Tuck into a hearty slice of victoria sponge, an old-school bowl of apple crumble topped with custard or a summery fruit trifle. Whether you're craving something warm and comforting or sophisticated and impressive, we have a pudding to suit. Our classic British dessert recipes are the perfect mix of light and fruity and satisfyingly stodgy.

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Find your favourite storecupboard staples and simple bakes with our easy dessert recipes or create something extra-special with our best showstopping cake recipes.


Best British desserts

Chocolate sponge with hot chocolate sauce

Make this comforting storecupboard sponge for an easy chocolate dessert for the whole family.

Easy Chocolate Sponge Recipe

Sticky toffee pudding

The scent of a warm sticky toffee pudding from the oven is enough to make anyone's mouth water. Use Medjool dates if you can – they have a lovely natural toffee flavour and sticky texture. A spongey square of this comforting pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is our ideal Sunday afternoon treat.

A bowl of sticky pudding topped with a dollop of cream, plus a jug of toffee sauce and a baking tray of sticky toffee pudding

Treacle sponge

Make this absolute hug-in-a-bowl British pudding, with lots of fresh lemon zest to cut through the sweet, gooey sponge. Perfect for a Sunday lunch dessert.

Easy Treacle Sponge Pudding Recipe

Bread pudding

This comforting old-school dessert will never go out of style, plus it's simple to whip up and makes great use of left-over stale bread.

A square ceramic dish filled with bread pudding next to a smaller bowl containing a serving of pudding and an ice cream scoop

Old-school apple crumble

This simple, traditional dessert is a firm family favourite and you won't go wrong with this foolproof recipe. Serve with lashings of custard or a hearty scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Apple crumble in an oval baking dish

Toast, tea and marmalade bread and butter pudding

What could be more comforting than tea and toast? Tea and toast bread and butter pudding! The sweet, citrussy addition of marmalade adds an extra zing to this squidgy, golden pud.

A black baking dish filled with slices of baked bread with marmalade

Classic Swiss roll

Enjoy a light and airy sponge, coated in crunchy sugar and bursting with fruity jam for a vintage teatime treat. Leaving your sponge to cool while rolled up will make it easier to roll without cracking later on. Elevate this school-day favourite with a batch of homemade strawberry jam.

A swiss roll on a white board with empty side plates on the side and a dessert knife

Bread and butter pudding

Try our best bread and butter pudding recipe with vanilla and sultanas. This homely English classic will put a smile on everyone's faces. Serve with clotted cream for an extra-luxurious touch.

Easy Bread and Butter Pudding Recipe

Buttermilk burnt rice pudding

Try this mash-up of two classics; rice pudding and burnt Cambridge cream. You don’t have to caramelise the top but it adds a lovely crunch.

Burnt buttermilk rice pudding

Easy treacle tart

This simple recipe for a classic treacle tart is perfect for Sunday lunch with family and friends. Make it using just five ingredients and serve with a dollop of ice cream.

Classic Treacle Tart Recipe

Bakewell tart

Create a classic British bakewell tart with step-by-step help and our expert advice. Try this recipe with other seasonal fruits such as strawberries or cherries, if you've mastered the traditional version. The layer of golden frangipane adds a nutty flavour to balance the sweet fruit.

Bakewell Tart Recipe

The best victoria sponge

Follow these easy steps to get a classic jam and cream victoria sponge sandwich that is lighter than air. A slice of this simple sponge is perfect for afternoon tea or an after-dinner indulgence.

Victoria sponge with raspberry jam

Banoffee pie

We know you love this classic olive magazine recipe – it's been one of our most popular recipes for years! Banoffee pie is a much loved family-favourite. This delicious dish is packed with banana, cream and an oaty-biscuit base, decorated with a drizzle of dark chocolate.

Banoffee Pie Recipe

Easy carrot cake

Take some inspiration from the allotment with our squidgy carrot cake. Everyone loves the spiced flavour of the sponge and creamy frosting. We use muscovado sugar for a rich flavour, golden sultanas and pecans for texture and a shot of syrup to sweeten the buttercream.

More like this
Carrot Cake Recipe with Muscovado Sugar

Eton mess

Nothing says 'British summer time' quite like a creamy eton mess. Layers of crunchy meringue, sweet strawberries and fresh cream are rippled together to create a quick and easy dessert in just 10 minutes. Use homemade meringues if you have time to go the extra mile. Try combining two classic sweets with our rhubarb and custard eton mess.

Eton mess recipe

Summer fruit trifle

Trifle is as British as an afternoon cup of tea and our seasonal version is a technicolour trip back in time. This masterful assembly job features chunks of chocolate swiss roll laced with cassis and sherry, strawberry jelly, fresh summer berries, ready-made custard, cream and the obligatory hundreds and thousands.

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Fruit Trifle Recipe

Boozy knickerbocker glory

When the sun start shining, whip up our towering boozy knickerbocker glory with Pimm's jelly. This will be a hit with adults! Dip the wafer in icing or melted chocolate, then in sprinkles, if you like.

Boozy Knickerbocker Glory Recipe

Authors

Janine Ratcliffe Portrait
Janine RatcliffeFood director

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