Few activities can make you feel as festive as an afternoon of Christmas baking. From an ornate raspberry wreath to the perfect gingerbread, fill your kitchen with the scent of warming spices, dust your countertops with snow-like sugar and declare the festivities open with these Christmas bakes.

Classic Mince Pies Flaky Pastry, Mincemeat, Sweet Squash, Almonds & Maple Syrup
Flaky pastry, mincemeat, sweet squash, almonds and maple syrup, need we say more? Your Christmas baking wouldn’t be complete without a mince pie and Jamie’s classic recipe is hard to beat.

Frangipane mince pies
Or, for a mince pie with a sophisticated twist, we love Richard Bertinet’s frangipane version, finished with a scattering of flaked almonds.

Six-Minute Mince Pie Mug Cake
If a mince pie craving strikes, head for this six-minute microwave mug cake to get your fix in a flash.

Stork Christmas Cake
For the perfect Christmas fruit cake, make this about five weeks before Christmas and feed it with spoonfuls of brandy until the big day.
From the book

Stork: The Art of Home Baking

Celebrating the UK’s best-loved margarine with a collection of mouthwatering bakes.

With savoury treats, nostalgic cakes, and impressive show-stoppers.

Including classic recipes as well as modern twists on old favourites.

Three-ingredient Christmas Cake
This fool-proof recipe for a delicious Christmas cake is the perfect activity to get the kids involved in in the run up to Christmas. Using only three ingredients, this particular recipe couldn’t be simpler to make, and not only does it look the part but it’s layered with festive flavours.

Rukmini Iyer’s Marzipan Stollen
This classic German Christmas bake is surprisingly easy to make, particularly if you have a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. With its hidden almond paste centre, it’s one for the marzipan lovers and would make a beautiful baked gift to give to hosts you’re visiting this Christmas.

Rukmini Iyer’s Iced and Spiced Gingerbread
There are few bakes as festive as a spiced gingerbread and Rukmini’s quick and easy individual loaves are rapidly becoming our go-to version. Topped with a lemony icing and a dusting of edible gold spray, these pretty little bakes take under 40 minutes from start to finish, making them perfect for whipping up if unexpected guests drop by.

Mary Berry’s Granny’s Gingerbread
“My grandchildren love it!”, says Mary of this beautifully sticky, light traybake treat. An old-fashioned cake that celebrates festive flavours.

Chocolate Log Sweet Chestnut Purée, Honeyed Cream & Crushed Honeycomb Filling
Featuring sweet chestnut purée, honeyed cream, a crushed honeycomb filling, and kitsch festive decorations, this is a Christmas log the Jamie Oliver way.

Eggnog Cupcakes
Made using homemade eggnog, these festive cupcakes are finished with snow-like icing and a dusting of nutmeg.