<p>Throw a quintessentially British Afternoon Tea party and fill your cake stands with dainty delights; from <a href="/recipes/strawberry-jam-tarts">homemade jam tarts</a> to <a href="/recipes/rose-water-meringue-kisses">rose water meringue kisses</a>.<br>
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A plateful of <a href="/recipes/mini-pink-eclairs">mini pink eclairs</a> or perhaps freshly baked sausage rolls would complete your spread? Pastry perfection is just a recipe away. Travel the country with regional bakes and celebrate seasonal fruits, we have Afternoon Tea ideas aplenty.</p>

Afternoon Tea

Give in to a spot of afternoon tea, with a mix of recipes to choose from. Whip up some tasty sandwiches and delicate cakes, or try something new today

Afternoon Tea Ideas and Recipes

Allinsons-Naan-Bread-1-1-Baking-Mad-3.jpg

Bread & Dough

Cookie, Oreo & Brownie Layered Cake with a slice cut out of it. 

Cake Recipes

Top view of Rainbow Meringues in a bowl, with Rainbow Meringues scattered around next to a bag of silver spoon caster sugar

Confectionery

Side on view of a stack of vegan and gluten free chocolate chip cookies

Cookies & Biscuits

Nutella Cupcakes with glass bottle of milk in the background

Cupcakes & Muffins

2 glass jars of eton mess, raspberries, edible flowers and vanilla extract

Desserts

Bowl of ice cream, apple and slices, brown sugar packet

Ice Cream & Lollies

Icing & Buttercream

Jams & Spreads

Stack of American pancakes drizzled with maple syrup and topped with fresh berries

Pancakes, Crepes & Waffles

Pastries, Pies & Tarts

scone with strawberries and cream on a plate 

Scone and Shortcake Recipes

Sweet Sauces

Salted Caramel Cookie Traybake pieces stacked on top of each other with a hand reaching for the top piece. A bottle of milk in the background and jar of caramel sauce in the foreground

Traybakes

Pop tarts decorated with biscoff, chocolate and pink icing with sprinkles. 

Air Fryer Pop Tarts

Individual Eton Mess

Mini chocolate cupcake with a bite taken out of it and the cupcake case peeled back

Tiramisu Mini Treats

Recipes

Tips & Tricks

Allinson's

A top down view of chocolate brownies next to a packet of Billington's Dark Muscovado Sugar

Billington’s

Nielsen Massey Vanilla Extract being added to Vanilla Extract Cupcakes mixture

Nielsen-Massey

Silver Spoon

Our Brands

<p>This easy chocolate cupcake recipe was created by Mary Berry, and creates&nbsp;rich, indulgent cupcakes that are easy to achieve in your own kitchen.</p>
<p>Whether you're looking for simple chocolate fairy cakes for a party or an easy chocolate cupcake recipe for everyday baking, this chocolate cupcake recipe is soon to be your go-to recipe for 5-star rich, gorgeously-moreish chocolate cupcakes every time.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In just half an hour, this quick and easy cupcake recipe will make a delicious batch of 12 delicious chocolate cupcakes, ready to pipe with your favourite topping. We love whipping up an easy <a href="https://www.bakingmad.com/recipes/salted-chocolate-buttercream">Chocolate Buttercream </a>flavoured with rich cocoa powder for a satisfying chocolatey hit!</p>
<p>If you love quick and simple cupcakes, then why not give some of our other cupcake recipes a go? Try our <a href="https://www.bakingmad.com/recipes/chocolate-chip-cupcakes">Chocolate Chip Cupcakes</a> for an easy twist on traditional <a href="https://www.bakingmad.com/recipes/triple-vanilla-cupcakes">Vanilla Cupcakes</a>. If you’re a&nbsp;Nutella fan, our <a href="https://www.bakingmad.com/recipes/nutella-cupcakes">Nutella Cupcakes</a> are always a winner for family and friends.</p>
<h3>How to make Halloween cupcakes:</h3>
<p>Turn your chocolate cupcakes into spooky Halloween treats with just a few easy steps! Use <em>Silver Spoon’s chocolate fudge icing sugar</em> and follow the instructions on the pack to whip up the smoothest, most delicious chocolate buttercream. For a fun bat design, top each cupcake with an Oreo for the body, and pipe black and white icing to create little bat eyes. It’s cute, creepy, and absolutely delicious!</p>
<h3>How to make Christmas cupcakes:</h3>
<p>Transform our versatile chocolate cupcakes recipe into adorable Christmas cupcakes. Simply add some edible eyes, a small ball of red fondant icing (or red smartie) and some broken pretzels for antlers and you have the cutest Christmas reindeer cupcakes. Alternatively, crushed up some candy canes and sprinkle on top for a simple, yet indulgent looking Christmas treat.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>How to decorate chocolate cupcakes:</h3>
<p>These rich chocolate cupcakes are perfect to decorate for any occasion, all year round. Simply top with chocolate buttercream, then add Mini Eggs. Alternatively, add a quarter of a teaspoon of Hundreds And Thousands to the top of each cupcake's buttercream topping.</p>
<h3>How to make your&nbsp;cupcakes moist and fluffy:</h3>
<p>If you want your cupcakes to stay moist for longer, brush your cooled sponges with a simple sugar syrup made from two parts granulated sugar to one part boiling water. After you’ve added the sugar syrup, top the cupcakes with your buttercream icing and enjoy.</p>
<h3>Reasons to bake:</h3>
<p>⭐Ready in under an hour</p>
<p>⭐Ideal for last-minute gatherings and parties</p>
<p>⭐Brilliant for getting the kids involved</p>
<p><br></p>

Mary Berry Chocolate Cupcakes

<p>You can whip up a fresh batch of our quick and easy scone recipe with just five simple ingredients.&nbsp; We love these golden scones with a dollop of clotted cream and fruity jam (or jam then cream, depending on your preference). They are also just as tasty spread with butter.</p>
<h3><strong>How can I make my scones rise higher?</strong></h3>
<p>To make your scones rise higher, you will want to keep your dough a thick depth when pressing into shapes with your cutter. Chill your bowl, pastry cutter and butter before using them to help with a good rise. You can even chill your scones on the baking tray in the fridge for 15 minutes to give a fluffy texture when baked (plus this is a great opportunity to preheat your oven).</p>
<p>When placing the scones on your baking tray, squish them together (similar to when baking cinnamon rolls), as when they bake they will rise together and have lovely soft sides when pulled apart.&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>How to bake light, fluffy scones</strong></h3>
<p>There are a few potential reasons your scones aren’t coming out as light and fluffy as you may like.</p>
<p>One common mishap is overmixing; you want to mix your ingredients until they just come together, a few lumps in the mix are to be expected. It’s also worth mixing the dry and wet ingredients together in separate bowls before combining.</p>
<p>Try to mix your scone dough by hand as using a food mixer, while convenient, can result in overmixing. It is also worth spending time to sieve your flour once (maybe even twice) before mixing with the other ingredients, as this will aerate the flour and help you achieve fluffy scones.&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>How to make moist scones which rise well</strong></h3>
<p>Nobody wants a crumbly scone, so to avoid this make sure that you follow the ingredient measurements precisely to ensure that there is enough liquid used in the mix. Try not to over-handle, treat the dough gently (kneading with light pressure) and don’t overmix or overbake as this will result in a tough and crumbly scone.</p>
<h3>Reasons to bake:</h3>
<p>⭐Simple scone recipe with just five ingredients</p>
<p>⭐Ready in 30 minutes</p>
<p>⭐Will keep for up to a week in an airtight container</p>

Easy Scones Recipe

<p>Our brown bread recipe is a simple and satisfying bake, and perfect for bakers who are new to making their own bread. It’s soft, airy, and delicious, and perfect for sandwiches - or simply toasted with butter.</p>
<h3>Does wholemeal bread flour need more water?</h3>
<p>Wholemeal flours like rye, buckwheat or gluten-free are ‘thirstier’ than other flours - they absorb more water, so you’ll need more to get your dough to the right consistency.</p>
<h3>Does wholemeal bread require more kneading?</h3>
<p>As wholemeal flour absorbs more water, you’ll have to knead it a little more than you would if you were making white bread.</p>
<h3>How to make your wholemeal loaf rise</h3>
<p>If your wholemeal bread isn’t rising, this could be because the yeast is too hot, which causes the yeast to die. The yeast should be warm, not too hot or cold. Make sure the ingredients you mix the yeast with are also warm.</p>
<p>Our trick is to add some strong white bread flour to the wholemeal bread flour. Even just a little white flour has enough gluten to give the dough better structure. If you’d like to do this, we recommend using Allinson's Strong White Bread Flour to your wholemeal bread flour - it’s a great all-purpose flour and its high gluten content makes it particularly suitable for bread making.</p>
<p>If you’re new to breadmaking, we’ve got loads of simple guides to help you master the techniques you need - including <a href="https://www.bakingmad.com/baking-tips/how-to-get-your-bread-to-rise">getting your bread to rise</a>, <a href="https://www.bakingmad.com/baking-tips/how-to-knead-dough">how to knead dough </a>and <a href="https://www.bakingmad.com/baking-tips/how-to-tell-if-your-bread-is-baked">how to tell if your bread is baked</a>.</p>
<p>If you enjoy making our wholemeal bread recipe, you should try our <a href="https://www.bakingmad.com/recipes/wholemeal-bagels">Wholemeal Bagels</a> recipe. They’re just as tasty and a wonderful addition to a delicious weekend brunch.</p>
<h3>Reasons to bake:</h3>
<p>⭐Perfect for novice bakers&nbsp;</p>
<p>⭐Doesn’t need a bread maker</p>
<p>⭐Keeps for up to a week in a breadbin</p>

Wholemeal Bread Recipe

<p>The humble Victoria Sponge. It’s likely to have been one of the first bakes that you ever made but always a favourite recipe that you return to time and time again. Our quick and easy classic Victoria Sponge cake recipe is exactly that. A classic everyday recipe, with soft sponge sandwiched with fruity jam and a light and fluffy homemade buttercream.</p>
<p>Named after Queen Victoria, this nostalgic British bake is perfect for every occasion; simply dusted with Silver Spoon icing sugar for an afternoon tea or a rainy day bake, or perhaps coated in buttercream or fondant icing as a birthday cake or wedding cake.</p>

Victoria Sponge Recipe

<p>Our No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake recipe is simple to make and simply delicious. No oven required; you can whip up the creamy Oreo filling and crunchy biscuit base in next to no time; the hardest part is resisting the urge to eat it all.</p>
<h3><strong>Is no-bake cheesecake better than baked cheesecake?</strong></h3>
<p>This comes down to your personal preference. The beauty of no-bake cheesecakes is that you don’t need an oven, just a fridge to chill or set your cheesecake. No-bake cheesecake recipes can be a little less technical and quicker to make than a baked cheesecake. The consistency of both can differ too; with no-bake cheesecakes being light and airy, and the baked versions being a little denser, but rich and velvety.&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>How to make sure your no-bake cheesecake filling turns out firm</strong></h3>
<p>If your no-bake Oreo cheesecake is too runny, you may need to leave it longer to set. To create a thick, velvety filling, ensure that you beat the whipping cream to a stiff peak consistency. This means that when the whisk is removed the cream should stand upright, forming a peak on top. If the peak droops, this is soft peak stage and your cream will need to be whipped a little bit longer. Take care not to overbeat your cream cheese, as this can cause it to separate and produce a runnier cheesecake consistency.</p>
<h3><strong>How to ensure your no-bake cheesecake base remains crisp</strong></h3>
<p>When making your no-bake cheesecake base, you should be sure to chill the crumb crust for at least 10 minutes to help it solidify and prevent it from turning soggy. You should also be sure to use a higher ratio of butter to crumbs for a no-bake base, as this will result in a sturdier base when refrigerated.</p>
<p>If you like this recipe, we think you'll also love our <a href="https://www.bakingmad.com/recipes/oreo-cupcakes">Oreo Cupcakes</a> and <a href="https://www.bakingmad.com/recipes/oreo-brownies">Oreo Brownies.</a></p>
<h3>Reasons to make our No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake:</h3>
<p>⭐No oven needed - just the fridge</p>
<p>⭐Prep takes just 20 minutes</p>
<p>⭐Can be made and stored ahead of time</p>

No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

<p>This classic crusty bread recipe is a great recipe for every day. There's nothing quite like the smell and taste of freshly made crusty white bread.</p>
<p>Our recipe makes one delicious loaf, perfect for sandwiches.</p>

Crusty White Bread

<p>New to baking? Give our wholemeal bread rolls recipe a go. They're a delicious and healthier alternative to our white rolls. Perfect for dipping in soup, using as dinner rolls, or popped in a packed lunch.</p>

Wholemeal Bread Rolls

<p>Calling all Biscoff fans! This Biscoff cupcake recipe is a real game changer. Soft vanilla cupcake topped and filled&nbsp;with a beautifully light Biscoff buttercream, this recipe is definitely one you will want to save and bake time and time again.</p>

Biscoff Cupcakes

<p>Master this tea-time classic, and you'll be hosting Afternoon Tea everyweek. Fill your home with the smell of sweet bread whilst baking these classic teacakes. Made with Allinson's wholemeal dough - this savoury or sweet bake can be enjoy with a dollop of jam or melted buttered and a cup of tea.</p>

Teacakes

<p>Enjoy the simple things in life. Like the perfect vanilla cupcake. Make Silver Spoon’s easy vanilla cupcake recipe, your go-to cupcake of choice. With the lightest, fluffy vanilla sponge topped with the smoothest, vanilla buttercream, courtesy of Silver Spoon Icing Sugar, you are on to a winner.<br>
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Light and moreish, this is just what you are looking for in a fluffy vanilla cupcake recipe. You are definitely going to want to snuffle more than one of these vanilla cupcakes, for research purposes obviously…<br>
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Sneak a peek at our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfNOC9Mfsog" title="How to make vanilla cupcakes">‘how to make vanilla cupcakes’</a> video for extra tips and find out below how you can make our delicious vanilla cupcakes from scratch!</p>
<p><strong>If you are looking for a quick shortcut for your buttercream with maximum flavour, try Silver Spoon's new Creamy Vanilla Flavour icing sugar or Chocolate Fudge Flavour icing sugar and simply beat together with butter, following the instructions on pack for a delicious, speedy frosting.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><br>
<strong>Tips for making the best homemade vanilla cupcakes:<br>
<br>
1. Do not overfill your cupcakes<br>
</strong>For the perfect-shaped cupcake with a lovely golden dome, only fill 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up the cupcake liner. If it's too full it looks messy and sometimes, it can even sink.&nbsp;As a rule, we say it's better to underfill rather than overfill.<br>
<strong><br>
2. Best buttercream for cupcakes<br>
</strong>We recommend using our delicious vanilla <a data-item-id="02f6382a-d0f5-58f7-8c17-0acd82570e30" href="">buttercream recipe</a>, but if you're after something a little different on top of your vanilla cupcakes, try out our <a data-item-id="9e283dc4-6386-57a3-b79f-1979ee83461c" href="">citrus buttercream</a> or <a data-item-id="e7750934-e4bf-59a0-bf85-d3283ed9b73e" href="">maple buttercream</a>.<br>
<strong><br>
3. How do I store my vanilla cupcakes?<br>
</strong>Once your cupcakes are cool, get them into an airtight container as soon as possible. Cupcakes can last for around 4 days before losing their freshness. Cupcakes with buttercream/frosting on top will need to be stored in the fridge.</p>

Easy Vanilla Cupcakes

<p>These funfetti shortbread biscuits not only look bright and colourful they also taste delicious too, with flavoursome hints of vanilla. A great one to share at your next coffee morning.</p>

Funfetti Shortbread Bites

<p>Is there anything better than the firery flavour of a proper ginger biscuit? These ginger biscuits really pack a crunch and a punch.</p>

Ginger Biscuits

<p>Muffins are the perfect on the go snack, breakfast treat or simply yummy cake to enjoy with a cup of tea. We have taken one of the nations favourite bakes - the cherry bakewell and turned it into a delicious muffin.</p>

Bakewell Muffins

<p>Our friend Juliet Sear has developed this wonderfully tasty elderflower and lemon cake recipe for you.</p>

Elderflower & Lemon Cake

<p>This moist light muscovado carrot cake is an ideal spring time treat, whether it be an Easter celebration or simply enjoyed with a warm cup of tea. This cake is bursting with flavour from hints of mixed spices, coconut, walnut and carrot, the caramel undertones of Billington's light muscovado sugar and drizzled with a sweet, zesty orange syrup. And if that wasn't enough it is topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting with a refreshingly twist of lime running through it. &nbsp;Simply moreish!</p>

Light Muscovado Carrot Cake

<p>This honey and apricot flapjack packs a punch with flavour.&nbsp;We've used honey on this recipe as it lends itself well to the texture and flavour. It adds a sweetness without the need for refined sugar and helps retain a really nice moisture. If you love the benefits of baking with honey, why not try some of our other honey recipes?&nbsp;Try our <a data-item-id="69463b7e-8dd5-509e-9d71-6871ec7ec6d4" href="">Honey &amp; Stem Ginger Loaf Cake.&nbsp;</a></p>

Honey & Apricot Flapjack

<p>If you are familiar with making bread, this crusty white loaf recipe is a step up from a basic loaf.&nbsp;</p>

Crusty White Plait

<p>These honey shortbread biscuits have a subtle honey flavour and a soft shortbread texture and melt in the mouth. These shortbread biscuits go perfectly with a coffee and tea.&nbsp;</p>

Honey Shortbread

<p>Our simple Chocolate and Raspberry Cake recipe should be a staple for most experienced bakers. This one is ready to eat within an hour and is full of fresh raspberries.</p>

Chocolate & Raspberry Cake

<p>This delightful clotted cream fudge by Gizzi Erskine is delicious, easy to make and the ideal homemade gift for your friends and family.</p>