermint chocolate sugar cookie bars. There are notes in the sugar cookie bar post on how to do the cutting and piping of the trees!

Get the Recipe: Sugar Cookie Bars

7. 30 Minute Gingersnap Cookies

These are possibly my favourite recipe on my website? I LOVE them. I made them a little smaller, using a #40 scoop to get slightly smaller cookies than in the recipe, which gave me about 24 cookies.

Get the Recipe: Thin and Crispy Gingersnap Cookies

8. Pistachio Brownies

These were SO good and so fun to have an easy recipe in there to add some chocolate into the mix. I made my Nutella brownies but instead of using Nutella I substituted Pistachio Cream (sweetened pistachio paste) and it was SO good. I did a 1.5x of the recipe and baked in a 9x13" pan but I had loads so you can probably do the recipe as written - I cut them into quite small pieces.

Get the Recipe: Nutella Brownies (Sub Nutella for Pistachio Cream)

9. Shortbread cut-outs

I will never make a cookie box without at least one kind of shortbread. This time I just did a roll-out version of my classic shortbread, and used a super cute pretzel shaped cutter to cut them. I did a double batch because I wanted to use it for something else too, but a single would have worked fine too. Notes on how to make my shortbread a roll-out along with a link to the cutter are in the recipe card of that post!

Get the Recipe: Classic Shortbread Cookies

10. Peppermint Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bars

I was a bit sneaky and doubled up on my sugar cookie recipe because a) it is SO good, and b) with a different frosting these taste totally different. These ones got a coating of shitty chocolate icing then were dusted with candy canes. So good. There are notes in the sugar cookie blog post on the details for these ones!

Get the Recipe: Sugar Cookie Bars

cookie bars with chocolate frosting and candy canes

This really depends on how your schedule is, but you can break up the workload by making some of the doughs and even cookies ahead of time. Ideally you want to bake things as fresh as you can, so I like to prep things that can be made ahead and then bake them all off on the same day or over two days. I made my cookie boxes over a few days, and here is how I roughly categorised what could be made when:

A week plus ahead of time: Caramels, Shortbread cookies (cut out cookies and freeze then bake from frozen), checkerboard cookies (cut out cookies and freeze to bake from frozen). Shortbread cookies and checkerboards the dough can also be made a few days ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to use. Funfetti Cookies and gingersnaps can also be made, rolled into balls and the dough balls frozen to bake off.

A few days ahead of time: Brownies (Store in the fridge in an airtight container for a few days), Rocky Road (2-3 days ahead of time is fine, probably longer if you don't use pretzels as a mix-in)

1-2 days ahead of time: Sugar Cookie Bars x2 (can make and frost the day before - the frosting will benefit from an overnight rest to set up), Chocolate Cookies dipped in chocolate and sprinkles, anything that has been made ahead and frozen can be baked off

I bought cookie boxes with the little plastic window on the top which worked great so you can see everything inside. Mine were 23cm squares which fitted everything just perfectly and were manageable to fill. I added a little shredded paper underneath to give the cookies something to sit on.

I think that's it, if you have any questions please let me know and I will do my best to answer them! Happy Cookie Boxing!

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10 Minute Herby Compound Butter

My easy herb compound butter is a secret flavour weapon you can stash in your fridge. Made with softened butter, fresh herbs of your choice and lemon zest, this herb compound butter can go on anything from steak to bread rolls to fresh vegetables. I almost always have a log of compound butter in my fridge as it goes on everything!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this herb compound butter recipe with you! I LOVE this butter - you can almost always find at least one kind of compound butter in my fridge at any time. This herb compound butter couldn't be more simple to make, is full of fresh herbs and lemon zest, and you can mix and match the flavours as you like depending on what you are using it for. Having something like a herb butter on hand to throw into things is such a quick and easy injection of flavour - I am obsessed with this and I know you will be too.

I almost always make a double of this herb butter recipe to keep on hand as it is SO good and really can go on everything. It is amazing on vegetables and potatoes, I use it to finish steaks, put under the skin of chicken, melted to use as the base of a pizza, and I often throw it in if I am cooking down onions or something to give an amazing boost of flavour. You really can't go wrong with a good herby compound butter

This Herb Compound Butter is a recipe in a series of compound butter recipes that I have - you can see them all in my flavoured butter recipes. They would make AMAZING homemade gifts.

Choosing your herbs for herb butter

One of my favourite things about this herb butter is you can really choose what flavour profile you want it to have. I am really lucky and have a huge herb garden, so I usually just choose what I feel like on the day and then go from there. Not all herbs go great together though so here are some quick tips:

Choose one pungent herb. For more flavourful herbs that have a more dominant flavour like rosemary and sage, just go for one of those and supplement with more chill herbs like chives, thyme and parsley. For the butter I made in this recipe I used sage, parsley, thyme, and chives. You can sub rosemary for sage if you prefer a rosemary butter.
Keep the herb all the same. If you want to just focus on one flavour, you can use only one kind of herb. An all chive butter is so delicious.
Lemon if you like. I love adding lemon zest to my herb compound butter, but again, you do you here depending on what you feel like. Orange zest would also be delicious if you like that.
Pepper works too. Some freshly ground black pepper will also be delicious in here if you like.
You can never go wrong with garlic. Garlic and herb butter is so delicious. If you want to add in garlic I recommend starting with my garlic butter recipe as a base, and adding in herbs to it!

My fave way to store herb compound butter: The plastic wrap sausage

Not only is this a great way to store the herb butter in your fridge, it is super fun to make a sausage from your herb butter. Storing it this way means you can just unwrap it when you need to and slice off as much as you need. See the images below for how I get it into a sausage - don't be afraid to use your hands to get it into the shape you like! I prefer a fat sausage, if you like it thinner then do it that way too.

compound butters — All the flavoured butters can be found in my butter recipes - In this image there is honey butter, garlic butter, herb butter, maple butter, and hot honey butter.

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5 Minute Salted Maple Butter

My easy Salted Maple Butter will take your breakfasts to the next level! Perfect on waffles, pancakes, or anything else that needs a touch of sweetness, this maple butter comes together in an instant and can be stored in the fridge for weeks!

Hi hi, I am just popping in to share this super easy Maple Butter with you! This is a twist on my super easy Honey butter, but is made with maple syrup instead. My Maple butter is quick and easy - you simply whip together softened butter with maple syrup and a good amount of salt, and you are done!

You can either serve this maple butter as a whipped butter at room temperature, or store it in the fridge to have as needed. It will keep for weeks. It is amazing on anything breakfast related, or to finish bread rolls. The options are really endless.

This Maple Butter is a recipe in a series of compound butter recipes that I have - you can see them all in my flavoured butter recipes. They would make AMAZING homemade gifts.

Choose a good quality maple syrup

With the main flavour of this maple butter being maple syrup (groundbreaking stuff), you want to choose a real maple syrup rather than an imitation one.

It is super important to add salt to your maple butter to make sure that it is nice and balanced. I use salted butter and then add a big pinch of flaky sea salt, but you can use whatever you like - just taste and adjust.

compound butters in bowl — All the flavoured butters can be found in my butter recipes - In this image there is honey butter, garlic butter, herb butter, maple butter, and hot honey butter.

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5 Minute Whipped Honey Butter

My Honey Butter recipe comes together in an instant and is good on everything from toast to bread rolls. I make mine with softened butter, honey, and a good amount of salt. Like it spicy? Hot Honey butter is life changing.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this super easy honey butter recipe with you! I make this all the time to have in the fridge - it is particularly good melted and spread over Parker House Rolls when they come out of the oven, but it is really amazing on anything that needs a touch of sweetness.

I used honey that came from our very own bees! All you need is softened butter, some honey of your choice, and some salt. That's it. If you want spicy honey butter, swap out the honey for a hot honey for a spicy twist which is SO good. You can serve this honey butter whipped as is, or roll it into a log to store in the fridge for later.

This Honey Butter is a recipe in a series of compound butter recipes that I have - you can see them all in my flavoured butter recipes. They would make AMAZING homemade gifts.

The Perfect Ratio for Honey Butter

The ratio that I use of butter to honey is 2:1, so for every 100g of butter, you use 50g of honey. This is a super helpful ratio to have,, so you can make easy honey butter no matter what quantity of ingredients you have on hand.

Please make sure that you salt your honey butter properly.

There is nothing worse than an unbalanced honey butter. I'm just joking, of course there is. However, make sure that you salt this properly - salt really brings out the honey flavour, and makes sure that the butter is balanced. I like to start with unsalted butter and then also add a big pinch of a flaky salt like Maldon salt, but you can use whatever you have on hand - just taste and adjust.

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Easy Banoffee Pie

You really can't beat a homemade banoffee pie. My banoffee pie recipe has a brown butter graham cracker base, a layer of banana, thick Dulce de Leche, and then loads of whipped cream to finish. Banoffee pie is the perfect make ahead dessert and will always be a crowd pleaser! My recipe uses a game changing tip of putting the bananas under the caramel layer so that they stay super fresh.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my banoffee pie recipe with you! This one has a funny history - we used to make it in the dormitories when I was at university (college) because of how easy it was. This is a slightly more refined version and uses a bunch of components I already have on my site. Banoffee Pie means banana toffee pie, and not only is it super easy to make, but it goes down an absolute treat.

My banoffee pie only takes 15 minutes in the oven to bake the base, and can be made well ahead of time, meaning you can whip this together and have it ready to go whenever. You will have to allow time to make the homemade Dulce de Leche ahead of time, but if you want, a can of pre-made caramel condensed milk will work just as well here too.

A game changing Banoffee Pie Tip - put the bananas UNDER the caramel layer.

Listen closely because this is very important. Most banoffee pie recipes do things in the wrong (to me) order and have you put the bananas over the top of the Dulce de Leche layer. WRONG. They belong under the caramel, and this is very important.

Bananas go brown super easily, and leaving them exposed even just a tiny bit if you don't cover them in cream fully is a very sad time. Not to mention I prefer to add whipped cream to pie as close to serving as possible if I can, and if you have the bananas on top of the caramel there is no way to protect them from brown town.

The solution? Bananas under the Dulce de Leche layer. It feels a bit wrong, but I promise it's a game changer.

Whipped Cream - to sweeten or to not sweeten?

Banoffee Pie already runs quite sweet (although it has the most amazing mixture of textures!), so I prefer to top mine with unsweetened whipped cream. I prefer it this way - it really doesn't need more sweetness.

However I know a lot of people are super used to adding a little sugar to their whipped cream which is totally fine! If this is you, use my chantilly cream recipe for topping the banoffee pie, or just make as much whipped cream as your heart desires.

Easy Chocolate Curls

There are lots of fussy ways to make chocolate curls - all you need is a sharp vegetable peeler and a block of chocolate. If you aren't confident, practice over a plate, but I add the chocolate straight to the top of the banoffee pie. The key is to get yourself a nice flat surface on the chocolate, and then run the peeler against it. It should curl up nicely for you. I think the kind of chocolate you use also will affect this - I used a milk chocolate.

sliced piece of banoffee pie with caramel

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Easy Dulce de Leche (Water Bath Method)

Dulce de Leche is a thick, creamy caramel made by heating sweetened condensed milk. My foolproof water bath method for Dulce de Leche does not have you boil a can. This method is super safe and means you can easily see the level of caramelisation you have in your Dulce de Leche.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my easy homemade Dulce de Leche recipe with you! I want to start off by saying, I know this is not an authentic method. Traditional Dulce de Leche is made by sweetening milk, and stirring for a long time until you get a rich and creamy caramel. It is magical. This is a 'cheater's' method which involves cooking condensed milk until you get a rich and thick caramel. While it's not quite as good as the real deal, it is still very much worth making.

The best part? No boiling the can. I will tell you all about why the water bath method is my favourite (and safest) way to make Dulce de Leche at home, for a few reasons!

Dulce de Leche is amazing in and on so many things - served as is with ice cream or alongside other desserts, or I like to use it in baking recipes - it makes the perfect caramel layer in my banoffee pie. It's also delicious straight off the spoon standing in front of the fridge.

Why I prefer the Water Bath method

I know there are a lot of recipes around (including the more traditional ones) which will tell you to boil a can of condensed milk. However, I much prefer this water bath method, where you pour the condensed milk into a pan, then place that pan into a larger dish and add water, forming a water bath. What this does is allows the milk to slowly cook, thicken and caramelise without burning because the temperature can never get higher than that of the boiling water.

Boiling the can can be dangerous as you have to watch the level of the water carefully. If you don't the can can explode, and I have heard too many stories of cans of condensed milk embedded in the ceiling to feel comfortable recommending it. If you do it another way that's just fine!

Making homemade Dulce de Leche the waterbath way also means you can see exactly what is going on. When you boil a can it is impossible to tell how far done the Dulce de Leche is - with this method you can see exactly how cooked it is. I like to take it until it is quite thick for my Banoffee Pie recipe as it holds its shape nicely. The Dulce de Leche can be used right away too, rather than having to wait for a can to cool down before it can be safely opened.

Ok, have I convinced you yet?! Hopefully!

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My Dream Pepperoni Pizza

My Pepperoni Pizza recipe is everything I want in a pizza. A chewy homemade pizza crust, topped with a delicious tomato pizza sauce, gooey cheese, and loads of pepperoni. I love to top mine with hot honey, but you can finish it however you like - it will be delicious however you decide to serve it! My Pepperoni pizza recipe includes instructions for baking pizza in your home oven or a pizza oven.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my easy pepperoni pizza recipe with you! This is almost always part of the lineup when we have a pizza night and is often the one we double up on at the end of the night if we have extra bits and pieces as it reheats super well the next day.

This pepperoni pizza couldn't be easier - I use a simple pizza sauce which takes 2 minutes to make, loads of stretchy mozzarella cheese, and then enough pepperoni so that you get some in every bite. Just the best.

This Pepperoni pizza recipe uses my homemade pizza dough recipe - there are notes and tips and tricks on how to make the dough and detailed shaping instructions in the post. My dough recipe makes enough for two pizzas, this Pepperoni pizza recipe has the topping quantities for one pizza. For other topping options, please see my other pizza recipes!

pepperoni pizza toppings — Super simple toppings

stretched out pizza dough — Stretched Dough

How to reheat Pizza so that it doesn't suck

Don't you dare microwave your leftover pizza. Well, you can if you want, but I promise that there is a better way to reheat it that will return it to its former glory. We reheat our pizza in a toaster oven on 350°f / 180°c for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melty and the crust is crispy again, but you can also do this in the air fryer. If I am doing it in the toaster oven I like to lightly cover the pan with foil to help the steam refresh the pizza.

Pizza also reheats really well on the stovetop - in a cast iron skillet on medium heat, place the slices in, then heat it uncovered for a few minutes. Once it is starting to heat up (you will see the cheese starting to re-melt), add a few drops of water (not on the pizza), then cover and turn the heat to low. This adds steam into the pan, which helps to really refresh things.

The best pepperoni for Pizza

Not all pepperoni is made equal - lots of pizza recipes look for one that makes 'cups' - where the pepperoni forms little cups in the oven which trap the oil and make for delicious little flavour bombs.

I have found the best way to find pepperoni that does this is to find one that is thinly sliced (either you slice it yourself or you get one already sliced), and has a natural casing on it. I get an italian one from my local specialty supermarket.

Pepperoni coverage here is key. When I am adding it I like to almost overlap it so that you get great coverage when the pizza bakes up.

sliced pepperoni pizza — Perfect Pizza (to me!)

side on piece of pepperoni pizza — That side crust shot!

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Easy Double Cheese Pizza

Double the cheese = double the fun! My super easy cheese pizza has a simple pizza sauce topping, and is topped with two kinds of cheese for flavour and extra meltiness. Leave it as is or finish with your favourite pizzeria style toppings - I love adding dried herbs and chilli flakes! My cheese pizza recipe has options for baking both in a pizza oven and an at home oven.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this super easy double cheese pizza with you! If you find you're at the end of pizza night and you still have toppings left and can't be bothered making something fancy - this is the pizza that you go for. Super quick and simple, but still so delicious.

We lived in NYC for a long time, so we ate a lot of pizza. When we were first starting out we used to work super long nights at my husband's design studio, and there were a few pizza spots nearby which sold slices of cheese pizza for $1. They were huge, super simple, and just so good. This cheese pizza recipe is a little nod to the late night $1 slices which used to often be our dinner. Just the best.

I have kept things simple still - as always I use my homemade pizza dough recipe, and top with pizza sauce and cheese. Throw it into the oven (a pizza oven or your home oven), until the base is perfect and the cheese is melty. You'll love it so much.

This cheese pizza recipe uses my homemade pizza dough recipe - there are notes and tips and tricks on how to make the dough and detailed shaping instructions in the post. My dough recipe makes enough for two pizzas, this cheese pizza has the topping quantities for one pizza. For other topping options, please see my other pizza recipes!

cheese pizza toppings — Cheese on cheese

pizza dough with cheese — Perfect Pizza Dough

stretched pizza dough — Stretched out base

Finish a cheese pizza any way that you like

My favorite part about going to a pizzeria was being able to order by the slice and then add all the toppings they had to fancy up your slice a little.

I always added dried oregano or italian herbs which they had in a little shaker, along with some chilli flakes. You can add anything that you like here - they always also had garlic powder and that clumpy but nostalgic parmesan cheese in a shaker.

baked cheese pizza — Perfect from the oven!

The best cheese for pizza

If you're going to have a cheese pizza, you have to get the cheese part right. I use low-moisture mozzarella cheese, which I buy in blocks and hand shred before using. Shredded cheese in a bag often has a starch coating to stop it from sticking and I don't like it as much.

I have fancied up the classic pizzeria cheese pizza a teeny bit by adding in some freshly grated parmesan which adds flavour to the cheese - you can add whatever you like here! You do you.

side on shot of baked pizza — That perfect chewy crust

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Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Basic Margherita Pizza

While the title may say basic, this pizza is anything but. My margherita pizza is delicious because of how simple it is - topped with a simple homemade tomato pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil, this is the easy pizza recipe you will come back to again and again and again. My recipe includes options for baking in a pizza oven or in your home oven!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my Margherita pizza recipe with you! I always include a margherita pizza in my pizza night lineup - there is something just so delicious about a simple pizza made with great ingredients.

Because this pizza is so simple, it really allows the toppings to shine. Tomato, cheese and basil are a magical combination, and they are even more amazing on a great pizza dough base. A margherita is a traditional neapolitan pizza, and it is a classic for a very good reason.

This margherita pizza recipe can be made in a home oven or a pizza oven - there are instructions for both in the recipe! I hope you give this a try and realise how easy it is to make amazing quality pizza at home.

This margherita pizza recipe uses my homemade pizza dough recipe - there are notes and tips and tricks on how to make the dough and detailed shaping instructions in the post. My dough recipe makes enough for two pizzas, this margherita pizza has the topping quantities for one pizza. For other topping options, please see my other pizza recipes!

stretched out dough — Stretched out dough

Quality Matters here

Because the margherita pizza toppings are so simple, ideally you want to use great quality ingredients if you have access to them. Here is what I go for:

Great Pizza Starts with Great Dough. My Foolproof pizza dough is the perfect base - you can make same day or overnight and there are a ton of tips in the post!
Pizza Sauce. My homemade pizza sauce is super simple and made with just canned tomatoes and salt, which really lets the tomato flavour shine.
Mozzarella Cheese. You don't want to use a low moisture stretchy mozzarella like you would for a cheese pizza. For a margherita pizza you want to use a fresh mozzarella cheese (Fior di Latte which I buy in a log or you can get in water, or Buffalo Mozzarella which often comes packed in the water). I like to tear mine into pieces rather than slice it as I like how it cooks down on the pizza.
Basil. Fresh basil leaves torn over the pizza after baking really adds to the pizza. Get some fresh basil if you can as it really makes a difference!
Olive Oil. A wee drizzle of a good quality extra virgin olive oil after baking is not essential, but it is delicious!

cooked margherita pizza — Fresh from the oven

basil added margherita pizza — Add fresh basil

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Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

2 Minute, 2 Ingredient Pizza Sauce

Pizza Sauce doesn't have to be fancy. My 2 ingredient, no cook pizza sauce is made with two things - Salt and Canned Tomatoes. That's it - I promise it is that simple. Whip this homemade pizza sauce up in no time for the perfect base for your pizza toppings!

Hi hi, I am just popping in to share this super easy 2 ingredient pizza sauce recipe with you! I used to make a much more complicated version of pizza sauce, but once I started making this easy version I haven't looked back. The first time I didn't believe it was going to be good because it almost felt too easy, but it is so good and really lets the other toppings shine on your pizza. Simple is good.

The best part about this pizza sauce is not just how delicious it is - it is quick and easy to make, you just squish the tomatoes and add your salt, and there is no cooking required, which means you can have this ready to go ASAP, no planning ahead and needing to make and prep the sauce and then wait for it to cool!

I use about ¼ cup (60ml) of sauce per pizza, so this recipe makes more than enough - you can store the rest in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer so it is ready to go. Keeping the sauce simple means that you can also throw any leftover into other meals you are making to use up extra sauce.

This is a pizza sauce recipe only - for more topping ideas please see my pizza recipes, and my foolproof pizza dough recipe for a great versatile base dough!

Tomato Quality Matters here

This recipe uses canned tomatoes which are so convenient for so many reasons - you can always have them on hand year round, and tomatoes are canned at their peak, meaning that they are full of as much flavour as possible.

Because this pizza sauce recipe only has 2 ingredients it is important to choose good quality tomatoes - San Marzano tomatoes or something Italian is always a good choice, or I love Bianco Di Napoli tomatoes which are amazing quality. Whole peeled tomatoes will give you a slightly lighter sauce, and crushed will give you a slightly thicker sauce - both are great options. I use both depending on what can I grab on the day. Pizza sauce is very much done on vibes!

Make however much you want - if you can find good quality tomatoes in a regular sized can that will be great for 3-4 pizzas worth, if you can only find larger cans of whole tomatoes that will make more than enough but you can either freeze the excess or use it for another meal in the future.

Optional additions to homemade pizza sauce

You really don't need anything more than salt and tomatoes for this recipe, but you can also mix it up depending on how you're feeling that day.

Take note of if the tomatoes have salt in them or not as this will affect how much salt you need to add to the recipe. My rule of thumb is for a 28oz (794g) can of tomatoes I add 1 teaspoon (3g) of kosher salt. Different salts are different levels of saltiness (that feels so silly to type), so going by weight is important. If you're worried about adding too much, just hold back on the salt, taste, and add more or less if needed.

If you're feeling like adding something extra, a glug of good quality olive oil, dried oregano, chilli flakes, or some chopped fresh or dried basil would also be delicious in here. Just do it to taste and add more of whatever you think they need.

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Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Loaded Cheeseburger Pizza

This cheeseburger pizza is always the star of the show at our pizza nights! Made with an easy homemade pizza dough, and topped with caramelized onions, ground beef, cheese, then loads of pickles and burger sauce. This truly is a gooey cheeseburger in pizza form!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this cheeseburger pizza recipe with you! We have been making this for years and now I have finally perfected my homemade pizza dough recipe, I can share all my pizza recipes with you!

This really does taste like a cheeseburger and a pizza had a baby. It is super simple to make, and I promise it will blow everyone's minds at how good it is.

I love mixing up the flavour combinations when I make pizzas and this one will be perfect to add into your rotation! If I have extra dough left after making pizzas and ask my family which one they want a repeat of, they almost always choose this cheeseburger pizza.

This cheeseburger pizza recipe uses my homemade pizza dough recipe - there are notes and tips and tricks on how to make the dough and detailed shaping instructions in the post. My dough recipe makes enough for two pizzas, this cheeseburger pizza has the topping quantities for one pizza.

cheeseburger pizza side on — Pickles are a must!

Cheeseburger Pizza Toppings

The best thing about making pizza is that you can play around with the toppings (I will say this feels a little weird to write pizza recipes which are so flexible as a baking blogger who usually writes fairly rigid recipes!) Here is what I use to top my cheeseburger pizza, but please feel free to add or remove things as you see fit!

Caramelized onions: I make my own homemade caramelized onions in bulk and keep them in the freezer in 100g bags (which is enough for two cheeseburger pizzas). They are super easy and you can make them on the stovetop or in the slow cooker. However if I don't have them on hand, a jar of onion relish or caramelized onion relish gets the job done perfectly - just spread a little over the base of the pizza dough rather than using the onions.
Ground beef / mince. Obviously necessary on a cheeseburger pizza. I brown it off ahead of time in a skillet and then just drain it on a paper towel and lightly season with salt. I use about 150g of meat per pizza, but you can use more or less depending on what you feel like. I have also done an epic vegetarian cheeseburger pizza by cutting up mushrooms super small and browning them off and using them in the place of the ground beef.
Cheese. I used to use pre-shredded mozzarella but it often has a weird starch coating on it, and the blocks of low moisture mozzarella last for a really long time unopened in the fridge, so I use those and shred it as I need it for pizza. I use about 75g per pizza but honestly, I'm not here to tell you how much or how little cheese to use.
Pickles. A burger essential, IMO. I use bread and butter pickles, just use whatever you would usually use on a burger (if you like them)
Burger sauce. I buy mine from the supermarket here, but if you make your own that works too.

baked cheeseburger pizza — Ready for sauce and pickles!

Options for making pizza at home

I have three options outlined in my recipe post - you can make this in your pizza oven, at home on a baking steel, or on a sheet pan. Both the pizza oven and the baking steel option are great, the sheet pan will still work, but if you are planning on making pizza at home, a pizza steel or a pizza stone will really be your friend here, I prefer a steel as it is super durable and much easier to aim for a rectangle in the oven when you are putting it off your peel than a circular stone!

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Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Perfect Every Time Caramelized Onions - Stovetop or Slow Cooker!

Knowing how to make caramelized onions is a sneaky superpower - with some butter (or oil!), time, and salt, regular onions transform into a rich, sweet, jammy delicious caramelized onion mixture that is amazing for pizzas, dips, bread - the options are endless! This post covers how to make my caramelized onions on the stovetop and in the slow cooker. Make them in bulk and freeze them - they defrost beautifully!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this easy 101 on how to make caramelized onions! I have been making these for years, and figured it was finally time to get how I make them on the internet. If you haven't caramelized onions before, you really have to give it a go - they are a great thing to have going while you are doing something else, and your kitchen will smell amazing.

While I usually make caramelized onions on the stovetop, I have also made them in the slow cooker and it worked amazingly for a hands off option (and will probably be my preference going forward!). There are notes in the recipe for both options!

Caramelized onions are good on almost everything - I love to use them as the base of my cheeseburger pizza!

onions on bench top — Use whatever onions you have!

sliced onions — Slice the ends then peel

Do you REALLY want me to cook these for that long?!

Don't be put off by how long these take. I promise that it is worth it. I make them in bulk and store them in my freezer in 100g bags. These are one of those recipes that you might as well make a ton of because it is the same amount of work either way, so I start with 1.5kg of onions, which is what I can fit in my largest skillet. If you wanted to do two pans at once to do more that would also work.

slicing onions — A mandolin will be your bestie

Slow cooker caramelized onions

I made these for the first time recently and was blown away at how well they worked - again I did 1.5kg of onions (I could have done more!), and they took about 12 hours. I started them on low, and flicked them to high when I was around to stir them more frequently. Because you're not evaporating the moisture on the stove like you do with the stovetop method, I cracked the lid open a little bit for the last few hours of the cooking process to help the water cook off - make sure you're around to monitor them if you do this!

onions with butter — They collapse down!

onions cooked for 15 minutes — 15 minutes in

Please make sure you brown your onions enough.

Don't trust a recipe that says that you can caramelize onions in 20 minutes. There will be all sorts of shortcuts - adding baking soda (I think this gives them a weird taste), adding sugar, la la la - onions have a ton of natural sugar in them, and cooking them low and slow is the best way to harness this and get the best flavour. With time you'll have the most amazing collapsing brown jammy onions that taste nothing like raw onions. I have included images with the time it took me to make stovetop caramelized onions below - you can see they really don't even start to brown properly before the hour mark.

onions cooked for 30 minutes — 30 minutes in

onions cooked for 45 minutes — 45 minutes in

onions cooked for an hour — 1 hour in - nearly there

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Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Foolproof Pizza Dough (Same day or Overnight Option!)

My Easy Pizza Dough Recipe is perfect for if you're a pizza beginner, or if you're an experienced pizza maker and want to try a new recipe. This simple pizza recipe makes two dough balls to make two pizzas, but can easily be scaled. Make pizza dough the night before and have it ready to go, or there is an option to make it the same day. My Pizza Dough recipe is the perfect base - the topping options are endless! My Pizza dough recipe can be used for a pizza oven, or for making pizza in your home oven.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my easy homemade pizza dough recipe with you! This recipe has been four years in the making and I am so excited to finally share it with you!

I have been playing around with this recipe for a very long time now, tweaking the rise time, water quantity and different proofing schedules and I have finally nailed it down - a super versatile crust recipe.

This is the perfect pizza dough if you are looking for a dough to use in a pizza oven, however it is also great for baking in a regular at home oven too. It gives a soft and chewy crust, with a dough that isn't too sticky and is super easy to work with. I've made this recipe so many times now I know it inside out, and I know that it is a good one.

It may seem like a lot of info in this post but I promise you that I will hold your hand every step of the way. This post gives you a run down on how to make the dough and shape it ready for baking - for topping ideas please see my pizza recipes.

bubbly pizza dough — A perfect chewy crust

bottom of pizza slice — And great stability!

pizza dough ingredients — Five ingredients, that's it!

ingredients in mixing bowl — Combine in mixer

Please allow me to nerd out here for a second.

I worked really really hard on this pizza dough recipe. I know that there are a ton on the internet, but I really wanted a super versatile, trustworthy pizza dough recipe that you can come back to again and again. I wanted something that could:

Be made ahead or done on the same day. I tested this over and over again - and found that it is just one small tweak in the yeast quantity and the shaping that is needed to take this from an overnight to a same day pizza dough. There are notes in the recipe card on how to make this a same day dough.
Be flexible. I will teach you how to make the dough work to your schedule, not the other way around. Because this dough uses a relatively small percentage of yeast, you can change up the rising times to suit you, and have it ready to pull out close to when you're ready to make your pizza.
Is able to cope if you bail on pizza night. The overnight version can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days and be fine to use. The same day one can also be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days before using. If you decide you don't want pizza that day - no worries at all!
Is an easy to work with dough. I wanted a dough that is super strong, but still gives an amazingly fluffy, chewy pizza crust. This dough is easy to work with, but you will still get amazing results.
Doesn't need any fancy equipment. I make my dough in the stand mixer using the dough hook, but I also tested this recipe by hand.
Works however you want to bake it. I use this pizza dough recipe for making pizza in my pizza oven, but it also makes amazing pizza baked in your home oven on a baking steel or even on a sheet pan.

dough out of the mixer — Developed dough

balled up pizza dough — Before 2 hour rise

dough after first rise — After 2 hour rise

Almost done with the nerd stuff: let's talk baker's percentages.

Sometimes in bread recipes, especially sourdough, you will see percentages being used. These can be confusing, especially as they often add up to more than 100%. These are baker's percentages. They are calculated around the amount of flour in the recipe. For example, this pizza dough recipe is 63% hydration as it has 252g of water to 400g of flour. This number is important - I wanted a middle of the road hydration dough that can be used both in a pizza oven (quick cook = less time for water to evaporate = you can use a lower hydration dough) and in a regular oven (longer cook = more time for water to evaporate = dough needs to be a little wetter).

I also played around with the yeast percentage. For the overnight option the dough has 0.3% yeast, or 1.2g, and for the same day option, it has 0.62%.

Once you know your baker's percentages, it makes it really easy to play around with the pizza dough recipe and make it your own. If you want to try a slightly higher or lower hydration then you can increase or decrease the water to test out different hydrations and what works for you.

Your environment plays an important role here.

Pizza making takes practice. While I have given you times and temperatures in this recipe, it is also super important to know that the environment that you are in will affect how your dough rises. If your house is warm, it will go faster, and if it is cool, it will go slower. Go by how the dough looks, not by the exact timing in the recipe.

The starting dough temperature is also important. Some recipes will tell you to use lukewarm water - not mine. Starting with lukewarm water means that by the time you have finished mixing the dough, the friction from the mixer and from sitting at room temperature will mean that the DDT (desired dough temperature) is higher than you want it to be, so will mean that the ambient 2 hour rise will go faster than it is meant to, making the dough hard to work with. Because my pizza dough recipe uses instant yeast there is no need to activate it using warm water, so you can start the dough making process with slightly cooler water.

stacked up dough — I use the Ooni stack for dough

Overnight vs Same Day Pizza Dough

I know we all love to plan ahead, but sometimes that doesn't happen, and you want to have pizza on the same day you decide you want it. Here is where my dough recipe is helpful - it is super easy to make a same day dough - you just need to manipulate the amount of yeast, and you skip the 2 hour ambient room temperature rise, and ball up the dough straight off the mixer. While I prefer the overnight pizza dough, the same day one also works great and I make it all the time.

That being said - choose the one that suits your schedule best. If you don't have time to proof the dough for the 2 hours before shaping and transferring to the fridge, but still want to make it the night before, make the same day version, but instead of proofing it at room temperature, transfer it to the fridge overnight and then take it out about an hour to an hour and a half before you need to use it. Make the dough work to your schedule.

flip dough in semolina — Flip to cover both sides

Shaping a Pizza - the Steering Wheel Method

There are a bunch of ways to shape a pizza - this is how I do it. You don't have to flick pizza dough up in the air to shape a pizza. I shape the dough directly on the work surface, with one hand in the middle of the dough and the other gently pulling the edge outward. I then turn the whole dough about 45°, and do it again. This gently stretches the dough outward. I then use gravity to my advantage and pick the dough up and move my hands around the outside of the dough to gently let it stretch.

I dump the dough into some semolina flour before shaping, which I find really helps to stop it from sticking.

You are aiming for a 12" (30cm) circle which has a slightly thicker edge. There are step by step photos below!

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Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Perfectly Sweet Chantilly Cream

Chantilly Cream is the lightly sweetened whipped cream sister of Classic Whipped Cream! Made with just 3 ingredients - cream, sugar, and vanilla, homemade chantilly cream comes together in minutes and is great for swooping, piping, or just blobbing onto desserts! For an unsweetened version, make my basic homemade whipped cream.

pie with whipped cream — Perfectly Billowy Whipped Chantilly Cream!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this Chantilly Cream recipe with you! Also known as Creme Chantilly, this lightly sweetened, vanilla flavoured whipped cream is the perfect finisher for any dessert.

You can use Chantilly Cream any place that you would use a whipped cream. The best part about this easy recipe is that it doesn't require any special equipment, and because it uses a ratio, you can make chantilly cream with however much cream you have. Whip this up in 5 minutes to take your desserts to the next level!

This recipe makes enough to generously cover a pie, or to serve 6-8 alongside a dessert. Scale it as you like!

confectioner's sugar on cream — Add Powdered Sugar

Chantilly Cream vs Whipped Cream

While Chantilly Cream and Whipped Cream are often used interchangeably, the main difference is the sugar content and flavouring. Chantilly cream is always sweetened and contains vanilla, while whipped cream can be sweetened or unsweetened and doesn't have to have vanilla. I love my whipped cream with no sugar, so I have a recipe for classic whipped cream, and this chantilly cream recipe if you want to sweeten it a little.

finished chantilly cream — Perfect Medium Peaks

We love a ratio.

The best part about this chantilly cream recipe is that you can scale it to use whatever quantity of cream you have or want to use. The rule of thumb for the ratio of cream to sugar is 5:1, so for every 5 parts of cream (by weight), you use 1 part of sugar.

To calculate this, weigh your cream, and then divide this number by 5, which will be the weight of the sugar that you need. So for 400g of cream, use 80g of sugar.

If you like your chantilly cream more or less sweet, feel free to scale the amount of sugar that you use in the recipe.

piped whipped cream — Chantilly Cream is great for Piping

Please don't over whip!

I really think that most people over whip their cream. You want to bring it just past soft peaks - I like to shoot for medium peaks. This consistency of whipped cream is perfect for swooping and piping. I like to whip my chantilly cream using a whisk rather than using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, as it allows me to see exactly what is happening.

If you do you use a machine, make sure that you start it on low speed. However you choose to whip your chantilly cream, I recommend that you finish it by hand with a whisk.

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Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Easy Fresh Whipped Cream

Perfect, pillowy clouds of whipped cream are perfect on any dessert! Homemade whipped cream only has two ingredients (cream and vanilla), and comes together in minutes - you don't even need to use a mixer! This is an unsweetened whipped cream - for a lightly sweetened whipped cream, use my chantilly cream recipe.

whipped cream on french silk pie — Perfect Piped whipped cream!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this recipe for my homemade whipped cream! While it doesn't seem like you should need a recipe for whipped cream, as a recipe developer I make it all the time, so I have quite a collection of tips and tricks I have gathered in my time!

Homemade whipped cream is super easy to make and can be done really quickly - I don't even use a mixer to make mine. It is perfect for finishing off a dessert in a beautiful way and is especially good for cutting the sweetness in certain recipes. You truly can't go wrong with freshly whipped cream. I love adding it to pies, bars, and cakes, or serving cold alongside a warm dessert.

This recipe makes enough to generously cover a pie, or enough to serve 6-8 people with whipped cream alongside a dessert. Scale it however you like!

The important question - should whipped cream have sugar in it?!

Personally, I don't like sugar in my whipped cream. I think it really depends how you grew up - I grew up in a purist whipped cream household, so we don't add sugar. It really is a personal preference thing, so you do you here!

If you want a sweetened whipped cream recipe, my chantilly cream is perfect for that and has a great cream to sugar ratio that isn't too sweet.

Whisk vs Mixer for whipped cream?

Unpopular opinion - I prefer to whip cream by hand. For some reason I really enjoy it - it is quick and easy and a great way to see the progress of the cream and to avoid over whipping it.

You can use whatever tool you want - an electric hand mixer works great, or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Start with it on low speed and slowly increase the speed as you go - do not go over medium speed.

I do however recommend whatever method you use, stopping a little early and finishing it by hand to avoid over whipping.

perfect whipped cream — To me, this is perfectly whipped. It just holds a shape nicely.

You're probably over-whipping your whipped cream.

If you want to pipe your whipped cream or get those super pillowy clouds of cream, make sure that you're not over whipping it. Lots of recipes will tell you to shoot for stiff peaks - to me, this is too stiff. It is far too easy to over-work cream that has been whipped to stiff peaks. I like to shoot for medium peaks which are just past soft peaks. This means that if you want to pipe your whipped cream or get a nice dollop of it, it is the perfect texture.

Whipped cream is super fun to pipe - it especially looks good with an open or closed star tip.

It happens - fixing split whipped cream

This happens to the best of us, which is why I prefer to whip my cream by hand using a whisk so I can see exactly what is happening.

Don't freak out if this happens. You can easily fix it - just add a little more cold liquid cream, and gently fold in using a spatula. It should come back together nicely.

split whipped cream — Split whipped cream

fixed whipped cream — Fold in more cream = perfect!

Heavy Cream vs Heavy Whipping Cream vs Whipping Cream - what is the difference?!

I came across this when I lived in the US - there are names for different creams. It all has to do with the milk fat in the cream. Whipping Cream is between 30-35% milkfat, so ironically is the least stable and won't hold its shape as well. Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are the same thing, and have at least 36% milk fat, which means that they will whip into peaks easier, and hold their shape more. These are the best choice when you are making homemade whipped cream.

In NZ and quite a few other countries the minimum standard is 35% milk fat, so the 'regular' cream you buy is perfect for making whipped cream.

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Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Classic Apple Pie with Cooked Filling - A Step by Step Guide

This is my classic apple pie with a buttery homemade pie crust and a gooey cooked apple pie filling. Keep it simple or add a fancy lattice - this is the perfect apple pie! Precooking the pie filling takes the guesswork out of making apple pie, and means you will have a perfectly set filling. My Apple Pie is the perfect make-ahead dessert.

Hi hi! I am popping in to share this recipe for my classic apple pie! I love all things apple pie, and if I may say so myself, this is a particularly good one. Not only is is easy to make, it is a great make-ahead option, and my perfect pie crust and easy apple pie filling recipe makes assembly a breeze. No more fussing with how many apples you can fit in the pan or a lattice that won't behave - my apple pie recipe won't do that to you. If you don't want to make a lattice top, try my Dutch Apple Pie which has a crumble top and is also so delicious!

I'll talk you through all the steps on how to make and assemble an absolute banger of an apple pie, along with step-by-step photos.

Why a cooked filling for apple pie?

There are lots of ways to make apple pie and the two main ones are fresh apples, or a pre-cooked filling. If you're after a fresh apple pie filling my basic apple pie is just that. However, pre cooking the filling makes your life a lot easier. Apples have a lot of water in them, which means that they cook down a lot in the oven and it can be hard to work out exactly how much starch to use in the filling as different apples have different moisture levels. To get around this you have to stack the pie full of sliced apple, and you might end up with a gap between the crust and the filling. This isn't the end of the world at all!

By using a cooked apple pie filling, you have already done the reducing stage on the stove, and so you know that the filling isn't going to reduce any more in the oven. It has already been thickened, so it is much more predictable when it comes to how the pie will turn out.

My apple pie filling is also great to make ahead - you can store it in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to a month.

Great Pie starts with a Great Pie Crust

There's nothing worse than spending time making pie crust and apple pie filling just for it to all fall apart on you when you go to assemble it.

I have a theory why people find pie intimidating: They aren't making good pie crust. Pie crust that is hard to work with makes your life so much more stressful than it needs to be. My Pie Crust recipe won't do that to you. It has a series of turns to the pie crust after mixing it, which makes it super homogenous and easy to work with, but still nice and flaky. It means that it is perfect for latticing and decorating a pie as it is a dream to roll out and cut.

When I am making pie for a double crust pie like this apple pie, I like to shape one portion of the dough into a disc for rolling out the base of the pie, and the other piece into a rectangle which makes rolling it out for a lattice top nice and easy. If you want to do a detailed lattice, I recommend making a double batch of my pie crust, just to give yourself some wiggle room when it comes to cutting out pieces.

A step by step guide to assembling apple pie

There are a few steps to making apple pie. I'm going to break it all down for you, and have taken photos of my process along the way to really make things nice and clear. I promise making a double crusted pie isn't as hard as you might think, and my easy pie crust recipe is super forgiving and will make the process much easier for you!

Roll out your pie crust. I do this on a lightly floured surface, you want to roll it into as even of a circle as you can with an even overhang around all sides.

Add your filling. The Apple Pie Filling can be made ahead, and either frozen or chilled until ready to use.

Roll out the second piece of dough - you can see that I choose to do it in a rectangle as I find it easier to make strips. Others prefer to do this in a circle, you do you. Remember that this will be forming the lattice so will have some overlap so it is ok to roll this one a little thinner than the base.

Cut Strips. I use a ruler to cut my strips as it makes it really easy - for this pie I just made them the thickness of the ruler, and used a fluted cutter to cut them. If you find that your crust isn't cutting cleanly, pop the pieces into the fridge on a parchment paper lined baking sheet to firm up before continuing to cut.

Lattice. You can do whatever you like here - I went for a classic lattice, but offset some of the strips rather than keeping them perpendicular to the vertical strips. Remember that you will be folding the edge over onto itself so it is ok if you don't get the lattice right the way to the edges.

Chill it if it gets tricky to work with. If at any time the pie crust feels like it is getting tricky to work with, just pop it back into the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

Trim. You want to trim the edge of the crust and the lattice so that they are flush and you don't have bits poking out.

Fold over the edge. I find this part kind of tricky but with my pie crust it is going to probably puff up in the oven because of how flaky it is and because of the crust being thicker, the puff is going to distort the edge crust so don't stress this part too much. Fold the crust toward the middle of the pie, using the bottom crust to tuck in any edges of the lattice strips. I like to then chill it again here before crimping.

Crimp as you like. Again, this is going to probably get a bit wonky in the oven so don't stress it. I just did a basic thumb and finger crimp. If you don't want to crimp at all, you can trim the edge of the pie flush with the edge of the pan.

That's it, you just assembled a lattice top pie! It does take some practice, but it is very fun and delicious practice!

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10 Minute Crumb Topping for Pie

My Crumb topping for pie is super versatile and can be used to top a pie instead of a lattice top for a delicious twist. It takes 10 minutes to throw together and adds a buttery crunch to the top of your pies! If you love Dutch Apple Pie, this is the perfect crumb topping for apple pie!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this recipe for a crumb topping for pie with you! A crumble pie topping is one of those recipes that is super helpful to have in your back pocket for quickly throwing together and topping a pie with. It is a great way to quickly make a variation on a pie, or to save you the time of making a lattice top (or if you didn't quite make enough pie crust!), not to mention you really can't beat a buttery crunchy pie topping.

This crumb topping for pie works with most fruit pie fillings, and is particularly good on a Dutch Apple Pie. It can easily be made ahead or in bulk and stored in the freezer or fridge until ready to use, making pie assembly time easy and (relatively) stress free.

This pie crumb topping recipe makes enough to generously cover a 9" (23cm) pie with crumble.

Ready in 10 minutes and far easier than a lattice top!

Look, I love a good double crusted apple pie, but sometimes it is so nice to switch things up a bit.

This crumb topping doesn't require any softening of butter or extra preparation. You can just throw it together using cold butter from the fridge. It will work with almost any fruit pie that would usually have a top crust on it.

The main important thing to look out for is that you watch the crumb topping carefully as it bakes. If it looks like it is beginning to brown too quickly, tent the top of the pie with foil. Just make sure that you remove it for the last 5 minutes or so of baking to let the crumble topping dry out.

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Dutch Apple Pie (Apple Crumble Pie)

With my Dutch Apple Pie recipe you get the best of both worlds - flaky pie crust and gooey precooked apple pie filling, and then loads of buttery, crunchy crumb topping. This Apple Crumble Pie is the perfect make ahead dessert as all the components can be made ahead separately and assembled just before baking!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this recipe for Dutch Apple Pie with you! Look, this is a huge call, but I think I might prefer this over a classic apple pie?! Not only is it super easy to make and you just load up on crumble pie topping, but the combination of homemade apple pie filling and crumb topping is the best thing ever. I made this a ton of times during the recipe testing process and we really couldn't get enough of it. Crumb topping for apple pie is an elite choice.

While my Dutch Apple Pie recipe does require a few components, all three of them can be made and frozen ahead of time, meaning that the workload when it comes to assembling the apple crumble pie is super super easy! You just par-bake the crust, add the filling and topping, and you are an hour or so in the oven away from pure apple pie greatness. This pie is SO good served with freshly whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

dutch apple pie components — All the components made ahead!

par-baked pie crust — Par baked pie crust

I am here to make your life easy - a pre cooked apple pie filling

There are always a few decisions to make when it comes to making an apple pie - do you want to use fresh or cooked apples, and what sort of topping are you giving it?

My Basic Apple Pie is made with fresh apples, which is super delicious, but I often lean toward a precooked apple pie filling because not only it is super easy to make ahead (it freezes super well too), the apples already have their moisture cooked out of them, so you don't have to deal with a pie that sinks down loads after baking. While this is more of an issue with a double crusted pie, it really does feel like less work if you can make the pie filling ahead of time and have it ready to go.

All my tips and tricks along with my foolproof recipe which you will need for this pie, are in my post: Stovetop Apple Pie Filling

filled dutch apple pie — Apple Pie filling

Crumb Topping for Apple Pie

If you haven't tried making an apple crumble pie before, now is your time. I tested this crumb topping for pies a bunch of times - playing around with the ratios of sugar to butter (too much makes it so weirdly greasy), and a few different kinds of sugar for texture. Sneaking a tiny bit of baking powder in there too really helped the crumble topping not get too soggy.

The Dutch Apple Pie topping can be made a few days ahead of time and stored in the fridge in an airtight container, or frozen in an airtight container for up to a month.

If you can, give this enough time to cool.

Ideally, this Dutch Apple Pie is best made ahead of time so that the filling has time to cool down and set up - at least a few hours. It can be made up to a day in advance and stored lightly covered at room temperature until you are ready to serve. If you want to refresh it to warm it in the oven, place it into a 325°f / 165°c oven until warmed through, about 15-20 minutes. If you don't have time though and want to eat it hot from the oven it will still be absolutely delicious, just a little structurally unstable!

Do I really have to par-bake the pie crust?

Yes, you do. Sorry. I know it's a bit annoying, but we really don't want a soggy pie bottom. Par-baking the crust means that the crust gets a chance to bake with no filling in it, helping it to set up a tiny bit before the wet filling gets added.

If you like, you can par-bake the crust up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it covered or in an airtight container at room temperature. It will seem like it goes a little soggy but remember you are baking it again.

I know that par-baking and blind baking can be intimidating - check out my how to blind bake pie crust post for all the tips and tricks and step by step photos!

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Extra Garlicky Garlic Butter

Homemade Garlic Butter feels super luxurious, but it is quick and easy to make at home! My easy garlic butter recipe has a sneaky trick: precooking some of the garlic in the butter, which lets you pack as much garlic flavour into the butter without an overwhelming raw garlic taste. Use this homemade garlic butter for bread, steak, potatoes - whatever takes your fancy. It feels like such a treat to have in the fridge!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share the recipe for this super easy and amazingly delicious garlic butter with you! I almost always have a roll of this garlic butter in my fridge - we use it for making garlic bread, spreading on warm bread, on toast under eggs, as a base for pizza, the list is endless! One of my favourite ways to use it is to melt a little to brush over warm parker house rolls for a soft and squishy bread situation.

Homemade Garlic Butter also makes a great gift - I love to take a roll with me if we are going somewhere for dinner and tucking it into their fridge for a little surprise for later. This is one of those recipes that seems really simple, but making your own garlic butter is a hundred times better than anything you'll get store bought.

This Garlic Butter is a recipe in a series of compound butter recipes that I have - you can see them all in my flavoured butter recipes. They would make AMAZING homemade gifts.

This Garlic Butter Recipe is different

I looked at a lot of garlic butter recipes during recipe testing and have been making this for years now, and have fine tuned this garlic butter recipe into something that is just SO good. I love a super garlicky butter - if you're going to do it you might as well do it properly.

However, raw garlic can be super intense in taste. I got around this by using the technique I use in my Garlic Knot recipe and cooking most of the garlic in a little of the butter, cooling it down, and then mixing it into the remainder of the softened butter with a little raw garlic so you still get the taste. The result is a super intense garlic flavour that isn't too 'spicy' from the raw garlic. It's a game changer.

Optional Extras - you do you here!

I usually keep it simple and just use softened salted butter, garlic, and salt in my garlic butter recipe - I have added some chives here for colour too but they aren't necessary. You can also add in lemon zest, freshly ground black pepper, other herbs of your choice - have a play around with what you like!

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The Most Ridiculous Smores Pie

Everyone you know will absolutely lose it over my S'mores pie recipe! With a brown butter graham cracker pie crust, a fudgy brownie filling and clouds of torched meringue, this showstopper of a dessert looks super fancy but is incredibly easy to make.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this S'mores pie recipe with you! This is twist on my super fudgy brownie pie, except I gave it a graham cracker crust and added loads of super fluffy torched meringue to the top.

This S'mores pie recipe ticks all the boxes for me - super easy to make ahead, comes together quickly, and you really can't go wrong with toasted meringue. The Graham cracker crust provides amazing texture, the inside of the pie is a brownie dream, and the meringue tops everything off.

If you haven't made meringue before, my meringue recipe is super beginner friendly, is incredibly stable and is just all around a great recipe.

brown butter graham cracker crust — Baked Graham Cracker Crust

brownie batter for smores pie — Fudgy Brownie Filling

brownie filling added to pie — Add the batter to the crust

baked brownie pie — And bake to perfection!

The perfect make-ahead pie recipe

I love making my desserts ahead of time and this s'mores pie is perfect for this - in fact it does best being made ahead of time. Once the smores pie is out of the oven, leave it to cool to room temperature then chill until completely cool. When you are ready to add the meringue close to serving, I like to let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes or so to make it a little easier to cut.

If you can, leave making, adding and toasting the meringue until you are ready to serve. It can hold up to sitting in the fridge with the meringue on the top if needed but I prefer fresh toasted meringue!

meringue on pie — Meringue topping added

torched s'mores pie — And then toast it up!

How to toast your meringue

If you don't have a blow torch, I really recommend getting one. I prefer a hardware store style one over a culinary torch. I haven't tested doing this under the grill/broiler - the filling will be able to hold up to it, but torched is really the best way!

If you wanted an alternative topping you could also pile marshmallows on top of the brownie and torch those instead!

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Foolproof, Fluffy Meringue: The Ultimate Guide

This is the meringue recipe you need. Use it as a meringue for pies, cakes, and bars - it is perfect toasted! The best part? No Raw Eggs. My Swiss Meringue recipe and is super stable and fluffy, making it perfect for piping and swooping. It is made with a ratio rather than a set amount of egg whites, so can be made with whatever you have on hand!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share my easy meringue recipe with you! Having a back pocket meringue recipe is an essential, and this one is perfect. It is super stable, fluffy, and really easy to make. Cooking the egg whites and sugar together over a double boiler before you whip it into fluffy clouds means that it is ready to go straight out of the mixer. Use it as a meringue topping for pies or bars, and torch to perfection for that delicious toasty finish.

My favourite part about my meringue recipe is that you can start with any amount of egg whites, making it the perfect recipe to use up leftover egg whites! You simply weigh your egg whites, work out how much sugar to use, and go from there!

This meringue recipe makes enough to generously cover one 9" pie - it is the best meringue for lemon meringue pie - feel free to scale it up or down as you see fit!

Italian Meringue vs French Meringue vs Swiss Meringue

There are a few different kinds of meringue which can get a little confusing! It has to do with how they are made.

Swiss Meringue, which is my personal favourite meringue, is made by cooking the egg whites and sugar together over a double boiler. This brings the egg whites to a temperature that means that it doesn't need to be cooked again so is amazing for adding as a topping and torching with a blow torch. Because the egg whites have been cooked, this makes for a super stable and fluffy meringue that can hold its shape when swooped or piped.

Italian Meringue also has 'cooked' egg whites, but they are heated by making a sugar syrup and streaming it into the meringue as it whips. This also creates a stable meringue but I hate messing around with a sugar syrup, which is why I prefer the Swiss meringue method.

French Meringue is 'uncooked' where you whip the egg whites and add the sugar and whip until fluffy. This is my least favourite of the three - it has raw eggs, is super easy to over whip, and doesn't last at all well. This is probably the meringue you are most used to making - once you try Swiss I promise you you won't go back.

A game changing meringue tip: Use a ratio!

While the no raw eggs thing is amazing, the best part about this recipe (and making things by weight) is that you can weigh out your egg whites that you have on hand, and work out how much sugar you need, and then go from there! This is perfect for if you have made an egg yolk heavy recipe and have the whites stored to use for something else.

The ratio for a meringue is 1:1.5, so weigh your egg whites, and multiply that amount by 1.5 to calculate the amount of sugar you need to use.

Burnt Meringue is SO delicious

My favourite way to toast the meringue is using a blow torch. I just have one from the hardware store - the brand is 'bernzomatic'. I find them to be much better and more reliable / heavy duty than a culinary torch and a tank of gas will last you for a long time.

Blow torching the meringue is an amazing way to add a toasty taste, not to mention it is super fun. I usually try to leave it as close to serving as possible to torch my meringue.

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Answers to your baking questions

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Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars with Graham Cracker Crust

All the taste and vibes of a pumpkin pie - without all the hassle! These pumpkin pie bars have a brown butter graham cracker crust, and an easy pumpkin pie filling. They come together quickly and are a great make ahead dessert. The best part - the filling has no eggs, so these pumpkin bars will not crack on you like a pumpkin pie can!

square slice of pumpkin pie bars with whipped cream topping

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this recipe for super easy pumpkin bars with you! This recipe almost feels like cheating because you get all the vibes of a pumpkin pie, but without the need to blind bake a pie crust.

I LOVE a graham cracker crust, so I paired it with the easy (and egg free) pumpkin pie filling from my classic pumpkin pie, and this is the most perfect love child!

Make these ahead of time for a perfect dessert - you can pull them out of the fridge, top them with whipped cream or powdered sugar and off you go, or they would be incredible with a meringue topping. They are also an amazing option for feeding a crowd as you can cut them up nice and small, not to mention I'll take transporting a tray of bars over a whole pie any day! Don't get me wrong, I love a pumpkin pie, but sometimes you just want easy and no fuss.

graham cracker crust for pumpkin pie bars

Graham Cracker Crust + Pumpkin Pie Filling = Best Friends

Instead of going for a pie crust for my pumpkin pie bars, I did my easy brown butter graham cracker crust. Within the recipe card there are notes on how to scale the crust for different sized pans - for this 9" pan you double the crust quantities. There are also notes on how to sub graham crackers if you can't get those in your country.

The filling for the pumpkin bars is basically a liquid - it will feel very strange pouring it on top of the crust, but it works. For this reason though you want to make sure that your graham cracker crust is nicely golden brown when baked and properly cooled before adding the filling.

Pumpkin bars are almost better if you make them ahead....

My Pumpkin Pie Bars take a while to cool - ideally you want them to be completely cooled when you remove them from the pan to slice. I like to make them ahead of time if I can - they are totally fine to refrigerate overnight, in fact I prefer to. If you can't that's fine, but these truly are a great make ahead dessert.

Are you sure there are no eggs in the filling?!

It feels weird but I promise it is right. This recipe is based on my pumpkin pie recipe which is a sugar pie style pie, so it doesn't have eggs. This means that is is a great option if you have an allergy and need a pumpkin pie without eggs, but my favourite part is that it will not crack on you. Cracking on a pumpkin pie comes from the proteins in the eggs - they tighten as they cook and then cool, which causes cracking in the pie.

pumpkin pie bars with whipped cream on parchment paper

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Super Flaky Palmier Cookies

My easy crispy, sweet cookies are made with only two ingredients - puff pastry and sugar! Mine use a homemade puff pastry but these work beautifully with store bought pastry too. These buttery cookies are delightfully flaky, perfectly caramelised, and super fun to make.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this easy Palmier recipe with you! If you haven't heard of or made Palmiers before you have to try them - I promise you will be addicted to them. They almost seem too easy and are the best puff pastry recipe!

Palmiers are super simple to make - you simply roll out puff pastry, using sugar instead of flour so that it sticks to the pastry. You then roll the pastry up to form two spirals, and freeze the dough to help firm it up. The Palmiers are then sliced, dipped in more sugar, and frozen, then comes the fun part - baking them is magical. The palmiers puff up in the oven, becoming the most amazing buttery crunchy cookies, covered in a layer of crunchy sugar.

I make these with my homemade puff pastry, but I also made them with a store bought pastry which makes things even easier - there's notes in the recipe on how to do that.

how to bake palmiers — Baking with puff pastry can be delicate. Here is a visual representation of how to get it just right!

Rolling out dimensions matter here

During recipe testing I made these a few times, playing around with the dimensions that I rolled the dough to. I found that if the spiral was too long the palmiers fully unrolled, so you need to make sure that you get a nice start on the roll and make sure that the spiral that you roll is nice and tight.

These unroll in the oven. Don't freak out.

When you take these out of the oven to flip them, they will have unrolled a little bit. Don't worry - this happens. When you flip them using an offset spatula or a knife, shuffle them back into shape a little bit. They will bake up as nice spirals!

Watch your bake time on them too - it can only take a few minutes to take these from golden brown to over baked and a little bitter. Keep a close eye and start checking soon after you flip them.

This is a super easy recipe to double / triple / however many you want to make.

These are a great recipe to prep ahead and pop into the oven as needed. You can make them up to the point that you freeze them the second time, then transfer the frozen palmiers into an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. Bake from frozen as directed in the recipe. You can use as much or as little puff pastry as you like to make however many you would like. This is a great recipe to quickly make if you have some puff pastry from another project to use up.

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Answers to your baking questions

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I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Cheese Straws with Puff Pastry

These super easy cheese straws are the perfect savory puff pastry recipe! Simply roll out pastry, top with cheese and pepper, and twist up into cheese straws. These bake up as cheesy, flaky, buttery cheese straws which are the perfect starter or snack! I make mine with homemade puff pastry but they also work perfectly with store bought puff pastry.

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this super easy cheese straws recipe! I make these with my homemade puff pastry recipe which is a super versatile recipe for both sweet and savory puff pastry recipes, and these cheese straws come out looking super fancy when they are a very easy quick recipe to throw together!

If you are after a buttery, flaky, cheesy snack, these are perfect - every time I made these in recipe testing they didn't last long at all.

I make mine with parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper for a Cacio e Pepe vibe, but feel free to use herbs or spices mixed in with the cheese - make these cheese straws your own! If you've got extra puff pastry, my easy palmiers are a great recipe to make alongside these!

For the cheesiest cheese straws, use cheese instead of flour!

The best way to make sure these cheese straws are as cheesy as possible, instead of using flour on the work surface, use cheese! This means that as you roll out the dough it gets pressed into the cheese, giving amazing flavour and a beautiful crunchy texture.

The key here is to make sure that you use cheese that has been very finely shredded - I used my microplane but the smallest holes on a box grater will work well too. Make sure that the cheese is freshly grated - pre-shredded cheese has a starchy coating on it which gets gummy.

I made these with freshly grated parmesan cheese. I haven't tried other cheeses but if you do, go for something hard in texture.

A couple of ways to shape cheese straws

There are a few ways to shape these cheese straws. I went for a more fancy version, cutting strips, cutting a slit down the middle and twisting them up, which looks very fancy and fun but I promise it is very easy.

Alternatively you can twist from each end of the strips to make a classic twist, or cut the strips of dough thinner (about 1cm) for little tiny thin crispy cheese straws. If you change the shape just make sure to watch the baking time as it will change with larger or smaller dough pieces.

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Answers to your baking questions

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I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

Super Flaky Apple Turnovers with Gooey Filling

These Apple Turnovers are the perfect Apple Dessert. Made with flaky puff pastry and stuffed with a delicious gooey homemade apple pie filling, you can serve them all or store the extra in your freezer, ready to bake whenever you need them!

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this recipe for easy Apple Turnovers with you! These are super easy, and are made with a homemade puff pastry, although there are notes in the recipe on using store bought if that is more of your style.

These are really so simple - squares of puff pastry are filled with a gooey homemade apple pie filling, then folded up, egg washed, and baked until flaky and golden. I love filling them with whipped cream before eating, but you do you here.

Another thing I love about these is they freeze like a dream. You can store the apple turnovers unbaked in your freezer and just bake from frozen whenever you need for the most perfect cozy dessert - it is hard to beat one of these hot from the oven.

puff pastry ready to be rolled out — Roll out pastry in two goes

rolled out squares of puff pastry — Cut into squares

square of puff pastry with egg wash — Egg wash each edge

Storebought vs Homemade Puff Pastry

I like to make my own puff pastry when I can, but I know that sometimes that just isn't feasible, or you just can't be bothered. This apple pie turnover recipe uses a full batch of my puff pastry, or you can make it with four sheets of store bought pastry (in NZ it comes in 10" / 25cm squares) which you cut into squares to form the turnovers.

If you are buying frozen pastry get the stuff that is in the sheets, and try to get one that is made with butter. That is the huge advantage of making your own pastry - it really does taste better! I have done it both ways and they are both good - although there is something extra special about knowing how to make your own puff pastry!

I have a full post on all things puff pastry with all my tips and tricks and a full breakdown on how to make it - it really is as easy as pie (crust) to make. Check it out - Puff Pastry 101

folded over turnover — Fold over and seal up

fork crimped apple turnover — Seal again with a fork

Sometimes Apple Turnovers Leak.

I did a lot of reading before posting this recipe and lots of people seem to be concerned about their apple turnovers leaking - These are meant to be rustic. You're filling flaky pastry with a filling that is going to bubble. The flaky pastry will puff up, and some of it might leak out the sides. This will cause a little opening in the apple turnover. Don't worry about it. It is just making you a little pocket to squirt whipped cream in. If your turnovers come undone a little or they leak a little, it's all part of the charm.

baked apple turnover on sheet pan — Flaky Perfection

The Perfect Freezer Pastry - How to store apple turnovers

This recipe makes 15 Apple Turnovers - I get 12 from the initial roll out then can usually squeeze 3 more out of scrap pastry. If you don't want to eat 15 Apple Turnovers in one go (valid), they freeze incredibly well. Freeze them unbaked, with no egg wash or anything. Freeze in a flat layer, then once they are frozen solid, transfer to a ziploc bag for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake them, bake from frozen. When you egg wash a frozen apple turnover make sure that you add the sugar straight after egg washing as the egg wash freezes and the sugar won't stick. Keep the baking temperature the same as written in the recipe but you may need to add a few more minutes on to the baking time to get the filling nice and bubbly.

side on shot of stacked up apple turnover

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Answers to your baking questions

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Puff Pastry Dough Recipe: A Beginner's Guide

If you can make Pie Crust, you can make Puff Pastry. While it may seem intimidating, there are very few differences between them! This step-by-step guide will walk you through the basics of making your very own homemade rough puff pastry, and will have you no longer reaching for the store bought stuff when you see puff pastry recipes - I promise you this is so much better!

flaky puff pastry — Perfect flaky layers - can you believe this is rough puff pastry!?

Hi hi! I am just popping in to share this recipe for easy homemade puff pastry with you! I promise it really is easy. If you can make Pie Crust, you can make rough puff pastry - they are essentially the same thing, only the technique is slightly different.

This puff pastry recipe is super versatile, and is a great thing to keep on hand in your freezer for whenever the need strikes. Not only is is super easy to make (no fiddly butter block here than you very much!), it is buttery and flaky and gives the most amazing flavour to any puff pastry recipes you might need it for. - If you're looking for ideas, my easy palmiers or my apple turnover recipe are both great places to start!

I promise this step by step guide will have you feeling super confident in no time and making your very own puff pastry like a pro! This recipe uses the rough puff method, and still produces the most amazing flaky pastry.

layers of puff pastry inside — Inside layers from laminating

layers of puff pastry outer edge — Perfectly flaky pastry

Puff Pastry vs Rough Puff Pastry: What is the difference?

Rough Puff Pastry is the chill younger sister of Big Girl Puff Pastry. They are made up of the same components, but the main thing that differs is the technique in which they are made.

Traditional Puff Pastry is made with a butter block. You make the base dough, then make a block of butter which you enclose in the dough, then laminate (a fancy word for fold) over a series of turns to give you a flaky dough. This technique gives you a flaky dough, but honestly? I have made puff pastry both ways and this way isn't worth the hassle. If you follow my technique for rough puff pastry, you'll get all the flaky layers and flavour without any stressing over butter blocks.

Rough Puff Pastry still uses the same components - dough and butter, but the butter gets incorporated into the dough right at the start rather than being enclosed as a butter block. This makes it much easier to make and less stressful to work with.

So how do you even make it?

I use the same technique that I use in my All Butter Pie Crust for making this puff pastry. If you're familiar with my pie crust you know that after bringing the dough together you give it a series of folds. We do the same thing here. The only thing that is different is that we keep the butter pieces slightly larger when mixing, and do one additional fold. That's it. Told you - if you can make pie crust, you can make puff pastry.

Let me break down the process: Puff Pastry from Scratch.

Like I mentioned, the process is very similar to making Pie Crust, we just are using slightly larger pieces of butter at the start, not incorporating them as well so they add nice buttery layers to the puff pastry, and doing just one extra fold. Here are the steps, with photos, to show you exactly how it goes.

Step 1: Make your dough. This is all broken down in the recipe card for you - the main piece of information here is that you want to only squish each piece of butter once to flatten it so that when you give the dough laminations, you have large pieces of butter in the dough to give you a nice flaky puff pastry.

butter for pie crust — Note the size of the pieces of butter

puff pastry with butter mixed in — Squish each one once to flatten

add water to pie crust — Add water and mix to combine

puff pastry once mixed — Finished dough - a wee bit of flour is ok!

Step 2: Rest the dough. This gives the gluten a chance to relax, the dough a chance to hydrate, and the butter a chance to cool down so that when you do the folds, the dough won't smoosh everywhere.

puff pastry dough on counter — Turn out onto the counter

wrapped up puff pastry dough — Shape and wrap up

Step 3: Folds. We do four sets of folds with this puff pastry dough (like in my pie crust), each about 20 minutes apart. The resting time gives the butter a chance to cool down again and the dough to relax. You can see in the images below as the dough goes through each fold, how the butter becomes more homogenous within the dough. This is also developing flaky layers.

turn 1 - rolled out — First roll out - large butter pieces

turn 1 folded in to quarters — And then in half again

ready to be turned again — Ready for the second roll-out

Step 4: More folds, then rest. The dough goes through a total of four sets of folds. It then needs to rest for at least two hours, or my preference is overnight to let it fully relax. You can see in the images below that it starts to look more smooth in texture - this is the butter being made into very thin layers, which is what gives the flakiness of puff pastry.

Start of Turn 2 — Start of the third roll-out: you can see the butter pieces getting smaller

Start of turn 3 — Fourth roll-out: Dough is nearly ready to rest before using.

The best part about Puff Pastry? It freezes like a dream. Make double.

I almost always have puff pastry in my freezer. It bakes up just as well as it does from fresh. To freeze puff pastry, give it the 2 hour to overnight rest called for in the recipe - this is to let the dough fully relax. I like to do overnight if I can.

Make sure that the puff pastry dough is tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, then place inside a ziploc bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To use, defrost in the fridge overnight then proceed with the puff pastry recipe as written.

If you find that you often only use a half batch of puff pastry (my palmiers and cheese straws use a half batch), divide the dough in half (375g per piece) and wrap up so that you have a half batch ready to go when needed.

finished puff pastry, ready to use — Dough after four folds - you can see that there are no large visible butter chunks and the dough looks nice and smooth. This is ready to be used.

Some suggestions - recipes using puff pastry

The thing that I love about puff pastry is how quick it makes an amazing dish. If you are looking for puff pastry dessert recipes try my apple turnovers or my palmiers, or I use it as the crust for my custard square. For savory puff pastry recipes it makes an amazing top to a chicken pot pie, or is super delicious rolled out, covered in cheese, and twisted up to make cheese straws.

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