Want to impress at the office? Need to contribute to the school bake sale? We've picked the easiest, tastiest cakes and bakes that are easy to transport, quick to whip together and look great too. From gooey cookies to fruity traybakes to cute fairy cakes, these easy bake sale recipes are just the ticket.
Summer Berry Shortbread Cake from The Big Family Cooking Showdown
With a coconut shortbread base and light, fluffy yoghurt sponge studded with fresh berries and flaked almonds, this simple bake is deliciously moreish.
Order your copy of The Big Family Cooking Showdown here.
Apricot Pistachio Squares from Smitten Kitchen Every Day by Deb Perelman
These buttery, rich but not-too-sweet squares are “downright elegant” says Deb Perelman who pairs pistachio, apricot and a hint of almond in this easy bake sale recipe.
Order your copy of Smitten Kitchen Every Day here.
Very Best Chocolate Fudge Cake from Mary Berry's Baking Bible by Mary Berry
With a decadent chocolate and apricot filling, this easy breezy chocolate cake is perfectly moist and quick to make. Mary shares her top tips for freezing it too, just in case you want to make it ahead of a busy week.
Order your copy of Mary Berry's Baking Bible here.
The Violet Butterscotch Blondie from The Violet Bakery Cookbook by Claire Ptak
Sweet, salty and gooey with little bombs of molten chocolate and shards of caramel, this simple-to-make bake is a hit at East London's Violet bakery.
Order your copy of The Violet Bakery Cookbook here.
Chocolate, Banana and Pecan Cookies from Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi & Helen Goh
“The secret here is to slightly under-bake the cookies, which keeps them soft and fudgy”, says Ottolenghi. Banana and chocolate are a classic match, with nutty pecans and a hint of cinnamon. Divine!
Order your copy of Sweet here.
Bakewell Slice from Primrose Bakery Everyday by Martha Swift
We couldn't list our favourite bake sale recipes without this English classic. With a raspberry and almond base, frangipane filling and pretty glaze, this is a great recipe to impress. Use fresh in-season raspberries or frozen berries will work well too.
Order your copy of Primrose Bakery Everyday here.
Mini Carrot Cakes from Cook. Nourish. Glow. by Amelia Freer
These cute little carrot cakes are a lighter twist on tradition with a tasty orangey coconut icing, baked in individual cases to make it extra easy to share.
Order your copy of Cook. Nourish. Glow. here.
Spiced Dorset Apple Traybake from Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect by Mary Berry
Apples and cinnamon are the popular duo in this tasty layered cake with thin slices of apple arranged on top to look extra pretty.
Order your copy of Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect here.
Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies from Eat Green by Melissa Hemsley
Short of time? This recipe uses storecupboard staples – peanut butter, tahini and chocolate – to make quick, delicious biscuits that take no time to prepare. Melissa shares an easy swap to make them vegan, and don't scrimp on the sesame seeds – we recommend using them for that extra something special.
Order your copy of Eat Green here.
Butterfly cakes from My Kitchen Table: 100 Cakes and Bakes by Mary Berry
These little fairy cakes are perfect for a kids bake sale, especially as they're so simple to mix and put together (so get the little ones involved too!). But whatever your age, who doesn't love little bites of light sponge with creamy butter icing?
