Extravagant show-stoppers are all well and good, but when it comes down to it you simply can't beat a humble loaf cake. Easy to make and even easier to eat, loaf cakes are the perfect combination of quick, simple, and comforting. Here, we've rounded up 21 of our facourite recipes, from a frosted marble cake to tangy blueberry and lemon loaf.
Banana Loaf from Simple Cakes by Mary Berry
The perennially popular Mary Berry banana loaf is a Happy Foodie community favourite, and with good reason. It's a beautifully sweet, moist cake, and the recipe couldn't be more straightforward.
Blueberry, Almond, and Lemon Cake from Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi
This fruity loaf cake from Ottolenghi's Simple is studded with fresh blueberries and drizzled with a zingy lemon icing. The ground almonds in the mixture help to ensure a deliciously moist texture.
Get your copy of Simple here.
Golden Apricot and Marzipan Loaf Cake from The Great British Bake Off: How to Bake: The Perfect Victoria Sponge and Other Baking Secrets by Paul Hollywood
This light fruit cake from Paul Hollywood is layered with chunks of marzipan for a delicious almond flavour.
Get your copy of The Great British Bake Off: How to Bake: The Perfect Victoria Sponge and Other Baking Secrets here.
Perfect Banana Bread from Perfect Too by Felicity Cloake
Take your banana bread to the next level with this recipe from Felicity Cloake's Perfect Too. Felicity's recipe includes a few ingenious tricks to ensure your banana bread is a cut above the rest.
Get your copy of Perfect Too here.
Lemon Gin & Tonic Cake from Nadia & Kaye Disaster Chef by Nadia Sawalha & Kaye Adams
A classic cocktail in cake form? It doesn't get much better than that!
Get your copy of Nadia & Kate Disaster Chef here.
Plum Bread in a Hurry from Bake Me a Cake as Fast as You Can by Miranda Gore Browne
Perfect for those hectic days that leave you needing an emergency cake fix, this quick plum bread from Bake Me a Cake as Fast as You Can is ready in under forty-five minutes.
Get your copy of Bake Me a Cake as Fast as You Can here.
Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Loaf from My Kitchen Table: 100 Cakes and Bakes by Mary Berry
A classic British tea-time treat, this aesthetically pleasing cake consists of swirls of vanilla and chocolate sponge topped with a layer of rich chocolate ganache.
Get your copy of My Kitchen Table here.
Rosemary, Parsnip and Parmesan Loaf Cake from Modern Baker: A New Way To Bake from Melissa Sharp & Lindsay Stark
This is a savoury, spelt flour loaf cake, which is delicious eaten just as it is, spread with butter, or served alongside a hot bowl of soup.
Get your copy of Modern Baker here.
Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting from Stirring Slowly: Recipes to Restore and Revive by Georgina Hayden
A slightly more luxurious take on banana bread, this cake from Georgina Hayden is topped with a layer of fluffy peanut butter frosting, making for a truly decadent treat.
Get your copy of Stirring Slowly here.
Ginger Cake from The Groundnut Cookbook by Duval Timothy, Folayemi Brown and Jacob Fodio Todd
Comfort baking at its finest - this moist ginger cake is just thing to go with your morning cup of tea.
Get your copy of The Groundnut Cookbook here.
Caramelised Fig Semolina Loaf from Taverna: Recipes From a Cypriot Kitchen by Georgina Hayden
One for the warmer months, this loaf cake is made with orange blossom water and fresh figs. Serve with a dollop of thick Greek yoghurt and enjoy the Mediterranean flavours.
Get your copy of Taverna here.
Chocolate and Banana Loaf from The Primrose Bakery Book by Martha Swift & Lisa Thomas
Yet another banana loaf (you can never really have too many). The combination of banana and chocolate in this recipe from the Primrose Bakery is hard to resist.
Get your copy of The Primrose Bakery Book here.
Ricotta, Lemon, Polenta Teacakes from The Kitchen Orchard by Natalia Conroy
These mini ricotta and lemon loaves are made with polenta and ground almonds, rather than flour, so they're gluten-free.
Get your copy of The Kitchen Orchard here.
Courgette Loaves from My Kitchen Table: 100 Cakes and Bakes by Mary Berry
This moist loaf, flavoured with walnut and cinnamon, is similar to carrot cake and is a great way to use up a summertime glut of courgettes. Mary recommends eating this warm, with butter or cream cheese.
Get your copy of My Kitchen Table here.
Orange and Hazelnut Cake with Orange Flower Syrup from Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume: Cuisine of the Eastern Mediterranean from Silvena Rowe
Another wheat-free bake, this one is made with ground hazelnuts and drizzled with a fragrant orange flower syrup.
Get your copy of Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume here.
Vegan Banana Bread from Vegan Cakes and Other Bakes by Jérôme Eckmeier & Daniela Lais
This one's for the vegan bakers out there. Banana bread is the ideal vegan bake, since mashed bananas are a great replacement for eggs, helping to bind the cake together and add moisture.
Get your copy of Vegan Cakes and Other Bakes here.
Linda's Lemon Drizzle Cake from Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking by Mary McCartney
It's almost impossible to refuse a slice of lemon drizzle cake, especially this tangy and moreish number from Mary McCartney.
Get your copy of Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking here.
Chocolate and Pear Cake from Italian Kitchen by Anna Del Conte
Anna del Conte's Chocolate and Pear Cake is the ideal balance of bitter and sweet. It's goes perfectly with a cup of tea, and works equally well as a sophisticated dessert.
Get your copy of Italian Kitchen here.
Sweet Coconut Loaf with Berry Coulis from Superfood Breakfasts by DK Publishing
We take this Coconut Loaf recipe as a perfect excuse to eat cake for breakfast - though it's excellent at any time of day. The sharp tang of the berry coulis lifts the buttery loaf to new heights.
Get your copy of Superfood Breakfasts here.
Chocolate Marble Cake with White Chocolate Icing from British Baking by Peyton & Byrne
This loaf is slightly less lazy than the others, but is totally worth it. Topped with creamy and sweet white chocolate icing, it's a real crowdpleaser that's guaranteed to become a regular fixture in your kitchen.
Get your copy of British Baking here.
Super-Chocolatey Snacking Cake from Vegan on the Go: Fast, Easy, Affordable - Anytime, Anywhere by Jérôme Eckmeier & Daniela Lais
A fabulously rich cake, filled with chocolate chips and covered in not one but two types of melted chocolate, this is the ultimate elevenses snack. It also happens to be totally vegan!
Get your copy of Vegan on the Go here.
