Nigella Recipe Bundt Cake

This is a sleight of hand, or a trick of equipment rather than an act of brilliance. True, the cake does look incredibly complicated and seasonally impressive as it comes to the table, but that is all down to the shape of the tin. It’s an expense to get a tin that can’t be used all year round, but it really is a beautifully Christmassy creation, and a doddle to make. For the “spruced up” of the cake refers to the Holiday Fir bundt tin I bake it in; at other times of the year, I call this Eggy Vanilla Cake and cook it in a 2.5-litre (same size as this one) non-festive bundt tin, as you can now, too. And the thing is, it doesn’t need just to be brought out as a festive flourish for a supper party, but can be satisfyingly baked and left to preside grandly over the kitchen, commanding anyone to have a slice, damply plain, or toasted, by way of a seasonal treat.

To turn this into Spruced-Up Spice Cake, even more seasonal and just as good — though with less appeal to children — halve the vanilla and add 2 teaspoons each of ground cinnamon and ginger and a half teaspoon of ground cloves.

Please note that we’ve now introduced a shopping feature with our friends at Ocado so that you can get your ingredients delivered direct to your door, if Ocado serves your area - check at ocado.com/postcode. We hope that this will make shopping for ’s recipe ingredients easier. For any queries related to your Ocado shop, head to ocado.com/customercare.

Nigella's Maple Pecan Bundt Cake

Please note that is not able to accept responsibility for any substitutions that Ocado may need to make as a result of stock availability or otherwise. For any queries, head to ocado.com/customercare.

Make the cake, turn out and leave to cool. Wrap in clingfilm and foil and store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.I love thyme and sprinkle it wantonly in my cooking, but I wanted a cake that relied on it as a leading ingredient, not merely as a decorative flourish. Besides, with a rosemary loaf cake under my belt, I had no doubt that it would work. And it does. Don’t be alarmed at the amount of thyme in the cake batter, as it doesn’t overwhelm. It charms.

I’ve specified buttermilk in the ingredients list, but you can use runny plain yogurt in its stead. Or, easier still, make your own buttermilk — my fallback position — by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (since you will have lemons to hand for this recipe; otherwise you can use white wine vinegar or cider vinegar instead) to 250ml/1 cup semi-skimmed milk and letting it stand for 20 minutes before you need it, stirring before use.

Heavenly Buttermilk Cake

Now, a cautionary word: even when the cake looks bronzed and ready, you need to make sure that it’s cooked through around the funnel. Otherwise, not only will it be the devil to unmould, but you will also find the cake disappointingly undercooked (however brown it looks on the surface) once you slice into it.

Please note that we’ve now introduced a shopping feature with our friends at Ocado so that you can get your ingredients delivered direct to your door, if Ocado serves your area - check at ocado.com/postcode. We hope that this will make shopping for ’s recipe ingredients easier. For any queries related to your Ocado shop, head to ocado.com/customercare.

Please note that is not able to accept responsibility for any substitutions that Ocado may need to make as a result of stock availability or otherwise. For any queries, head to ocado.com/customercare.

Nigella's Gluten Free Clementine Cake Recipe

If you don’t have a bundt tin, then you can make this in a 20cm/8-inch square cake tin (approx. 5.5cm/2¼ inches deep). It makes quite a high cake, almost the full height of the tin, and takes between 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes at the oven temperature below (and check that it is cooked all the way through to the centre before removing it from the oven).

This cake can be frozen, without icing, for up to 3 months. Wrap cake in a double layer of clingfilm and a layer of foil. To defrost, unwrap and place on a wire rack at room temperature for about 5 hours.Most of the time I refer to this as my Cider and 5-Spice Gingerbread, but I changed the name out of concern for those who expect a little more gingeriness from their gingerbead (although anyone is free to boost the amount of ginger at will). But, actually, the tender crumb has the lightness of a cake rather than the damp heaviness (gorgeous though that is) of a gingerbread. Besides, I felt it only proper to accord the magnificently aromatic 5-spice seasoning its star role. I have since found that there are many variants of 5-spice powder out there. While generally I presume on a mixture of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel seeds, I also love the versions that have liquorice and dried mandarin peel. But what I’ve found is that all types work, even the one or two brands that erroneously add garlic: a couple of people (one here, and one in the States) have made it with this version, and both vouch that the garlic is not detectable. Still, when you’re shopping, it’s best to check the ingredients label and go for one without garlic if you can.

Either way, this is wonderful enough plain as it is, though I have something of a faiblesse for the gleaming accompaniment of Salted Caramel Sauce.

Nigella Lawson French Cake

Please note that we’ve now introduced a shopping feature with our friends at Ocado so that you can get your ingredients delivered direct to your door, if Ocado serves your area - check at ocado.com/postcode. We hope that this will make shopping for ’s recipe ingredients easier. For any queries related to your Ocado shop, head to ocado.com/customercare.

Please note that is not able to accept responsibility for any substitutions that Ocado may need to make as a result of stock availability or otherwise. For any queries, head to ocado.com/customercare.

You will need: 1 x 10-cup (2.5 litre capacity) bundt tin/pan or 1 x 20cm/8-inch square cake tin approx. 5.5cm/2 ¼-inches deep

The Half Cut Cook: Nigella Lawson's Cider And 5 Spice Bundt Cake

The cake can be kept loosely wrapped in its parchment and foil, in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 week.

The fully cooled cake can be tightly wrapped in a double layer of clingfilm and a layer of foil and then frozen for up to 3 months. To defrost, unwrap and place on a wire rack and leave at room temperature for about 5 hours.

If you don’t have a bundt tin, then you can make this in a 20cm/8-inch square cake tin (approx. 5.5cm/2¼ inches deep). It makes quite a high cake, almost the full height of the tin, and takes between 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes at the oven temperature below (and check that it is cooked all the way through to the centre before removing it from the oven).

This cake can be frozen, without icing, for up to 3 months. Wrap cake in a double layer of clingfilm and a layer of foil. To defrost, unwrap and place on a wire rack at room temperature for about 5 hours.Most of the time I refer to this as my Cider and 5-Spice Gingerbread, but I changed the name out of concern for those who expect a little more gingeriness from their gingerbead (although anyone is free to boost the amount of ginger at will). But, actually, the tender crumb has the lightness of a cake rather than the damp heaviness (gorgeous though that is) of a gingerbread. Besides, I felt it only proper to accord the magnificently aromatic 5-spice seasoning its star role. I have since found that there are many variants of 5-spice powder out there. While generally I presume on a mixture of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel seeds, I also love the versions that have liquorice and dried mandarin peel. But what I’ve found is that all types work, even the one or two brands that erroneously add garlic: a couple of people (one here, and one in the States) have made it with this version, and both vouch that the garlic is not detectable. Still, when you’re shopping, it’s best to check the ingredients label and go for one without garlic if you can.

Either way, this is wonderful enough plain as it is, though I have something of a faiblesse for the gleaming accompaniment of Salted Caramel Sauce.

Nigella Lawson French Cake

Please note that we’ve now introduced a shopping feature with our friends at Ocado so that you can get your ingredients delivered direct to your door, if Ocado serves your area - check at ocado.com/postcode. We hope that this will make shopping for ’s recipe ingredients easier. For any queries related to your Ocado shop, head to ocado.com/customercare.

Please note that is not able to accept responsibility for any substitutions that Ocado may need to make as a result of stock availability or otherwise. For any queries, head to ocado.com/customercare.

You will need: 1 x 10-cup (2.5 litre capacity) bundt tin/pan or 1 x 20cm/8-inch square cake tin approx. 5.5cm/2 ¼-inches deep

The Half Cut Cook: Nigella Lawson's Cider And 5 Spice Bundt Cake

The cake can be kept loosely wrapped in its parchment and foil, in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 week.

The fully cooled cake can be tightly wrapped in a double layer of clingfilm and a layer of foil and then frozen for up to 3 months. To defrost, unwrap and place on a wire rack and leave at room temperature for about 5 hours.