A collection of easy and delicious baking recipes. Cakes, cookies, pavlovas, brownies … there is something here for every occasion! Included are birthday cake recipes and gluten-free cake recipes.

Cannelés

Cannelés are golden and crispy cakes with a custardy centre, flavoured with a hint of rum and/or vanilla. Recipe for Cannelés with step-by-step photos, with instructions for using copper cannelé moulds or silicone cannelé moulds. Recipe also for Mini Cannelés. Cannelés If you have ever travelled to France, you may have come across these little specialty cakes called cannelés (also called canelés or cannelés Bordelais). Unlike their more successfully exported cousins, the madeleines

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Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Light and moist Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Easy to make and delicious topped with marzipan carrots. Great for birthday parties! Carrot Cupcakes How could one possibly resist one of these little beauties? Small and dainty, snow-capped with a luscious cream-cheese frosting, these carrot cupcakes are elegant in looks but not pretentious in taste.

Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes

Delightful Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes with a Lemon Glaze. This recipe uses both lemon juice and lemon zest in both the cake and glaze for that extra citrusy flavour! Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe Spring has finally arrived in Zurich and nothing cheers up the soul like the yellow sunshine of lemons, even though they are technically at their peak in the late winter months.

Potato Pie with Smoked Salmon and Dill

A stunning Potato Pie with Smoked Salmon and Dill. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Potato Pie with Smoked Salmon and Dill Smoked salmon is, admittedly, not an everyday ingredient, but I do love to keep some in the fridge for a quick lunch with some lightly buttered white toast, thinly sliced onions, a scattering of salty capers and a good squeeze of lemon.

Rhubarb & Vanilla Friands

Delicious Rhubarb & Vanilla Friands to make the most of vivid pink forced rhubarb. Friands One of the most popular recipes here on Eat, Little Bird is for Lemon Drizzle Friands, a little cake which is widely popular in Australia and which has surprisingly intrigued so many readers worldwide.

Blueberry Financiers

An easy Financier recipe with blueberries. These Blueberry Financier cakes are light and dainty, which are perfect with a cup of tea! Financier Cakes A financier cake is baked in a special rectangular mould so that the cakes resemble bars of gold.  In Paris, you will find financier cakes at almost every bakery and cake shop, and they are commonly sold either plain or chocolate flavoured, although other flavour combinations exist too.

Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

These soft peanut butter cookies are chewy and deliciously addictive and best served with a dollop of raspberry jam! They keep really well and are a hit with kids and adults alike. Peanut Butter Cookies Like most children, I grew up addicted to peanut butter sandwiches. These days, one of my favourite ways of consuming peanut butter is in cookie form. And these peanut butter cookies are simply addictive; they are totally moreish

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Rhubarb Custard Cake

A stunning Rhubarb Custard Cake with a thick custard layer baked in the centre of the cake. Delight your family and friends with this beautiful rhubarb cake. Bee-Sting Cake My parents used to sell a cake in their bakery, called a Bee-Sting Cake, which was made of two brioche-like sponges, sandwiched together with a thick, bright yellow custard and sprinkled on top with flaked almonds.

Easter Egg Nest Cake

A decadent and fun Easter Egg Nest Cake decorated with sugar-coated chocolate Easter eggs. Gluten-free recipe and nut-free recipe. Easter Cake This is a chocolate cake which I love to make when we have guests over, and this Easter cake is an extra chocolatey version which will make both adults and children swoon.

Ham and Cheese Hand Pies

Tasty Ham and Cheese Hand Pies which are a great way of using leftovers. These hand pies are filled with ham, béchamel sauce and vegetables, but you can use any leftover meats and vegetables you like. Cooking with Leftovers My mother is someone who can effortlessly create a delicious three-course meal from a simple fridge raid, with an uncanny ability to never let anything go to waste. Sadly, I did not inherit this

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Welsh Cakes

welsh cakes on white plate with spoonful of jam

A delicious and authentic recipe for Welsh Cakes which are gently spiced and filled with raisins for sweetness. These Welsh Cakes are lovely served warm with some butter and jam, or simply with a sprinkle of sugar. Recipe with step-by-step photos. What are Welsh Cakes? The next time you think about making scones, perhaps you might like to try your hand at these Welsh Cakes. Both recipes require more or less the same

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Pound Cake with Oreo Cookies

cookies and cream cake on wooden board

A delicious and fun Pound Cake with Oreo Cookies. This is a vanilla pound cake baked with crushed Oreo cookies to give a delicious texture and chocolate flavour. Great for birthday parties and entertaining! This post has been prepared in collaboration with Tchibo (Schweiz) AG, but the content and opinions are my own. Pound Cake This pound cake with Oreo cookies solves the dilemma of whether to have cookies or cake at afternoon tea

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Mont Blanc Chocolate Pavlova

A delicious chocolate pavlova with sweetened chestnut purée. This dessert is the combination of a Chocolate Pavlova and Mont Blanc dessert. Here is an easy chocolate pavlova recipe, plus a homemade chestnut purée recipe. Chestnut Desserts As soon as the weather in Switzerland starts to take a dip, the roasted chestnut carts magically appear and I know that my favourite dessert will soon be in all of the pâtisserie shops. Roasted chestnuts alone

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Easy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

An Easy Banana Cake recipe which uses yoghurt to make it light and moist, and topped with a generous layer of Cream Cheese Frosting. Perfect for using overripe or frozen bananas. Easy Banana Cake My husband and I tend to agree on most things, but something we cannot convince each other of is the perfect stage of ripeness for a banana. I like my bananas to be somewhat ripe – no hint of green

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Cinnamon Donut Balls

Nothing beats hot and fresh cinnamon donuts, and this is an easy donut recipe using yeast to produce light and fluffy donuts rolled in cinnamon sugar. Hot Cinnamon Donut Balls I love, love donuts. I particularly love them hot, fresh from the vat and sprinkled with lots of sugar and ground cinnamon. Give me a donut and a cup of coffee for breakfast and I’m a happy camper.

Easy Chocolate Brownies

An easy chocolate brownie recipe using real chocolate and rich cocoa powder. Moist and fudgy with just the right gooey centre and a beautiful flakey crust. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Lindt Chocolates They say that anyone can buy a good house, but good neighbours are priceless. We happen to be blessed with the most wonderful neighbours in our whole building.

Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

The ultimate Sticky Date Pudding (also known as Sticky Toffee Pudding) which is baked as a cake and served with a decadent Butterscotch Sauce. Delicious served warm and with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Sticky Date Pudding Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce is a popular café dessert in Australia, one which I dream of frequently but seldom make. But the recent snowy weather in Zurich has prompted much stoveside activity in our

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Plain Scones

An easy scone recipe with step-by-step photos. These plain scones are light and fluffy, and go perfectly with jam and cream for a gorgeous afternoon tea. Plain Scone Recipe When I was in London a few years ago, I was reminded of my fond affection for Devonshire Tea, which is essentially a plain scone served with jam and cream. As scones are not widely available in Zurich, I made it my mission to eat as

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Apple Spice Cake with Caramel Glaze

Recipe with step-by-step photos for an Apple Spice Cake studded with chunks of apples and walnuts, and covered in a delicious Caramel Glaze.  Apple Spice Cake Recipe There is something irresistible about the timeless pairing of apples with cinnamon, and this apple spice cake is no exception.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

This Sour Cream Chocolate Cake is the only chocolate cake recipe you will ever need for birthdays and celebrations. Recipe with step-by-step photos, plus tips for making chocolate cupcakes. Sour-Cream Chocolate Cake This is the chocolate cake recipe I turn to for every birthday party celebration in our family. And even if there is not a birthday event in sight, if I just simply have a craving for chocolate cake, this is quite

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Cinnamon Cake

An easy recipe for cinnamon cake with step-by-step photos that is fast and simple to make, and perfect for breakfast or dessert. Cinnamon Cake I love a simple cinnamon cake at afternoon tea but, the truth is, I love it even more at breakfast. The combination of vanilla cake topped with a generous sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon reminds me of eating a donut, especially when the cake is still warm from the

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Easy Raspberry Scones

Quick and easy Raspberry Scones with Almonds which are baked in one large cake and sliced up to share. Recipe using fresh or frozen raspberries. Easy Raspberry Scones I wasn’t planning on making raspberry scones today, but with the dreary weather we have been having in Zurich lately (why is it often sunny during the working week but not on the weekends??), I needed to find a way to entertain the children once

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Sunken Chocolate Amaretto Cake

nigella sunken chocolate amaretto cake

A gluten-free Sunken Chocolate Amaretto Cake served with whipped cream and amaretti biscuits. Easy to make and perfect for entertaining. Amaretto Cake If you have been following my Instagram Stories, you will have noticed that I have made this Sunken Chocolate Amaretto Cake no less than three times in the last month – it is that good!

How to Make Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux)

How to make choux pastry (pâte à choux) perfectly every time to use in recipes for profiteroles, éclairs, cream puffs and so much more. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Pâte à Choux Pâte à choux is the French term for choux pastry in English. And in case you were wondering “choux” is pronounced like shoe in English 😉

Chinese Almond Cookies

These Chinese Almond Cookies are a delicious way to celebrate Chinese New Year and to end any Asian meal. Chinese Almond Cookies I grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia, and our ritual every Sunday morning was to visit my mother’s favourite Chinese restaurant for Dim Sum.

Marble Bundt Cake

marble bundt cake

A delicious and easy Marble Cake, perfect for any occasion. Step-by-step recipe for a moist marble cake, which looks spectacular baked in a bundt pan and topped with a chocolate glaze. Marble Cake A traditional marble cake, baked in a loaf tin, is something which my husband’s great-aunt frequently makes whenever we visit her in France. But I thought I would give my own spin on a gâteau marbré by baking it in

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Raspberry Friands

Delicious Raspberry Friands with step-by-step photos, including notes for making Mini Raspberry Friands. Friand Recipe If you are someone who, like me, makes a lot of custard, pastry or shortbread, you might find yourself with a lot of leftover egg whites. I follow Nigella Lawson’s tip to freeze egg whites in small zip-lock freezer bags – usually in pairs – which means that I always have egg whites on hand to make pavlovas,

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Butter Cake with Peaches and Raspberries

A delicious recipe for Butter Cake with Peaches and Raspberries, with step-by-step photos. Plus a review of The Cook’s Atelier cookbook. I received a copy of The Cook’s Atelier cookbook to review, complimentary from the publisher, but the content, opinions, and photos below, are my own. The Cook’s Atelier My husband’s family live in the far north-western corner of France in a region called Brittany. In summer, we often make the long journey

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Strawberry Cobbler

Make the most of summer with this delicious Strawberry Cobbler, made with fresh strawberries and a lemon scone cobbler topping. So delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream! Strawberry Cobbler Recipe It has been an extremely hot summer this year in Zurich. In fact, I feel like I am in Australia in the midst of their annual January heatwave, but minus the much-needed air-conditioning. Due to strict regulations in Switzerland governing energy consumption,

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Apple Galette

red love apple galette

A delicious and easy apple galette recipe which will impress your friends and family. Use any type of apple in this rustic apple galette, or special varieties such as Red Love Apples. Apple Galette We always have a basket full of apples at home, ready to be turned into an apple compote which we eat religiously at breakfast each morning. It used to be my job to make the week’s apple compote, which

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Coffee and Walnut Cake

A homely Coffee and Walnut Cake with a luscious coffee frosting that is delicious and easy to make. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Coffee Cake In some countries, there exists what is called a coffee cake which actually does not contain any coffee but it is called such because it is intended to be eaten with a cup of coffee. This Coffee and Walnut Cake is actually a coffee cake, in that it is

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Chouquettes (French Cream Puffs)

Recipe with step-by-step photos for Chouquettes, which are French cream puffs (or pastry puffs) sprinkled with pearl sugar or chocolate chips. They are a delicious bite-sized snack made from choux pastry. Chouquettes Something which I love to bake throughout the year are these little French cream puffs called chouquettes.

Gluten-Free Lemon Cake

A delicious dairy-free and gluten-free lemon cake using whole lemons which are gently cooked until tender and then blitzed to produce a wonderfully moist cake. Gluten-Free Cake One of my favourite cakes to make at this time of the year is the Clementine Cake from Nigella Lawson’s How to Eat, a cake which Nigella has quoted as being one of the most popular from her first cookbook, one which happens to be a

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Aussie Meat Pies

Nothing is more Australian than an Aussie Meat Pie, and these party pies are a must at any gathering. An easy meat pie recipe using minced beef. Aussie Meat Pies You can’t get more Aussie than the meat pie. Those who know me would probably be surprised that I would even venture near something that can only be applied to the face with your hands (no knife and fork, please), but the truth is, I

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Ultimate Chocolate Cake

This is the Ultimate Chocolate Cake! Layers of rich chocolate cake flavoured with real chocolate, cocoa powder and coffee, covered in a Chocolate Ganache Frosting and decorated with chocolate chips. Epic Chocolate Cake In deciding how to celebrate Eat, Little Bird’s first blog anniversary, chocolate cake instantly came to my mind, but I knew that it had to be a special one. For quite some years now, my online foodie friends have been raving

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Chocolate Mousse (Mousse au Chocolat)

Recipe for Chocolate Mousse with step-by-step photos. A classic recipe for a decadent Chocolate Mousse served with cocoa nibs or chocolate chips. A great dessert to make ahead when entertaining. Chocolate Mousse With summer in full swing in Europe at the moment, a chilled dessert is the ideal way to end a nice meal. That or a big bowl of ice-cream. And one can hardly go past the quintessential French classic, a mousse

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Recipe with step-by-step photos for a delicious no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake, using a chocolate biscuit base and an easy filling with crunchy peanut butter. I was recently watching an episode of Nigella’s Kitchen where Nigella was making a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake, a calorie-laden recipe which is quite true to her kitsch junkie style, not to mention that she made the whole thing whilst wearing a black satin nightrobe, all the while

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Swiss Carrot Cake (Rüeblitorte)

A delicious and wholesome Swiss Carrot Cake (Rüeblitorte or Rüeblicake) which is popular in Switzerland. It contains lots of fresh carrots and ground almonds to keep it moist. A classic recipe from Betty Bossi. It came as a bit of a surprise to me to learn that carrot cake was popular in Switzerland, mostly because I always associated this succulent cake with the US, the land of indulgent and tempting sweets.

Chocolate Coconut Bars

These Chocolate Coconut Bars are a classic recipe from the Australian Women’s Weekly. No fancy ingredients (just good quality cocoa). Perfect for school bake sales or to bring to work for morning tea. Recipe with step-by-step photos. With Australia Day approaching, my thoughts have been turning to traditional Aussie cakes and pastries, and these Chocolate Coconut Bars are hard to go past. Perhaps these slices are not what one would think of eating on Australia

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Lamingtons

lamingtons on wire rack

A delicious recipe for Lamingtons using real chocolate, perfect to serve on Australia Day or for a school bake sale. Lamingtons Lamingtons have an iconic status in Australia and, although they are traditionally made on Australia Day, they are also enjoyed throughout the year. Lamingtons are quite popular at bake sales, and anyone growing up in Australia will know of the lamington drives, a fundraising event (usually in schools) where lamingtons would be sold by

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Jam-Filled Pikelets

jam-filled pikelets

Tasty jam-filled pikelets which are perfect for lunch boxes. Swiss Eating Habits My son started kindergarten last summer and, like in many Swiss schools, it is customary for the children to sit down to a hot lunch each day at a shared table. This practice starts as early as daycare where the children are taught to remain seated at the table, to develop social skills when eating, to clear their plates and put

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Nutella Oatmeal Cookies

Nutella Oatmeal Cookies

Enjoy these Nutella Oatmeal Cookies with a cold glass of milk! If you need a break from the traditional Christmas baking at this time of the year or, better still, you have been gifted with a giant tub of Nutella under the Christmas tree, may I suggest these delightful Nutella Oatmeal Cookies?

Salted Butter Chocolate Cake

salted butter chocolate cake mimi thorisson

This Salted Butter Chocolate Cake is rich and sophisticated, perfect for dinner parties. As the daughter of a baker, something I cannot resist is the smell of freshly baked bread. And freshly baked bread slathered with good quality salted butter is, quite simply, a match made in heaven.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

chocolate chip cheesecake

A quick and easy no-bake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake using mascarpone. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare! No-Bake Cheesecake I have previously, in my post for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake, lamented about my inability to make a baked cheesecake work and I am afraid the situation remains unchanged. But I make no apology for it – I’m still happy to stroll to the local Starbucks for my fix of their New York Cheesecake

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Strawberry Shortcake Cakes

strawberry shortcake lindor lindt

These mini Strawberry Shortcake Cakes have a light, fluffy (dairy-free) sponge filled with a mascarpone cream filling and fresh strawberries. A great recipe to enjoy in summer with seasonal strawberries. The following post is sponsored by Lindt & Sprüngli AG, but the content and opinions are my own. As a mother to two young toddlers, my idea of the perfect Mother’s Day would start with a few extra hours in bed, preceded, of course,

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Raspberry Scones with Homemade Clotted Cream

raspberry scones with homemade clotted cream

Light and fluffy raspberry scones which are incredibly easy and quick to make, served with a rich and decadent homemade clotted cream. There is a cosy but bustling café in Zurich called Babu’s Bakery & Coffeehouse which is a delight for anyone with a sweet tooth. As you enter the shop, to the left is a large wooden sideboard with an enticing array of cookies and cakes beautifully displayed on antique cake stands.

Custard Cream Biscuits

custard cream cookies

Soft and buttery Custard Cream Biscuits. These Custard Creams are simply perfect with a cup of tea. Custard Cream Biscuits It was Valentine’s Day recently and, like every Valentine’s Day in the past 10 years, I baked my husband’s favourite Custard Cream Hearts. He frequently asks for these cookies at other times of the year, too, but it seems that by the time I get around to making them again, Valentine’s Day would once

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Vietnamese Meat Pies “Pâté Chaud”

vietnamese meat pies pate chaud pate so

These Vietnamese Meat Pies (also called Bánh Patê Sô) are based on the French Pâté Chaud. They have a delicious pork filling seasoned with fresh Asian herbs and spices, and wrapped in golden puff pastry. Perfect for snacks or a light meal. Meat Pies Growing up in Australia, I ate my fair share of meat pies, especially as the daughter of a baker. Pepper steak pies were my favourite, with a layer of mushy peas under

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Applesauce Cake

A moist and flavourful Applesauce Cake. This apple bundt cake is popular in Switzerland and uses applesauce (or apple purée) to keep the cake moist and tender. Applesauce Cake Recipe Something the Swiss really love is applesauce (also called apple compote or apple purée); so much so, that it is an obligatory side dish to their version of macaroni and cheese. So when I came across a recipe some years ago for a

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Chocolate Chip Sablé Cookies

giant choc chip sable

These Giant Chocolate Chip Sablé Cookies, or French shortbread cookies, are the perfect snack with a glass of milk. Chocolate Chip Sablé Cookies Recipe We recently returned from our annual family retreat to Grindelwald, a small but popular ski resort in the Swiss alps. We have been going there since our son was a mere 1 month old baby, so it was somewhat awakening to accept that, this year, he attended ski school for the

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