MAKES: 10 slices

If you love chocolate cake, then you have to try this one. It is a real crowd-pleaser: not particularly rich but sweet, gooey and delicious. Using margarine rather than butter keeps it light, and the brown sugar adds colour and a hint of caramel. It makes a fantastic birthday cake too – just stick a candle in the middle and both kids and adults will want an extra slice once they’ve tried it.

Ingredients
175g soft margarine, plus extra to grease the tins
225g soft light brown sugar
200g caster sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g plain flour
125g cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine salt
375ml soured cream

For the chocolate frosting
150g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
100g cocoa powder
225g unsalted butter, softened
6 tbsp icing sugar

Method
1. Heat your oven to 160C (180C non-fan). Grease three 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the margarine and sugars together until the mixture is pale and fluffy; this will take around 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and whisk again.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla extract. With the mixer still running on a low-medium speed, slowly pour the beaten eggs into the mixture.
3. Sift the flour with the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Add a large spoonful to the whisked mixture and stir in, then mix in a large spoonful of the soured cream. Repeat until all the flour and soured cream are incorporated. Beat until you have a smooth batter.
4. Divide the batter equally between the prepared tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cakes are risen and slightly shrunk away from the sides of the tin. Leave to cool in the tins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. To make the chocolate frosting, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl is not in contact with the water. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool. In another bowl, mix the cocoa powder with 100ml boiling water to make a thick paste.
6. In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft and fluffy, then add the icing sugar and whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and cocoa paste and beat until the frosting is smooth.
7. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread with a quarter of the frosting. Place a second cake layer on top and spread with another quarter of the frosting. Position the final cake layer on top and cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Leave the frosting to set before cutting the cake.

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MAKES: 8-10 slices

Tangy orange zest and chunks of dark chocolate folded into the mix give everyone’s favourite banana bread an upgrade. It has a delicious richness and wonderful intensity of flavour, yet it’s not overly sweet.

Ingredients
4 ripe bananas
250g golden caster sugar
125g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease the tin
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
2 medium eggs
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
75g dark chocolate chunks

Method
1. Heat your oven to 160C (180C non-fan). Grease and line a 1kg loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Roughly chop 3 bananas and place them in a large bowl with the sugar, butter and orange zest. Whisk using an electric hand whisk until smoothly combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Mix the flour and baking powder together, then sift over the banana mixture and gently fold in until evenly combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and gently smooth the surface to level it. Cut the remaining banana in half lengthways and gently press, cut side up, onto the surface of the mixture.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes until risen and golden brown. To check the banana bread is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre; it should come out clean.
6. Remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool.

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MAKES: 8-10 slices

This is my favourite cake of all time. I love it when we have to judge this round on Bake Off. The perfect lemon drizzle has a light and airy sponge and a sharp, zesty crunchy topping. My version has quite an intense lemony flavour, but other than that it’s a total classic and I don’t think you should mess with those classics. The only thing to remember is to pour over the drizzle while the cake is still warm.

Ingredients
175g butter, softened, plus extra to grease the tin
175g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
3 medium eggs
175g self-raising flour
¼ tsp baking powder
A pinch of fine salt
About 2 tbsp milk

For the drizzle topping
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp granulated sugar

Method
1. Heat your oven to 160C (180C non-fan). Grease and then line a 1kg loaf tin with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest together, using a hand-held electric whisk, until the mixture is very light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until smoothly combined. Add just enough milk to achieve a dropping consistency.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and gently smooth the surface to level it. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. Once you’ve removed the cake from the oven, make the drizzle topping: mix the lemon juice and sugar together in a small jug.
6. While the cake is still warm, use a cocktail stick to prick holes all over the top of the cake, then trickle over the lemon drizzle. Leave to cool completely in the tin before removing.

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