Dessert

EQUIPMENT Deep 22cm (9-inch) square cake pan 35cm (14-inch) square cake board Carefully position photograph in centre of cake. You can use any photographic print you like, but remember to laminate it if you want it to remain after the cake is gone. Use a selection of your favourite lollies to decorate this cake Note

Flaked coconut can be bought from a store which stocks Indian and Fijian food. Note

A light and fluffy strawberries and cream sponge cake with visually stunning layers.

Store slice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Note

Ballerina cake toppers are available from cake decorating suppliers, or top with tiny ballerina dolls from toy stores. Note

Equipment 18 x 30cm cake pop sticks; large square styrofoam block; 2 paper piping bags. Use any firm-textured cake to make cake pops ­ mud, fruit, coconut or butter cakes all work well. Leftover Christmas cake or pudding are real winners as they’re usually moist. Cake pop sticks (also sold as `lollypop candy sticks’) are […]

Use a clean piping and tube for each different coloured meringue. Note

Inserting the base of the springform pan upside down will make it easier to slide the cake from the base. Note

Use frangelico (hazelnut) or crème de cacao (chocolate) flavoured liqueurs. Cut cakes with a serrated knife. Note

Store cake pops in an airtight container at a cool room temperature until ready to serve. Pipe eyes and mouths on the day of serving. They will keep for up to a week. Note

The only spider you'll ever want to drink.

You need 1 large (230g) overripe banana to get the amount of mashed banana required for this recipe. Note

Éclairs are best made on day of serving, but do not fill until ready to serve. Unfilled éclairs can be frozen. Note

Clarissa the cow is out in the paddock, eating the flowers and generally getting into all kinds of mischief. Note

Ginger wine, a beverage that is 14% alcohol by volume, has the piquant taste of fresh ginger.You can substitute it with dry (white) vermouth, if you prefer. Any type or combination of glace fruit can be used in this recipe. Note

You can turn this into an ‘eggless processor fruit cake’, if you like. Omit the eggs, and increase the golden syrup by 1 tablespoon to ⅓ cup (155g). The cake doesn’t keep quite as well without eggs, about 5 days, but will freeze for 3 months. Note

Place any leftover lime leaves in a resealable plastic bag and freeze for another use. Add three or four to a curry, scrunching the leaves first to release the flavour; toss thinly sliced leaves through a tropical fruit salad; or add sliced leaves to a jug of iced water for a refreshing citrus flavour. Mango […]

You can find artificial spider’s web at novelty shops. If you can’t find it, use fairy floss or cotton wool instead. Be sure to remove spider’s web or cotton wool and skewers before cutting and serving the cake. You will need approximately 3 x 100g bars of Toblerone for this cake. Note

Sometimes called Indian blood plum, the large plum used in this recipe has a distinctive dark red to purple fibrous flesh, is extremely juicy, pleasantly sweet, and is the plum most often found canned. Canned apricots or peaches can be substituted for the plums. A delicious time-and waist-saving recipe. Note

Dried lavender is available from selected delis and spice shops. If you prefer, you can use 1 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon rind instead. Note

Flavoured Milk Bottles can be found in packets of Allen’s Milk Bottle Mania; you will need about 3 x 170g packets. Note

The taste of this loose-crumbed pineapple and coconut cake will instantly transport you to the seventies when a piña colada was 'the' cocktail.

White icing is also known as fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on wedding cakes). It is available in packets from the supermarket and cake decorating shops. Note

Equipment you will need for this recipe, 23cm x 34cm number 4 cake pan and a 25cm x 40cm rectangular cake board. You can decorate this cake with single or multi coloured lollies. Place lollies such as Smarties on butter cream close to presentation time to prevent the colours running. Note

You need two passionfruit for this recipe. Note

Use hundreds and thousands as an alternative to the orange sprinkles. You can use cream-filled rollettes, if you prefer. If using butter cream instead of the vanilla frosting, you will need two quantities. White icing is also known as fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on wedding cakes). It is available in packets from the […]

More fun and delicious animal cupcakes that the whole family will love.

Top puddings with a slice of glacé orange. It is available from gourmet and health-food stores. If the six 30cm squares of unbleached calico have not been used before, soak them in cold water overnight. The next day, boil them for 20 minutes then rinse in cold water. Puddings can be cooked in two boilers […]

Available at some nurseries, rose geranium is an aromatic member of the geranium family. Use the leaves to scent a madeira or butter cake, before baking, line cake pan with leaves. The tart shell is suitable to freeze. Note

You will need to make this recipe the day before. You will need about 8 passionfruit for this recipe. You can substitute canned passionfruit pulp, if you like, however to compensate for the sugar added during canning add a teaspoon or two of lime juice. This recipe can be made up to 1 week ahead, […]

Biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. Note

One-year-olds may be too young to eat the cachous, but they’ll certainly love the cake. Tiny heart-, star-, moon- and other-shaped cutters are sometimes sold as aspic cutters. Note

Pinky bunny is a small cute cake, ­just enough for a small cute person’s birthday. You’ll have ½ cup of the cake mixture left over, enough for another mini loaf. Note

The sherbet is also delicious served on its own as a dessert. Do ahead: Make the sherbet up to 2 days ahead; cover and freeze until required. You will need to start this recipe the day before. Note