I’m not sure if anyone else encounters snacking emergencies as much as I do, but I am always looking for quick ideas that mean I can bake, but also not wait ages to actually eat some of it. So much so I wrote a whole book on it, but I think you all know about that already*!
I always end up coming back to baking myself, as I love it and no matter how tired or unwell I am or how busy, homemade bakes are ALWAYS better than store bought. I am perpetually disappointed by the things I buy out (a few pastries and breads notwithstanding, thank you Flour Shop 🧡🙏🏻), and am often frustrated by how unsatisfied store bought baked goods can be.
I mean we all know that eating that much sugar and butter isn’t exactly good for us, so if I am going to eat it, it’s GOT to be worth it and I want to enjoy it and not feel like I just wasted my time/money/sugar intake with that random cookie or piece of cake that looked nice but did not follow through with flavour.
So with all that said, here are a few suggestions for quick, simple and tasty bakes that you can make even when you are low on time/energy/motivation/the desire to actually stand up for too long.
Get some bought shortcrust pastry (buy as good as you possibly can or the pastry may end up falling into my ‘store bought bakes aren’t good’ thing, see above) and make jam tarts (pictured above), which are as simple as cutting out rounds of pastry to fit whatever size cupcake type tray you have, fill with jam and bake at 180 degrees Celsius until the pastry has cooked (10-15 mins). Little free form jam tarts like hamantaschen are a great option if you find yourself without any cupcake type trays to use - just make sure you chill them before baking and yours will look better than mine did!
Messy but Easy Cheats Hamantaschen
Some homemade pastry is easy to make if you feel like spending a little more time in the kitchen, and can be easily frozen too. Some recipes like this sour cream one work for sweet and savoury bakes and would make a lovely free form tart. The anchovy twists are made using the sour cream pastry, the original recipe is in Now For Something Sweet by Monday Morning Cooking Club (video of them making them and this pastry here!).
Anchovy Twists using easy Sour Cream Pastry from Now for Something Sweet by Monday Morning Cooking Club
Super easy oil based biscuits are a great time saver that yield delicious results. One time I saw my friend make my Caramilk Cookies while her baby was napping, it was a mega nap (thank you nap Gods), but still, these cookies were prepared, out of the oven and partially eaten by the time said baby woke from her slumber and it would have still been fine if she ended up sleeping for less time (for the cookies I mean, not for her parents (obviously)). If you have my cookbook Everyday Bakes the Choc Chip Cookies on page 58 are also a super easy oil based biscuit.
Caramilk Cookies
Easy cakes notably those that are oil based also make for a fuss free bake. Oil based cakes mean no waiting for butter to soften, or realising you have no butter so now need to go to the shops and this wanting to bake thing just got a whole lot less quick and easy. If you take a look at this Rose Cake, this is the kind of cake I am talking about. The I Love Lemon Cake in my eBook Cosy Winter Bakes also falls into this category, as does the Blood Orange Cake in my free eBook Seasonal Cakes and Bakes.
Yoghurt, buttermilk, sour cream or creme fraiche can be used in this kind of recipe, and the size of the tin you use will determine the length of the cook time. So if you have time, bake in a 20cm round tin for 50 mins. If that sounds like too long for you, bake in a tray to make a slab/sheet cake and you’ll shave about 20 mins off the cook time. Same goes for cupcakes which would take about 20-25 minutes to bake!
Blood Orange Yoghurt Cake from my free eBook Seasonal Cakes and Bakes
* if you are new here, firstly Hi! It’s so lovely to have you. Secondly I wrote and self published a cookbook last year called ‘Everyday Bakes’ that contains recipes for bakes and a few snacks that won’t take up all your time but taste really good. Some of the recipes are a bit more involved than my suggestions above, but definitely still come under the ‘easy’ banner. There are still a few copies left, you can find out more and get yourself a copy here.