My favourite baking book

Ages ago I bought myself a copy of The Clandestine Cake club recipe book.

I have to say, I have never had a bad recipe from it, and now it is pretty much my go-to book for any cakes that I want to make.

Last weekend Andy’s parents were back, and I fancied making a carrot cake for Sunday tea. Now, I love carrot cake but have often struggled to find a good recipe- they are either too dry, or crumbly, not spiced enough or don’t seem to bake properly because of too much carrot.

The search is over.

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The CCC book has a wonderful recipe- the sultanas are soaked in orange juice, it has nuts (I used pecans and not walnuts), not too much carrot, spiced and just delicious.

Also, I have never made a good cream cheese icing, but again I have found it!

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I added orange zest to the icing because I had used the juice for the cake, and also I just love orange cream cheese icing.

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Perfection. I am already wondering when I can make it again!

I also made some banana bread, again using the CCC book.

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One for work (with cream cheese icing, although a slightly different recipe) and then a plain one for home.

2014-10-20 21.19.57Mmmmmmmmm, banana bread. Keeping me going after long days at work, runs in the evening and more work after that.

I feel like I need to do a Julia and Julia style bakeathon- bake everything in the book! I have already made caramel cake, red velvet cake, battenberg cake, elderflower cordial cake, Dutch Speculaas cake (had a sort of home-made marzipan centre layer), lime and coconut loaf, lemon polenta cake, white chocolate and raspberry loaf and harvest spiced apple cake. And they have all been amazing. But there are 120 recipes so it is going to take me a while!

What is your favourite recipe book?

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10 thoughts on “My favourite baking book”

    1. What?????? Try it!
      We had some John Lewis cake vouchers and each time have shared a slice of their carrot cake- a good one to start with 🙂

  1. I really like the idea of a Julie and Julia bake off. My problem with recipe books is that I look at the beautiful photography, try a few recipes and then they remain untouched for ages. A bake off would make sure that the books are used fully.

  2. I actually have this book! And I didn’t even realise. My mum got it for me a few years ago. So I have now given it to Ben 😉 I hope for the best! Any tips on a good recipe for him I start with that’s relatively easy/simple but tasty?
    Carrot cake is one of my favourites. I just love the texture and flavours. Just a bit different from regular sponge.

    1. I would say that the raspberry and white choc loaf is pretty simple to make- although I think I swapped ground almonds for some of the flour.
      The lemon polenta cake is fab too, although I think I halved the recipe as it made a huge cake!
      The carrot cake is delish but a bit more complicated as you had to soak the fruit, and of course grate the carrots.

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