Marian Keyes’ new baking book has the wit we expect from her chick lit with creative recipes as gorgeous as the Cath Kidston fabrics in the pictures. Watch out Rachel Allen – there’s a new Irish baker in town!
Does cake make you happy? I’ve certainly noticed peoples eyes’ light up when I tell them what I do, the discussion of home made cakes, cookies and biscuits would appear to be a universally accepted topic of conversation akin to the weather or X Factor.
Now Marian Keyes you may be more familiar with as the writer of chunky page turning novels like Sushi for Beginners and Rachel’s Holiday. If you’ve read her autobiographical short writings in Under the Duvet, you’ll also know that she’s a lady who’s met a few demons in her life.
Saved by Cake is a treatise to baking yourself happier with whisks and spatulas and the warm glow from the oven. Whilst no-one is claiming any scientific evidence for baking conquering mental illness, focussing on a short term creative project is a kind of therapy most of us can relate to.
This is a stunningly pretty book featuring 80 baking recipes. Chapters include classics, cupcakes, pastry, chocolate, meringue and macaroons all introduced in Marian’s familiar chatty style. Expertly styled, stamped with personality graphics and stuffed with recipes like Fridge Set Honeycomb Cheesecake, Slightly Sinister Star Anise Cupcakes (!) and Puff Pastry Pineapple “Tarte Tatin”.
Marian’s publisher has been kind enough to let me share with you one of her divine cheesecake recipes which I will share with you in the next week along with a more detailed review.
Giveaway #41: Win a copy of Marian Keyes’ baking book Saved by Cake
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Nelly says
I think all cake cheers me up, something which someone has obviously put a lot of thought into, not necessarily the prettiest but the most thoughtful.
Or the ones I make myself, nothing cheers me up like a few hours in the kitchen and the look on peoples faces when I give them cake!
Karen says
I LOVE baking, it makes me feel at one with the world: hot Aga, free-range eggs, flour and creamy butter…..pot of coffee and my music…..nobody around,and then the smiles on my friend’s and family’s faces when they sample my cakey efforts! LOVE it!
Karen
Tracy Nixon says
A Fondant Fancy (or a ‘dimple’ as we used to say when we were little!) The pink and yellow are my favourite and you can even buy a HUGE Fondant Fancy celebration cake now wooooo!
Solange says
Anything soft and gooey in the middle, love to dig in and get a surprise.
Lorraine Bishop says
Chocolate cake always does the trick
amy marantino says
coffee cake with lots of crumbs
Corina says
It’s got to be my mum’s chocolate cake if someone else is making it for me. Otherwise, making any new cake successfully for the first time gives me a boost.
Anschel G says
Black Forest Gateau/Cake or a nice moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting.
Ashleigh Allan says
chocolate cake!
helen rhoads says
Lemon cake does the trick
Maggie says
Lemon drizzle because it reminds me of spring and sunshine!
Claire says
A chocolate cake which isn’t too sweet.
Rhoda says
Carrot cake – LOVE IT!
Melissa says
Chocolate raspberry ganache cake – my mom makes it for me every time I get to fly home!
Jo Romero says
A victoria sponge with cream and raspberries in the middle. Yum!
Carolin says
Chocolate Fudge Cake 🙂
Sarah says
Baking cupcakes with my sister always cheers us both up 🙂
Meritxell says
the cake that cheers me up is any lemon sponge or a lemon mousse that makes my tastebuds go nuts!!!! 😛
liz denial says
chocolate
Rachael Simmons says
The gorgeous pastel cupcakes we tried (and are going to have) for our wedding!! 😀
Stephanie Tsang says
Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting
SUSAN says
LEMON CAKE
STUART HARGREAVES says
CHEESECAKE – IRRISISTABLE
Tink Rhonda Lee Mse says
Cheese cake.
Tiff Jordan says
For me it has to be lemony – drizzle, cupcakes, or- the best – lemon sponge with lemon curd and fresh cream mmmmmmm
Jessica Brown says
Only chocolate cake!!
Karen Railton says
carrot cake
Hilda Hazel Wright says
Warm choc fudge cake with fresh cream nomnomnom!
maureen findley says
carrot cake
Cher Waite says
Cheesecake – any topping is fine with me, ahhh the texture combined with the crumbly digestivey bit!
Lynda Sanderson says
Baking is a way to give and receive love / friendship / reasons to visit / reason to say thank you / make the house/ home smell fun and interesting /
I love baking, experimenting with flavours, teaching my grandson, feel worthy,
My favourite cake would be the one I’ve just made but I do love a tangy lemon
Jo Young says
Chocolate cake with lots of buttercream
Lou Chambers says
Lemon cake 🙂
lucy clark says
I love baking when im feeling down it always seems to lift me – my favourite baking is when I do a nice big sponge cake (my personal favourite is coffee) My mum asked me to show her how i make mine the other day as hers come out like a pancake so we are going to have a day of baking together next time I get a day off – I cant wait!!
Judith Cimino says
Cherry and almond loaf – perfect comfort food!
Ruth Tesdale says
Chocolate cake
jennifer thorpe says
my husbands bakewell cake that he makes – absolutely gorgeous
Georgina Ball says
A Devonshire honey cake, too scrumptious not too cheer you up!
Rosemary Easton says
Chocolate!!
James Holyland says
COCONUT SPONGE
Kelly Koya says
Cheesecake!
Victoria Boland says
Lemon drizzle for me.
Margaret says
It has to be my own homemade Lemon & Lime drizzle cake….. its gorgeous.
Julie says
Victoria Sponge
Lesley-Ann Dunn says
Chocolate fudge cake
katie thomas says
Anything chocalatey 🙂
Stephanie Boulton says
Iced fruitcake
tracey horrex says
Has to be gooey choclate cake
Julie Davies says
Lemon drizzle cake
Solange says
Chocolate cupcakes
Katie says
Oooh, a lemon drizzle!
Katie xox
Vanessa says
Red velvet. Nom nom.
Jay Scales says
Got to be a lemon one – I make a victoria sponge, but substitute lemon juice and zest for the milk and vanilla, then fill with lemon curd and lemon buttercream. Yummy!
Rachael Barratt says
A red velvet cupcake is my ultimate pickmeup
Joanna Coleshill says
Lemon cake – it’s so zingy and fresh
Helen maddock says
got to be a lovely cupcake
Nina Crozier says
A really nice gooey chocolate cake. The type your mum or grandma makes. Nothing better than a cuppa and a slice of that.
Janice says
Coffee and Walnut Cake
Susie says
Love making chocolate cake but a Battenburg cheers me up – reminds me of being a kid!
Liese says
Not very good at making cakes but i enjoy trying – I love Nutty cakes
Eleanor says
Carrot cake is lovely :o)
Jacquie Bennett says
Carrot Cake, I LOVE IT!
Amber R says
A lemon loaf cake cheers me up the most.
Carol Peace says
Lovely Victoria Sponge does it for me.
nadia alex says
chocolate fudge cake!! mmm 😀
bakingaddict says
peanut butter and chocolate cake
kate lancaster says
Decorated cupcakes – preferably with sprinkles 🙂
Lisa Wilkinson says
Vanilla Cheesecake…everytime!
Linda Pollock says
Chocolate cupcakes
..
Katie Pollock says
Chocolate cupcakes
..
Andrew Hindley says
Victoria Sponge Cake
Claire Jackson says
My favourite cake has got to be lemon drizzle but I can be tempted with a chocolate one too!!
iain maciver says
a big sponge cream cake
helen says
coffee and walnut cake Mmmmm!
Emma Howard says
A gooey chocolate cake!
Claire Smith says
Spiced apple cake – rich, moist and packed with cinnamon and juicy apples xx
Amy says
Has to be chocolate fudge cake
claire woods says
Chocolate
Sally Smith says
chocolate cake!
Molly says
Any flavour at all, but my favourite kind is when my friend secretly leaves me a cupcake on my desk to cheer me up!
LUCY IRVING says
chocolate
Lyndsey B says
For me it has to be a coffee cake: no one seems to like coffee cake, so I dont buy or make it too often, otherwise Id eat it all myself! I seldom see it for sale either, so I dont buy it too often either, however, when I do see it for sale, I love to buy it and cheer myself up with the rare treat!
Natasha G says
I like New York-style cheesecake 🙂
Robin Brooksbank says
Chocolate fudge cake cheers me the most
Tracy Hanley says
It would have to be fudge cake its so yummy
Becky says
Chocolate brownie cheesecake
Caroline says
Chocolate cake always works for me!
Katie Pollock says
chocolate cheese cake
Linda Pollock says
the same as blob
Cristina McDowall says
chocolate!
Susan Williams says
Coffee and walnut cake every time for me !
Joanna says
Polish home-made chocolate cake (made with real cocoa, not some ‘flavoured’ varieties!).
Can I be cheeky and also say, baked cheesecake with blueberry coulis……
Heather Shaw says
chocolate brownies
Jenny Eyre says
Carrot cake
laura banks says
tiramasu always does it for me
Jen N says
Most kind of cakes but especially home made carrot cake!
Laura Carroll says
CHOCOLATE cake 🙂 Though pretty much any cake cheers me up!
Amanda Carter says
My favourite cake would have to be a chocolate fresh cream gateau
DJK says
Got be gooey chocolate brownies for me or lemon drizzle cake
helena haddock says
chocolate fudge cake
Jackie Foster says
Goooey Ginger Cake x
Nancy Townsend says
Carrot cake with walnuts and lots of yogurty topping.
anne brookes says
Jaffa Cakes !!!
Sarah Cooper says
chocolate cake
Christina says
Chocolate cake
jason savage says
lemon cake so refreshingly zingy 🙂
Laura says
Battenburg
Jaseos Harpos says
Birthday cake! Any kind – it’s the occasion that matters.
Katy spence says
Currently loving Madiera cake, I have just learnt how to bake AND ice a double layered..its cake crack!!
Maya Russell says
My mother makes the most delicious Sacher Torte with apricot jam and soaked in lots of alcohol!
Danielle Vedmore says
Would have to be home made vanilla cupcakes with american style frosting. Totally yummy! xoxo
Linda Pollock says
cheesecake
Katie Pollock says
chocolate muffins cake
Zoe Howarth says
Lemon buttercream cake
Sonia Mahon says
The cake that most cheers me up is a Victoria Sponge Cake traditional but so lush!
siobhan marie says
has to be my grandmas hand made coffee cake! theres nobody who does it like her 🙂 yummy and a family tradition yay . use to love going when i was younger on a friday tea time knowing my piece was waiting <3
Lindsey Jones says
Bakewell tarts
Donna Gilligan says
Good old Chocolate
Cathy Glynn says
I love cherry Madeira cake
Ursula Bingham says
Walnut cake with a butter icing topping
Emma Sant says
Chocolate cake cheers me up. 🙂
Sarah Robertson says
My Mums chocolate cake always cheers me up, as she only makes it for special occasions, so when that cake comes out you knows its a special time 🙂
lorraine polley says
i love carrot cake with proper cream cheese topping, and small carrots!!!!!
Patricia Avery says
My Mum’s ‘rough cake’ recipe never fails to cheer me up when I make it. It is a poor man’s Christmas cake thought up by her when I was little and times were tough. I actually prefer it to the real thing.
Lewis Pearce says
battenburg
Karly Phillips says
The dairy free chocolate butterfly cakes my sister makes me. My baby girl is milk protein intolerant so until shes weaned I’m dairy free and sometimes its so depressing, this special treat always cheers me up.
vicky haddock says
Carrot Cake,
Katie Pollock says
hi
Linda Pollock says
yes blob
Sarah Burke says
I absolutely love cake, and just baking a beautiful cake is enough to cheer me up! Nothing is more spirit lifting though than a cake I make with a dark chocolate sponge and white chocolate ganache. Mmmmmmmm.
Linda says
Chocolate Victoria sandwich with chocolate butter icing decorated with Smarties!
Karen says
Any kind of cake, but I do particularly love Coffee and walnut cake
Jennifer Schofield says
Carrot cake!
Elizabeth Smith says
lemon drizzle cake – extra zingy!
Gillian Holmes says
Carrot Cake
kath v says
lemon drizzle cake for me please
clair says
Love cheesecake!
Antonia Rookley says
Homemade courgette and lemon drizzle cake – delish!
SUSAN HALL says
Chocolate sponge cake with hazelnut buttercream … yum
phillippa lee says
Carrot cake – makes me feel healthy and good but still delicious.
Alison says
Vanilla cupcakes with fancy icing
Phyllis Ellett says
Chocolate cake, oh so makes me happy
Sarah Peacock says
I’m addicted to any sort of banana cake – just can’t get enough!
Eleanor Jones says
Classic victoria sponge with stawberries and cream 🙂
Sheri Darby says
My mum’s chessecake
DANA says
rich chocolate cake
Laura Pritchard says
My mum’s chocolate cake with cream in the middle!
Paula Phillips says
A coconut sponge full of buttercream.
fiona gray says
I love a good coffee cake and because not many people like them there is always more for me 🙂
michaela says
Cupcakes because they are cute 🙂
Sue says
Carrot cake with frosted icing
Linda Pollock says
lovely cakes
Katie Pollock says
the same as my mum
olivia kirby says
pumpkin cake
Emma Wellington-Green says
Any cake as long as it’s moist!
Amy says
All cake is amazing! But especially cupcakes, I adore them. Vanilla has to be the best, followed by a sweet cinnamon one, yum.
katherine grieve says
cherry and almond cake
Katherine Coldicott says
Coffee and Walnut cake
rachel humphries says
Chocolate fudge cake – Love it
Robyn Clarke says
Chocolate Mayonaise Cake, mmmm
Susan Bowe says
cheesecake
c tindale says
chocolate!!
Renee Armstrong says
Chocolate !!!!
linda curtis says
i love lemon drizzle cake the stronger the lemon the better
but i would never turn down cake
Claire Butler says
carrot cake with frosting
Greig spencer says
Chocolate fudge cake
Kate Grimwood says
Cupcakes!
Suzanne sendell says
Lemon every day mmmmmm
Hazel Rush says
Chocolate fudge cake always cheers me up!!
Charlotte Brumpton says
carrot cake cheers me up 🙂
NICOLA T says
Lemon cake for me :o)
tamalyn roberts says
home made lemon cake , yummy
Alison says
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Hayley Todd says
The cake that can always be relied upon to cheer me up is chocolate cake with lots of whipped cream on the side
Nancy Bradford says
birthday cake 🙂
Janine Atkin says
chocolate cake with a dollop of ice cream
Iris says
chocolate mud cake
Angie says
Salted caramel
Lyndsey Allison says
Cheese cake 🙂 (just wish there were fewer calories!)
Samantha Ripley says
Chocolate fudge cake yum yum
helen rosbotham says
Coffee and Walnut so rich and yummy!
Beth says
cupcakes with coconut icing
Michelle Rayner says
I love battenburg – great colours and hmmmm marzipan
zoe hargreaves says
chocolate
Paul Witney says
I love apple cake. I can kid myself it’s a little bit healthy!
Holly Green says
Pineapple upside down cake!
Rebecca Jayne Smith says
Carrot cake…yummy!
kelly woolfrey says
cupcakes of any type are my favourite cakes!! im so naughty when it comes down to cupcakes! best thing ever invented!!
Katie Pollock says
a lovely cheesecake
Linda Pollock says
the same here
Ruth Longville says
My favourite cake that cheers me up is a lovely homemade Fruit Scone with clotted cream and jam x
cakephilosopher says
Lardy cake most cheers me up – its something about the large fat content and huge amounts of sugar – plus it reminds me of summers with my great aunt x
Rachel Blackburn says
Fairy cakes
Champaklal Lad says
Strawberry Cheese Cake
leanne says
cupcakes lemon drizzle and i would like to have a go at a battenburg when i can afford to get a lovely tin to enable me to make it the best i can
Caz says
Always chocolate cake!
Sarah Louise J says
Carrot cupcakes! 🙂
DENISE CROSS says
carrot cake is my favourite
Jackie Rushton says
Chocolate fudge cake
JENNIFER BAKER says
Chocolate cake Mmmm