Show your mum some love this Mother's Day and bake. This is a round-up of spectacular, bold, flavoursome, fruity (and sometimes floral) cake recipes that look incredible, and taste fantastic too. From Nigella to Ottolenghi and many more of the best bakers in town, these recipes will go down a treat.
Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting from Stirring Slowly by Georgina Hayden
This isn't any old banana cake, this is a rich, caramelly banana cake topped with peanut buttercream and swirls of maple syrup. Sumptuous, luxurious and do-able with most of your pantry staples.
Get a copy of Stirring Slowly here.
Vanilla Layer Cake with Ermine Icing from At My Table: A Celebration of Home Cooking by Nigella Lawson
Aside from the lightest sponge and the fluffiest buttercream, the beauty in this bake from Nigella's At My Table is that it affords you the perfect canvas to decorate however mum would like best, from a scattering of rose petals to some fresh berries.
Order a copy of Nigella's At My Table here.
Louise Cake with Plum and Coconut from Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi & Helen Goh
More of a slice than a cake, this traditional New Zealand bake is made with a thin cakey bottom and layered up with fruity jam in the middle and coconut meringue with a crisp top. A bright, fun cake to make your mum smile.
Giant Macron Cake from Downtime: Deliciousness at Home by Nadine Levy-Redzepi
What's better than a cute French macaron? One giant macaron, baked into a layer cake with cream, cake and more cream piled into it. Pack it with berries and add a little food colouring for a bold, bright and fabulous bake.
Order a copy of Downtime here.
Carrot Cake with Pumpkin Seeds, Apricot & Honey Icing from Natural Baking by Carolin Strothe & Sebastian Keitel
Spiced with cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, this pretty carrot cake has a hint of orange, topped with honey-flavoured cream cheese icing and edible flowers for an extra special teatime treat.
Order a copy of Natural Baking here.
Almond Polenta Cake with Raspberries from Grains as Mains by Laura Agar Wilson
This gluten-free cake is made with polenta and almonds for a lovely, crumbly texture that contrasts wonderfully with the juicy, tart bursts of raspberry. A simple bake for Mother's Day.
Get your copy of Grains as Mains here.
Pistachio Cake with Fresh Honeycomb from Meringue Girls: Everything Sweet by The Meringue Girls
This gluten-free bake is a pistachio bonanza – a dense and incredibly moist sponge with an intense roasted pistachio flavour, topped with homemade pistachio nut butter icing, fresh honeycomb and plenty more nuts for decoration. It's a bold bake for the whole family.
Order a copy of Meringue Girls: Everything Sweet here.
'Jaffa Cake' Cake from Primrose Bakery Christmas by Martha Swift
For those mums who can't resist a good Jaffa Cake, this bake pairs orange sponge with sharp orange jelly and an irresistible chocolate ganache. Prepare the cake the day before so the jelly has enough time to set, then on the day, all you have to do is assemble and ice it. Easy!
