Easy-bake Recipes
This is our community cookbook which we hope to build up with easy-bake recipes that anyone can try at home! We are looking for residents and anyone in the community to send us recipes along with photos of bakes made to share creative ideas with others.
Never tried baking or had the time? Now is a great time to learn and share your recipes with us!
Easy recipes that include basic ingredients and that can be adaptable to whatever people have in their cupboards would be ideal concerning the current situation.
Recipes include:
- Caramelised Pecan and Banana Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Blueberry and White Chocolate Muffins
- Vegan and Gluten Free Easter Vanilla Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter or Nutella Cookies
- Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Caramel Cheesecake
- Buttery Base Biscoff Cheesecake
- Golden Syrup Vegan Cupcakes
- Gooey Chocolate cookies
- Banana Cheesecake
- Easy Homemade French Bread
Caramelised Pecan and Banana Muffins
Recipe sent in from a Resident at YMCA Basingstoke, made for other residents and staff.
Recipe adapted from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/banana-muffins.
Ingredients–
- 200g self raising flour
- 1 teaspoon basking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1120g caster sugar
- 60ml oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 large ripe bananas
- 50g pecans
Step 1. Heat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/gas 5 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases
Step 2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and caster sugar with a big pinch of salt.
Step 3. In a separate bowl mix the oil, vanilla extract, eggs and mashed bananas.
Step 4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in and roughly mix together with a fork, being careful not to over-mix.
Step 5. Scatter in the chopped pecans, if using, then spoon the mixture into the muffin cases.
Step 6. Top with pecan halves, then bake for 20-25 mins, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Recipe sent in from Lauren, a first year student studying business at Bristol University. Lauren enjoys baking in her spare time and has shared the cookie recipe she enjoys making. She has also sent in a butter base biscoff cheesecake recipe down below!
Ingredients– Makes 12-15 cookies
- 227g butter
- 330g brown sugar
- 385g plain flour
- 1 egg and 1 yolk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
- 250g chocolate chips (or as much as you want)
- Milk (if needed)
Step 1. Turn your oven onto 180 C and cover and grease the lining of your cookie tins with grease proof paper and butter.
Step 2. Melt the butter until liquid and mix with the brown sugar in a bowl (if sugar is lumpy, use a sieve). Leave to stand for 5 mins.
Step 3. Wisk the egg and egg yolk in a separate dish and add to the butter sugar mixture. Add vanilla extract.
Step 4. Sieve in the flour, baking powder and salt until combined. IF not enough liquid, add just enough milk so ingredients are mixed properly. Want quite a firm dough. Stir in chocolate chips evenly.
Step 5. Evenly scoop the cookie mix onto the baking tray 2 inches apart.
Bake for 7-10 minutes or until edges are firm and middle is still soft and slightly under-baked. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.
Blueberry and White Chocolate Muffins
Recipe sent in from @boundarylakespt, a personal trainer who also provides golf specific personal training, nutritional advice and plans.
Recipe was adapted from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/729662/recipe/blueberry-muffins.
Ingredients– Makes 12 muffins
- 300g self-raising flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 50g butter
- 90g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 225ml milk
- 150g blueberries
- 150g white chocolate chips
- 150ml plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste
Step 1. Preheat the oven and put the muffin cases in the muffin tray, sprayed with a bit of oil. Put the caster sugar into a bowl and crack the eggs and mix together.
Step 2. Beat the eggs into the mixture until the mixture is smooth and add the butter and mix until smooth.
Step 3. Add the milk, yogurt and the vanilla paste and mix it in with the mixture.
Step 4. Sieve the flour into the mixture and the baking powder.
Step 5. Add the blueberries and chocolate chips (or any other ingredients you want to add!). Bake for 20 minutes (or until ready).
Vegan and Gluten Free Easter Vanilla Cupcakes
YMCA Basingstoke Youth Engagement Co-ordinator Cara, recreated this recipe for her household who have different allergies.
Recipe was adapted from https://lovingitvegan.com/vegan-vanilla-cupcakes-strawberry-vanilla-frosting/ and the buttercream icing was creating using https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/basicbuttericing_73263 recipe.
Ingredients– Makes 12 cupcakes
For the Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes:
- 220g Self-raising flour
- 200g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 240ml lactose-free milk
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla paste
- 80ml olive oil
- Any Easter themed decorations you can find e.g. vegan Easter eggs,
Buttercream icing
- 140g softened dairy-free butter
- 280g icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon of lactose-free milk
For the Gluten free cupcakes:
- 220g gluten free self-raising flour
- 200g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 240ml milk
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla paste
- 80ml olive oil
- Any Easter themed decorations you can find e.g. Gluten free chocolate eggs
Buttercream icing
- 140g softened butter
- 280g icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon of milk
Alternatively to make vegan and gluten free cupcakes use the dairy free and gluten free ingredients.
Step 1. Preheat your oven and put cupcakes cases into a muffin tray. Spray them with olive oil so they don’t stick. Then add all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Sieve the flour and add the caster sugar, baking powder and salt.
Step 2. Add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl. (Milk, vanilla paste and olive oil).
Step 3. Mix it altogether until all the lumps are gone and distribute equally into the cupcake cases and put them in the oven for 20 minutes (or until cooked).
Step 4. Whilst the cakes are in the oven, make the buttercream icing by mixing the ingredients together. Let the cakes cool when they are out of the oven before topping with the buttercream icing. Then decorate as you like!
Easiest Peanut butter or Nutella Cookies
Recipe sent in by Shona, one of our Youth Engagement Co-ordinators.
- 150g butter or sunflower oil spread (leave out of the fridge for about 30mins soften slightly)
- 100g peanut butter
- 150g light brown soft sugar (other sugar is fine too)
- 250g plain flour
- Pre-heat oven to 180 deg. celsius
- Mix together butter, peanut butter and sugar.
- Add flour and mix again.
- Roll into inch round balls and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
- Flatten slightly with fingers or the back of a fork.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes (no eggs so they’re very good still soft in the middle).
- Leave to cool then eat!
Notes:
- Easy to make vegan – just use sunflower/olive oil spread/vegan alternative to butter and make sure the peanut butter is vegan.
- Nutella version – just replace the peanut butter with the same amount of Nutella, could even experiment with other nut butters.
- Any extra dough can be wrapped in cling film and left in the fridge for a couple of days.
Charlie, a year 9 student made this recipe in school and has recreated it at home since
Ingredients:
- 225g unsalted butter, softened
- 225g caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 225g self-raising flour
- Finely grated zest 1 lemon
- 5 tbsp lemon juice
- 85g caster sugar
1. Heat oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4.
2. Beat together 225g softened unsalted butter and 225g caster sugar until pale and creamy then add 4 eggs, one at a time, slowly missing through
3. Sift in 225g self-raising flour, then add the finely grated zest of 1 lemon and mix until well combined.
4. Line a loaf tin (8x21cm) with greaseproof paper, then spoon in the mixture and level the top with a spoon.
5. Bake for 45-50 mins until a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
6. While the cake is cooling in its tin, mix together the lemon juice and 85g caster sugar to make the drizzle.
7. Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork, then pour over the drizzle- the juice will sink in and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping.
8. Leave in the tin until completely cool, then remove and serve.
kasper, a resident made this cheesecake for the rest of the residents and put caramel sauce on top (We can confirm it is delicious!).
Ingredients:
- 2 tubs of cream cheese
- 1 pack of plain digestives
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of butter
1. Crush the digestives until it makes a fine powder.
2. Mix in the cinnamon.
3. Mix the cream cheese and vanilla extract in a separate bowl.
4. Melt the butter and mix into the powdered biscuit.
5. Pat the biscuit mix into a tray.
6. Place the cream cheese mix on top of the biscuit.
7. Set in the fridge for about an hour (or until set).
Buttery Base Biscoff Cheesecake
Lauren, a student sent this recipe in as well as the chocolate chip recipe above.
Ingredients:
- 250g Biscoff biscuits
- 100g butter
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 600g full fat soft cheese
- 100g icing sugar
- 284ml pot of double cream
- Tub of biscoff spread
Step 1. Butter and line a 23cm loosed bottomed tin with baking parchment
Step 2. Put the biscuits in a food back and crush with a rolling pin until fine. Melt the butter and add the biscuits and butter to a bowl, while mixing until completely coated.
Step 3. Pour the mixture in the tin and leave to chill in the fridge for an hour.
Step 4. For the filling, add the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour in the double cream and around 1/3 and continue beating until the mixture is completely combined.
Step 5. Put around 1/3 (add as much as you think) of the Biscoff spread in a bowl, melt, then fold into the mixture.
Step 6. Spoon the mixture onto the base evenly and leave to set in the fridge overnight.
Step 7. Finally once it has set, be creative with the design! You can melt any extra Biscoff spread to add to the top and finish with whole biscuits or biscuit crumbs.
Dawn sent this recipe in as she has an allergy to eggs and likes to try new vegan baking recipes. The original recipe is to create a loaf cake however Dawn turned them into cupcakes instead.
Recipe adapted from https://heavenlyveganbaking.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/vegan-golden-syrup-cake/
Ingredients:
- 100g margarine
- 75g sugar
- 200g plain flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 150g golden syrup
- 150ml boiling water
1. Preheat the oven to 180c.
2. Line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper or margarine.
3. Beat together the margarine and sugar until it is mixed together. Once it is mixed add the golden syrup in slowly.
4. Using a sieve, add the flour, baking powder and mix it altogether.
5. Add the boiling water.
6. Put in the oven to bake for 35-40 minutes and leave to cool on a rack once baked.
Cara, one of the Youth Engagement Co-ordinators here at Basingstoke made these cookies, adapted from Tanya Bakes, a cookbook by Tanya Burr. Lauren a student has since made these cookies and agreed they are delicious and gooey!
Ingredients:
- 200g dairy free butter
- 300g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- dash of dairy free milk
- 275g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 75g cocoa powder
- white chocolate buttons and Cadbury milk chocolate (any chocolate of your choice)
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 180c.
Step 2. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl.
Step 3. Add the caster sugar.
Step 4. Add the butter which should be slightly softened.
Step 5. Sieve the cocoa powder and mix everything together.
Step 6. Add the egg and mix. Add the chocolate of your choice and mix.
Step 7. Line a baking tray with grease proof paper (or two depending on size) and put the mixture into even circles on the tray, leaving enough room for them to expand.
Step 8. Put into the oven for 11 minutes. They should be slightly crisp on the top and bottom but still gooey on the inside. Let them cool before eating!
Tip: The following days warm them up in the microwave for 5 seconds for a gooey centre.
Kasper a resident, sent this recipe in along with other recipes in this cookbook. This is a great tasty way of using up those old bananas!
Ingredients:
- 2 small bananas
- 1 packet of plain digestive biscuits
- 2 packets of soft cheese
- 1 spoon of sugar
- 1 spoon of cinnamon
- 1 spoon of butter
Step 1. Mix the soft cheese and the bananas in a bowl.
Step 2. Add the sugar and mix together.
Step 3. In another bowl/bag, crush the digestive biscuits and add the cinnamon to the biscuits.
Step 4. Melt the butter and add to the biscuit mixture.
Step 5. Put the biscuit mixture into a tin/dish and add the cheese banana mixture on top.
Step 6. Place into a fridge to set. Once its set enjoy!
Emily who works at the University of Winchester made this recipe during lockdown, following https://www.melskitchencafe.com/french-bread/ recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
- 3/4 tablespoon salt (see note)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil
- 5 1/2 – 6 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
Step 1. Mix the water, sugar and yeast in a bowl.
Step2. Add the salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and mix. Gradually add in 2 1/2 to 3 more cups of flour, until the dough forms a soft bowl.
Step 3. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes until the smooth.
Step 4. Option of 2 rising methods:
Method 1: Leave the dough in the bowl and cover with a lid or towel, letting the dough rest for 10 minutes. Then Stir it for 10 seconds. Repeat this rest and stir method 5 times.
Method 2: Put the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let the dough rise until doubled for an hour or so.
Step 5. Turn the dough onto a lightly greased surface and divide it in half. Pat it down so it creates a thick rectangle. Start to roll up the dough, starting from the long edge and press out air bubbles with the heel of your hand. Pinch the edge to seal. Arrange seam side down on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 6. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let the loaves rise until noticeably puffy and nearly doubled in size, about an hour.
Step 7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and make sure an oven rack is in the centre position. If you haven’t already, with a very sharp knife or baker’s lame cut several gashes at an angle on the top of each loaf.
Step 8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and baked through. Remove from the oven and slather with melted butter (optional, but delicious). Repeat with the 2nd loaf (or if you have convection setting, the loaves can bake at the same time, just rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking).