Nici Wickes’ best baking recipes

There’s just something about a sponge cake that fills you with delight! Nici Wickes’ mum made them often when she was growing up, with fillings of strawberries, passionfruit, peaches or whatever fruit was in season and always with plenty of whipped cream.

This pear and cinnamon cake recipe by Nici Wickes is quick and easy to make as a dessert, served with lashings of butterscotch sauce, of course!

This is one of those lemon yoghurt cakes that has it all – punchy flavour from the passionfruit and lemon, an incredible texture, and it keeps well. Nici Wickes’ lemon passionfruit cake is a winner

If the mention of yoghurt in this recipe makes you feel better about indulging in multiple wedges of it, me too! I’ve been making this cake for years as it is a fail-safe cake that has what I call “integrity” – ie it is deep and holds itself well over more than a few days without becoming dry or stale-tasting. Photography: Todd Eyre.

I make all sorts of banana loaves and cakes but this one is especially terrific. Somehow it is both robust and super-soft and fluffy. It also slices easily and stays fresh for days – not that it’ll last that long!

These scones really pack a punch with rocket and a double dose of cheese – feta in the scones and cheddar on the top. Slathered in butter, a warm scone is true comfort food, right?

Use a full-flavoured cheese for this recipe and you’ll be rewarded with an extremely tasty tart – great for lunch or a simple supper

Citrus tarts are a favourite with many, and my mum’s made her own version of Australian cook Stephanie Alexander’s tart recipe for years. It’s insanely silky and light as a feather.

Magnificent mums call for only the most magnificent cakes! This is an easy chocolate cake to bake and once generously filled with lashings of cocoa-laced whipped cream, drizzled with white chocolate ganache and topped with roasted rhubarb to add a slightly tart note, it is truly spectacular.

These make a change from a whole carrot cake, which can take ages to cook and is quite a mouthful, so to speak! They’re moist and full of goodness.

I don’t think we ever went on a family picnic without a bacon and egg pie wrapped in a tea towel to keep it vaguely warm until it was devoured. Mum, like her mother, is adamant that this pie should contain only the essentials – none of this tomato, peas, onion or cheese nonsense. It’s still a family favourite and slabs of this get demolished in seconds whenever Mum makes it.

This tart is super-simple to make and whenever I serve it up for friends, they always ask for the recipe. It’s the most divinely textured and flavoured tart and perfect as a dessert or anytime sweet treat!

This is a moist and rich chocolate cake that is easy to bake. Although we don’t need an excuse to eat cake, the inclusion of beetroot makes it packed full of good nutrients to ward off any winter ailments!

I can still remember making this slice as a young girl. I’m sure I created a terrible mess in the kitchen but the reward was always worth it!

This slice is wickedly moreish, so don’t blame me if you can’t stop at one piece! The creaminess of the mascarpone studded with tart fresh raspberries makes this a truly decadent treat.

Growing up, we called them “tree tomatoes”, a reference to their colour and shape. A name change to tamarillo and this tart, fleshy autumn fruit remains one of my favourites to eat and cook with

Yes, you read that right, this apple pie has a hint of sharp aged cheddar added and it is a taste sensation!

This is a gorgeously comforting cake. It makes an ideal dessert option when served warm with fresh bananas. Photography by Todd Eyre

There’s no other way to say it – this cake is magical! The way the simple batter settles into layers of custard and sponge seems impossible, and yet it works beautifully.

This silky chocolate tart is a firm favourite and is criminally easy to make!