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Say it with cake: the best bakes for Mother’s Day

by Rachel Deeley

published on 19 March 2025

If you’re planning to show your love with a homemade treat this Mother’s Day, look no further than our collection of the best baking recipes for the occasion. From chocolate cakes to cheesecakes and from simple loaves to fruity, floral showstoppers, these recipes are guaranteed to put a smile on your mum’s face.

Air Fryer Carrot Cake

by Lucy Parissi

A rustic yet beautiful centrepiece complete with cream cheese frosting and customisable decorations, this three-layer carrot cake recipe is designed for baking in the air fryer for minimal fuss and cooking time.

Rhubarb and Cream Cake Recipe

Roasted Rhubarb and Cream Cake

by Oliver Coysh, Tom Oxford

Mother’s Day happens to coincide perfectly with rhubarb season, and this five-ingredient sponge topped with whipped cream and roasted rhubarb is a great way to celebrate its sweet and tart flavours.

Classic Bakewell Tart Recipe

Bakewell Tart

by Jonny Murphy

Featuring a simple yet stunning pink and white patterned icing, this classic almond- and raspberry-filled tart is a great alternative to a homemade cake.

Benjamina Ebuehi Buttermilk Traybake Recipe

Benjamina Ebuehi’s Chocolate Buttermilk Traybake with Muscovado Frosting and Thyme Caramel

by Benjamina Ebuehi

Perfect for the chocolate cake lover in your life, this effortless traybake with a special twist combines a soft chocolate sponge base with a thick layer of Swiss meringue buttercream a drizzle of thyme-infused caramel.

vegan lemon berry cake recipe

Berry Citrus Cake

by Tom Oxford, Oliver Coysh

Ideal for anyone catering for a vegan diet, this one-tin vegan cake features a light, fluffy sponge flavoured with blackcurrant preserve, orange and lemon, and a blackcurrant buttercream topping – complete with a beautiful sprinkling of edible flowers.

Mary Berry’s Maple Syrup Cake

Mary’s Canadian-inspired layer cake pairs maple syrup with citrus and pecan nuts for a perfectly balanced bake. With three moist layers and a creamy white frosting topped with orange zest, it’s every bit the special occasion cake.

Mary Berry's Victoria Sponge Sandwich

Mary Berry’s Victoria Sponge Sandwich

Treat your mum to an all-time classic with Mary Berry’s failsafe recipe for Victoria sponge; two layers of fluffy sponge cake sandwiched with jam and freshly whipped cream.

Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake

by Holly Jade

If you’re after a plant-based version of the classic Victoria sponge, try this recipe from The Little Book of Vegan Bakes.

Gin & Tonic Loaf Cake

Gin and Tonic Loaf Cake

by Jane Dunn

If you’re mum’s a G&T lover, treat her to this fruity loaf cake, infused with the flavours of the classic drink.

Chocolate Reflection Cake

Chocolate Reflection Cake

Coated in a thick layer of glossy chocolate ganache, this multi-tiered cake is perfect for a Mother’s Day celebration.

Finch Bakery Carrot Cake

The Finch Bakery Carrot Cake

by Lauren and Rachel Finch

If you really want to push the boat out for Mother’s Day, try this showstopping carrot cake from The Finch Bakery; with six layers of lightly spiced carrot sponge, a luscious cream cheese frosting, and fresh berries, this recipe is guaranteed to impress.

Finch Bakery
From the book

Finch Bakery

Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

by Georgina Hayden

A step above standard banana bread, this rich, caramel-flavoured banana cake is topped with peanut buttercream and swirls of maple syrup. Sumptuous, luxurious, and made mostly with pantry staples. 

Vanilla Layer Cake with Ermine Icing

Vanilla Layer Cake with Ermine Icing

Aside from the lightest sponge and the fluffiest buttercream, the beauty in this bake from Nigella Lawson is that it affords you the perfect canvas to decorate however mum would like best, from a scattering of rose petals to an array of fresh berries.

Louise Cake with Plum and Coconut

Louise Cake with Plum and Coconut

by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh
from Sweet

More of a slice than a cake, this bake is made with a thin cakey bottom and layered with fruity jam in the middle and coconut meringue with a crisp top.

Giant Macaron Cake

Giant Macaron Cake

by Nadine Levy-Redzepi

What’s better than a classic 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. 

Pistachio Cake with Fresh Honeycomb

Pistachio Cake with Fresh Honeycomb

by The Meringue Girls

This gluten-free bake is made up of 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.

‘Jaffa Cake’ Cake

‘Jaffa Cake’ Cake

by Martha Swift

For those mums who can’t resist a good Jaffa Cake, this bake pairs orange-infused 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.

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