Following on from the success of her first best-selling collection of easy bakes, Eloise Head (known as @fitwaffle to her millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram) is back with a brand-new cookbook and this time it’s all about traybakes. If you’re thinking a book focusing on the bakes you can make in the same 20cm tin must be a little limited, think again. From brownies to blondies, flapjacks to fudge, cookies to cakes, the possibilities are endless, as a team of home bakers found out when they started baking their way through the book. Read on to see how they got on.
From the book
Fitwaffle’s Baked In One: 100 desserts using just one tin
100 recipes all designed for one 20cm tin
With brand-new recipes alongside fan favourites
From brownies and blondies to cakes and cookies
Who: Pip Armstrong, Audience Insight Executive, Brand
What I made: Salted Caramel-Stuffed Cookie Dough Bars
What I thought: These cookie dough bars are heaven! Making the dough was simple; the hardest part was not eating it all before it made it to the oven. I was a bit nervous about making the caramel as all my previous attempts have been disastrous, but the instructions were super clear and there were great tips for how to tell when it was ready. Layering the cookie dough on top of the caramel was a bit tricky, but the advice to break it up into small pieces was spot on. I can’t begin to describe how moreish the end result was and would highly recommend this bake as an all-around simple and delicious recipe that’s perfect for sharing with friends and family.
Who: Alice King, Senior Campaigns Manager, Ebury
What I made: Lemon and Blackberry Poke Cake
What I thought: This was a recipe I will absolutely be making again. The blackberry jam was delicious, and the poke method that lets it soak into the sponge to create a moist and gooey cake. The cream cheese frosting added a nice bit of sweetness to contrast with the blackberry, and it lasted really well for a few days. I’d wholeheartedly recommend it.
Who: Bisma Khalid, Data and Insight Analyst, Ebury
What I made: Soft Cookies and Cream Shortbread
What I thought: This was definitely one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made. It didn’t need many ingredients and was simple to put together. I ended up with a lot of batter so I decided to make it in two trays instead of one. The Oreos in this made the shortbread SO addictive!
Who: Ru Merritt, Senior Commissioning Editor, Ebury
What I made: Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
What I thought: These are such a treat! The crunch of the cornflakes mixed with chocolate and peanut butter feels like a decadent version of the chocolate cornflake cups that you’d have at parties as a child. The portion is also great for a crowd or to snack on throughout the week with a cup of tea.
Who: Francesca Thomson, Campaigns Assistant, Ebury
What I made: The Fudgiest Chocolate Brownies
What I thought: I’ve finally found the perfect, gooey brownie recipe – thank you Fitwaffle! These brownies are just delicious, with chocolate chips, cocoa and chocolate spread making them ultra-indulgent but the dark chocolate makes sure they’re not too sweet. We brought these into the office and they certainly got the seal of approval from the team who were experiencing the mid-afternoon sugar dip. The recipe makes loads, so there will be plenty to share around with friends and family once you make a batch.
Who: Abby Watson, Head of Lifestyle Campaigns, Ebury
What I made: Rainbow Caramel Crispies
What I thought: There’s something nostalgic about a rice crispy cake and this recipe takes it to the next level by using Mars bars to bring it all together and topping them with more chocolate and M&Ms (I went with crispy this time, but next time I’m going with peanut M&Ms). I made this last minute and it took no time at all. A super easy delicious crowd-pleaser.
Who: Demeter Scanlon, Head of Food Campaigns, Ebury
What I made: Banoffee Pie
What I thought: At the time of making this, I was in Far North Queensland, the banana capital of Australia, so Banoffee pie was the obvious choice when deciding what to make for dessert. Using local bananas, this recipe was so easy and delicious! It took less than twenty minutes to prepare and the no-bake aspect of this was perfect in the tropical heat. The sweet-saltiness of the biscuit base balanced well with the sweetness of the caramel and banana centre and the whipped cream on top cut through the sweetness, making it a very balanced dessert. It is so moreish, I could eat this all summer long. Made from ingredients I often already have sitting in my pantry or fridge, this would be a great option if you have last-minute guests coming over, and you need a quick and easy dessert.
Who: Emily Brickell, Editor, Ebury
What I made: Cherry Bakewell Flapjacks
What I thought: This flapjack mix was really tasty, I was tempted to eat it straight out of the bowl before baking, however, the finished product is SO delicious that I was glad I didn’t! This is a lovely bake that feels a bit special as it is so pretty but is actually very easy to make and uses almost all basic store-cupboard ingredients.
Who: Sam Crisp, Commissioning Editor, Ebury
What I made: Speculoos Blondies
What I thought: These blondies were delicious. I love biscuit spread on everything so having it mixed in and swirled on top of the bake is an instant winner for me. The method was easy to follow and they set well in the fridge, with the biscuit and chocolate chunks evenly spread throughout. These are a perfect afternoon treat to have with a nice cup of tea.
Who: Kezia Newson, Content Manager, Brand
What I made: Lemon Blueberry Pie Bars
What I thought: This recipe was so easy to follow. Despite loving baking, I’ve never made a cheesecake before, but I felt like a pro by the time I’d finished this recipe. The blueberry running through the bars and the crumble on top make these the perfect spring centrepiece moment – my friends better be impressed! There’s a rich buttery-ness from the shortbread that contrasts with the tang from the lemon and blueberry: delicious! I love that this book requires you to have a 20x20cm tin, and once you’ve got that, you’re ready to go – onto the next bake.
Who: Chadia Aliberti, Communications Assistant, Brand
What I made: Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
What I thought: These cookie dough cheesecake bars were absolutely delightful. Incredibly easy to make – I had all the ingredients already in my kitchen, which has never happened to me before! I was a bit short on cream cheese so I used vegan yoghurt, which worked a treat, you could not taste the difference. The cookie layer underneath is soft and complimented by the vanilla cheesecake. This is definitely a recipe I’ll go back to, I’m even thinking of customising it seasonally, for example with fresh berries for summer or dark chocolate with orange sprinkles for Halloween.
