13 Classic British Desserts and Bakes That Taste Like a Cozy English Tea Room
Few things feel as comforting as a proper British pudding with a pot of tea. British desserts are not fancy or fussy. They are warm, buttery, a little old fashioned and made to be shared at the kitchen table. Think sticky toffee sauce, jam and cream, lemon glaze and flaky pastry. For more teatime ideas, see our cookie recipes everyone should bake once. Ready to put the kettle on? Here are the classic bakes every home baker should try at least once..
Banoffee Pie, a Favorite Among British Desserts
Banoffee pie was invented in an English pub in the 1970s and quickly became one of the most loved British desserts. The name mixes banana and toffee, and that is exactly what you get. A crunchy biscuit base, a thick layer of soft toffee, sliced bananas and a cloud of whipped cream. No oven needed, and it disappears fast.
You will need: 8 oz digestive biscuits or graham crackers, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 can dulce de leche, 3 ripe bananas, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1 tbsp powdered sugar, grated chocolate.
How to make it: Crush the biscuits and mix with the melted butter. Press into a pie dish and chill 20 minutes. Spread the dulce de leche over the base. Slice the bananas on top. Whip the cream with the sugar and pile it over the bananas. Grate chocolate on top and chill 1 hour before slicing.
Sticky Toffee Pudding, Queen of British Desserts
If one dessert could win the title of national favorite, sticky toffee pudding would be a strong contender. It is a soft, moist date sponge soaked in warm toffee sauce. The dates melt into the batter so nobody even notices them. Serve it hot with vanilla ice cream or a splash of cream. Honestly, could anything be cozier on a rainy night?
You will need: 1 cup chopped dates, 3/4 cup boiling water, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder. Sauce: 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup cream.
How to make it: Soak the dates in the boiling water with the baking soda for 10 minutes. Beat the butter and sugar, then add the eggs. Mix in the flour, baking powder and the dates with their water. Bake in a greased dish at 350F for 30 minutes. Simmer the sauce ingredients for 3 minutes and pour over the warm pudding.
Victoria Sponge Cake
Named after Queen Victoria, who loved a slice with her afternoon tea, this cake is simple and perfect. Two light butter sponges are sandwiched with raspberry jam and whipped cream, then dusted with sugar. It is the cake you will find at every village fair and garden party in England. Would you add fresh strawberries too, or keep it classic? It is one of those British desserts that never goes out of style.
You will need: 1 cup soft butter, 1 cup sugar, 4 eggs, 1 3/4 cups self rising flour, 2 tbsp milk, 1/2 cup raspberry jam, 1 cup heavy cream whipped, powdered sugar.
How to make it: Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the flour and milk. Divide between two greased 8 inch pans and bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool. Spread one cake with jam and cream, top with the other and dust with powdered sugar.
Cherry Bakewell Tart, One of the Prettiest British Desserts
The Bakewell tart comes from the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire. It is a buttery pastry case filled with jam and a soft almond sponge called frangipane. The iced version with a cherry on top is a nostalgic treat many Brits remember from childhood lunchboxes. This homemade one is even better. Almond lovers, this is one of the British desserts for you.
You will need: 1 sheet shortcrust pastry, 1/3 cup raspberry or cherry jam, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 cup ground almonds, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp almond extract, icing and glace cherries.
How to make it: Line a tart pan with pastry and spread the jam over the base. Beat the butter and sugar, add the eggs, almonds, flour and almond extract. Spread over the jam. Bake at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes until golden. Cool, then drizzle with icing and top with cherries.
Treacle Tart
Harry Potter fans may know treacle tart as a favorite dessert at Hogwarts, but it has been a British classic for over a hundred years. The filling is golden syrup thickened with breadcrumbs and brightened with lemon. It sounds plain, yet it tastes like warm, chewy caramel. A lattice top makes it look extra special for guests.
You will need: 1 1/2 sheets shortcrust pastry, 1 1/2 cups golden syrup, 2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs, zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1 egg beaten, pinch of ginger.
How to make it: Line a tart pan with pastry. Warm the golden syrup until runny, then stir in the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, juice and ginger. Pour into the case. Cut the extra pastry into strips and make a lattice. Brush with egg. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Serve warm with custard or cream.
Scones With Jam and Clotted Cream
A proper cream tea means warm scones, strawberry jam and thick clotted cream. Here is a fun debate: in Devon they put cream first, then jam. In Cornwall it is jam first, then cream. Quick poll: which team are you? A) Cream first B) Jam first C) Butter only D) I just want to eat it. These scones rise tall and split easily. Scones are the heart of British desserts at teatime.
You will need: 2 cups self rising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup cold butter, 2 tbsp sugar, 2/3 cup milk, 1 egg, strawberry jam and clotted cream to serve.
How to make it: Rub the butter into the flour and baking powder until sandy. Stir in the sugar, then the milk to make a soft dough. Pat out to 1 inch thick and cut rounds without twisting. Brush with beaten egg. Bake at 425F for 10 to 12 minutes until tall and golden.
Lemon Drizzle Cake
Lemon drizzle is the cake that always sells out first at a school bake sale. It is a soft loaf cake poked all over and soaked with lemon and sugar while still warm. The sugar sets into a crunchy, tangy crust on top. It is bright, simple and lovely with a cup of tea on a gray afternoon. Many people say it is the most underrated of all British desserts.
You will need: 3/4 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 cups self rising flour, zest of 2 lemons, 1/4 cup milk. Drizzle: juice of 2 lemons, 1/2 cup sugar.
How to make it: Beat the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and lemon zest. Fold in the flour and milk. Bake in a lined loaf pan at 350F for 45 minutes. Poke holes all over the warm cake with a skewer. Mix the lemon juice and sugar and spoon it over. Cool in the pan.
Coffee and Walnut Cake
Coffee and walnut cake is a tea room favorite that grown ups adore. The sponge is flavored with strong coffee and full of chopped walnuts, then covered in coffee buttercream. It is not too sweet and has a lovely nutty crunch. Are you a coffee cake person, or do you always go for chocolate?
You will need: 1 cup soft butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 4 eggs, 1 3/4 cups self rising flour, 2 tbsp instant coffee in 2 tbsp hot water, 3/4 cup chopped walnuts. Frosting: 3/4 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tbsp coffee mix.
How to make it: Beat the butter and sugar, add the eggs, then fold in the flour, coffee and walnuts. Bake in two 8 inch pans at 350F for 25 minutes. Beat the frosting ingredients until fluffy. Sandwich and top the cakes with frosting and decorate with walnut halves.
Eccles Cakes
Eccles cakes are small round pastries from the town of Eccles near Manchester. Flaky puff pastry is wrapped around a buttery filling of currants and spice, then baked with a sugary top. In the north of England they are often eaten with a slice of sharp cheese. Sweet and salty together, it really works.
You will need: 1 sheet puff pastry, 1 cup currants, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp melted butter, 1/2 tsp mixed spice or cinnamon, zest of 1 orange, 1 egg white, sugar for sprinkling.
How to make it: Mix the currants, brown sugar, butter, spice and zest. Cut the pastry into 4 inch circles. Put a spoon of filling in the middle, gather the edges and pinch closed. Flip over and flatten gently. Cut two slits on top, brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400F for 15 to 18 minutes.
Mince Pies, the Christmas Star of British Desserts
No British Christmas is complete without a plate of mince pies. Despite the name, there is no meat inside. The filling is a spiced mix of dried fruit, apple, citrus and brown sugar. They are left out for Father Christmas on Christmas Eve, along with a carrot for the reindeer. Do you leave treats out for Santa at your house?
You will need: 1 lb shortcrust pastry, 1 1/2 cups mincemeat (store bought or homemade), 1 egg beaten, powdered sugar.
How to make it: Roll the pastry thin and cut 12 large circles for the bases and 12 small stars or circles for the tops. Press the bases into a muffin tin. Fill each with a spoon of mincemeat. Add the tops and brush with egg. Bake at 400F for 15 to 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar.
Bread and Butter Pudding From Old British Desserts Cookbooks
Bread and butter pudding was born from British thrift, a clever way to use up stale bread. Buttered slices are layered with raisins and soaked in a sweet vanilla custard, then baked until puffed and golden on top. The inside stays soft and creamy. It costs very little and tastes like pure comfort, which is why so many British desserts are made this way.
You will need: 8 slices white bread, 3 tbsp soft butter, 1/3 cup raisins, 3 eggs, 1 1/4 cups milk, 1/2 cup cream, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of nutmeg.
How to make it: Butter the bread and cut into triangles. Layer in a buttered dish with the raisins. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla and pour over. Let it soak for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with nutmeg and a little sugar. Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes until set and golden.
Scottish Shortbread
Real Scottish shortbread needs only three ingredients: butter, sugar and flour. That is why good butter matters so much. It bakes into a pale, crumbly, melt in your mouth biscuit. Baking it in a round and cutting it into wedges, called petticoat tails, is a tradition that goes back centuries. It also makes a lovely homemade gift in a tin. Few British desserts are this simple.
You will need: 1 cup soft salted butter, 1/2 cup sugar plus extra for sprinkling, 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup rice flour or cornstarch (optional for extra crunch).
How to make it: Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Mix in the flour and rice flour until it just comes together. Press into an 8 inch round pan. Mark into 8 wedges and prick with a fork. Chill 20 minutes. Bake at 325F for 35 to 40 minutes until pale golden. Sprinkle with sugar and cut while warm.
Lemon Curd Tarts
Lemon curd tarts are bright little bites of sunshine that show up at every afternoon tea. Homemade lemon curd is easier than it looks and tastes much fresher than the jar. Spoon it into crisp pastry cases and top with a berry or two. Will you share them, or keep the whole plate for yourself? We will not judge.
You will need: 12 small baked tart shells, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, zest and juice of 3 lemons, 1/2 cup butter cubed, berries to decorate.
How to make it: Whisk the eggs, sugar, zest and juice in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir constantly for 8 to 10 minutes until thick. Take off the heat and whisk in the butter. Cool, then spoon into the tart shells. Chill until set and top with berries.
