Rise and shine: Skye Gyngell on the secret of better bread

The smell of baking is enough to put a smile on anyone's face– and biting into bread and cakes fresh from the oven will keep it there, says Skye Gyngell

I tend to bake only the simplest things – little cakes for my children on their birthdays, say. My mother used to bake the same for me – simple loaves of bread, usually ginger, banana or coconut cakes.

I like my baking not too sweet, without icing, meaning it is of the very lightest consistency and can be eaten still warm. In my opinion, cakes and breads should be eaten on the day of baking, as they very rarely taste as good the following day.

Skye Gyngell is head chef at Petersham Nurseries, Church Lane, Richmond, Surrey, tel: 020 8605 3627, www.petershamnurseries.com

Fairy cakes

Makes 25 small cakes

For the sponge

400g/13oz softened, unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
400g/13oz caster sugar
8 eggs
400g/13oz self-raising flour

For the filling

150ml/5fl oz double cream
A dollop of jam of your choice per cake
Icing sugar, for dusting

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4. Place the butter, vanilla extract and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs lightly in a separate bowl and slowly pour into the butter mix. If the mixture begins to curdle, simply add a little of the flour. Once the eggs and sugar have been mixed well, slowly fold in the flour a little at a time.

Place about 25 paper cupcake cases on a baking tray and fill halfway with the sponge mixture (it will rise). Place in the hot oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Test the sponge is cooked by inserting a small sharp knife into one of the cakes. It should come out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

For the filling, whip the cream. Using a sharp knife, remove a small circle of sponge from the top of the cakes. Slice the circle in half and fill the hole with a small spoonful of jam and cream. Place the wings on top and dust generously with the icing sugar.

Soda bread

My favourite way to eat this is warm from the oven with unsalted butter and a pinch of salt sprinkled over the top. It is delicious, too, with butter and a dollop of marmalade.

Makes 2 loaves

570g/18oz stoneground wholemeal flour

570g/18oz plain white flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp bread soda
800ml/28fl oz buttermilk

Heat the oven to 230C/450F/Gas8. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in most of the buttermilk quickly and in one go. Working from the centre, mix with your hands adding a little more milk if it is dry. When the dough is soft but not sticky to the touch, turn out on to a floured work surface and knead lightly into a round shape.

Using your hand, flatten slightly until it is no more than 5cm deep. Place on a baking tray, mark with a deep cross, put on the middle shelf of the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200C/400F/Gas6 and cook for a further 20 minutes, or until cooked. You can test this by tapping the loaf underneath; it should sound hollow. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before eating.

Gingerbread

This is best served in the afternoon with a well-earned cup of tea.

Serves 8

3 tbsp milk
11/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
45g/2oz sultanas
60g/21/2oz ginger, preserved in syrup, chopped finely
120g/4oz dark brown sugar
120g/4oz unsalted butter
2 eggs
200ml/7fl oz treacle
200g/7oz plain flour

Heat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas3. Start by warming the milk gently with the bicarbonate of soda. When warm, remove from the stove and add the sultanas and ginger. In a mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating after each addition. Stir in the treacle, followed by the flour. Finish by stirring in the warmed milk and pour into a lined loaf tin. Place in the oven for one to one-and-a-half hours. Remove and cool on a wire rack.