Make a cottage for each year of the birthday child’s age and, rather than using fruit sticks for the chimneys, use chunky coloured candles, instead. You’ll have about 1 cup of the cake mixture left over, enough to make another little house. Note

Equipment: three 12-hole (-cup/80ml) muffin pans 25 paper muffin cases 5 disposable piping bags medium plain piping tube 48cm x 55cm covered cake board Decorations: 8 red ALLEN’S MARELLA Jubes 4 red ALLEN’S SNAKES ALIVE 1 banana ALLEN’S Milk Bottle Mania 3 strawberry ALLEN’S Milk Bottle Mania 6 LIFE SAVERS PEP‘O’MINT, halved 6 LIFE SAVERS […]

Get the kids ready for the next world cup qualifier.This cake will surely encourage them to go outside and practise their ball skills. You can make it easier on yourself by using a Styrofoam ball instead of a cake for the shape of the soccer ball. Position the soccer ball on the cake about an […]

Boiled lollies are made from a thick syrup of boiled sugar and water, to which colour and flavourings are added before the mixture is rolled, cut into pieces and hardened. Also known as rock candy, humbugs and bullseyes. Note

Cut the pizza so your guests get a slice of pear per piece. Note

This cake is another one perfect to take to school, or picnic — or any outdoor party. Note

The amount of milk you need to add to this scone dough depends on the water content of the pumpkin. The amount you add will vary every time you make these scones. Note

This colourful cake is perfect for little kids who love building sand castles and exploring the beach.

Light, fluffy beignets filled with fruity raspberry jam are an adorably sweet afternoon treat.

We used a 35cm x 45cm oval plastic serving platter for the pond; a shallow cake pan, baking dish or shallow casserole dish would also work, depending on the number of frogs you need for the party. You will have about 1 cup of cake mixture left over ­enough for another five frogs. Note

Soufflé can be made ahead through the end of step 4. Just before you intend to fold in the egg whites and bake the soufflé, warm the prepared egg yolk and spinach base by standing the bowl in warm water a few minutes. Note

Make sure the rosebuds have not been treated with any chemical sprays. Note

Watch their eyes light up for this happy, smiling flower. White icing is also known as fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on wedding cakes). It is available in packets from the supermarket and cake decorating shops. Note

Delicious little cupcakes that are the perfect treat to celebrate graduation day!

Corella pears have only a short season, if they’re not available use thinly sliced apple, red-skinned look best instead. Note

Cake pans vary in depth, so if you have a little cake mixture left over, use it to make cupcakes. Use bought sugar flowers of your choice, available from supermarkets and cake decorating suppliers. Remove and discard skewers before cutting bottom tier. White icing is also known as fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on […]

The hardest part of making this cake is getting the colours right. Use good quality colourings and you’ll have no trouble. It’s been around since 300 BC… but it wasn’t until 1952 that the first checkers programme was used by a computer. Note

Equipment needed: 9cm heart cutter, 20cm 18-gauge floral wire, wire cutters, 35cm round wooden cake board, 20cm round wooden cake board, 15cm round wooden cake board, smoothing tools, 6 wooden cake skewers, and a paper piping bag. The hearts can be made weeks ahead; store in an airtight container. Position them on the day of […]

Make sure the rose petals have not been treated with any chemical sprays. Note

You could top the petit fours with fresh raspberries instead of the icing flowers. Petit fours are best made on the day of serving. Note

One muffin is to be served per person for breakfast. The remaining muffins can be frozen or eaten as a snack. You could make two large muffins for breakfast and the remaining mixture can be made into snack-sized mini muffins. The ricotta mixture serves 2 people; make a fresh batch before serving the remaining muffins. […]

A hit with every coconut lover, this slice just improves with age. It can also be made as tartlets. Note

Stand the yeast mixture in a warm place to allow it to become frothy. It’s important that the spot you choose is warm, not hot. If it’s too hot you’ll kill the yeast. Note

The cake mix is enough to make 12 cakes so you can decorate the remaining 6 cakes into other animals of your own choosing. Note

Roti is an Indian subcontinent flat bread that is the perfect complement to curries, stews and other saucy dishes.

Naturally sweet strawberries are the star of these healthy pancakes, which are made fluffy and light with low-fat ricotta. Just drizzle with honey for a guilt-free breakfast treat or easy dessert idea.

Personalise the messages scrawled all over this clever cake, which looks just like an inner-city wall for the cake. Note

Crab meat can be bought already cooked from some fishmongers. Alternatively buy cooked crabs (about 600g) and remove the flesh from the shells and claws – enough to weigh 200g. Well-drained canned crab meat could be used in this recipe. Note

ORANGE FROSTING Beat cream cheese and butter in a small bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar; stir in rind. You can use a zesting tool to make the thin strips of orange rind. Note

And this little piggy went all the way to the top of your favourite cakes list! From The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book', it's the perfect party pick.

Simple mocha cookies bring to joy of chocolate and coffee from pantry to plate in under 30 minutes.

Macaroons are available from speciality bakery shops and select supermarkets. If you can’t find them, any small round filled biscuit will do. Try mini Oreos or Wagon Wheels, or Monte Carlos. Colour the butter cream, and decorate the robot, using any colours and lollies you like. Fruit Mentos and Smarties come in pastel colours, if […]

If the birthday person is mad about cats, this enigmatic creation will be… purrfection Note

14cm x 21cm (5½-inch x 8½-inch)loaf pan 20cm x 30cm (8-inch x 12-inch) rectangular prepared cake board (page 172) Shaping bath Shaping inside of bath Making rolled edge of bath The bath tub, feet and tap (plus handles) can be completed up to two days ahead of the party. The water (fluffy frosting) is best […]

artist’s fine paint brush 3.5cm (1½-inch) round cutter 12 plain white paper cases large plastic disposable piping bag The cupcakes stale quickly so it’s best to use a fruit or mud cake for the best keeping qualities. The cakes can be made and frozen for 3 months. The monograms can be prepared at least a […]

Makes enough for four 150g servings of panfried veal scaloppine. Also goes well with grilled chicken breast fillets, barbecued pork medallions, roasted lamb cutlets. Marsala, a caramel-flavoured fortified wine, is named after the city from which it comes, and is the most popular dessert wine in Italy. Dry marsala is often served as an apéritif. […]

Don’t have the oil too hot or they will brown too quickly before cooking all the way through. The oil should be between 175°C (350°F) and 190°C (400°F) for deep-frying (a small cube of bread should turn golden in about 30 seconds). You can also pipe the dough over the hot oil, using a small, […]

Depending on the variety of quince used, some will turn more of a rusty red colour while others a deep crimson. Also, cooking time can vary between types, with some needing a little longer cooking to achieve a red hue. Note

We used green, orange and yellow paper muffin cases to match the decorations of these lovely cakes. Note

For a lower-fat version, use no-fat milk and low-fat dairy-free spread instead of the butter. Piroshki are small Russian dumplings that can have various savoury or sweet fillings but this one is among the most traditional. Baked or fried, they make excellent hors d’oeuvres. Note

Youngsters will squeal with delight at the sight of these cute little pigs. You could easily make a piglet for each small guest to take home. Instead of tinting your own sugar, you can use the packets of coloured sugar crystals found in packets of Monster 5s or Fairy 5s, available from supermarkets. Note

You will need to buy a 265g packet of small lollipops for this recipe. You should never smile at a crocodile, or be taken in by her welcoming grin, but Clara looks friendly enough — maybe! Note

If you don’t have a candy thermometer, boil the syrup until it’s thick with heavy bubbles. Remove from heat, let bubbles subside, then reassess the thickness of the syrup. Note

Flavoured Milk Bottles can be found in packets of ALLEN’S Milk Bottle Mania; use whichever colours you like. Remember to remove the skewers from the drawbridge before cutting the cake. Note

Use white Candy Melts in place of chocolate Melts for an extra-white finish. Note

It’s easy to make pesto from different herbs or green leaves and with other nuts. A great combination is baby rocket and pistachio (it goes beautifully with chicken). A few other enticing blends include fresh coriander leaves with chilli instead of nuts, or sun-dried tomatoes processed with olives and walnuts. Note

A cheese slicer makes curls about 2.5cm long; if you don’t have one, use a vegetable peeler, it will make smaller curls. We used a white chocolate mud cake in this recipe, and made a coffee-flavoured ganache to complement it and the chocolates, however, a dark chocolate mud cake would also look wonderful filled with […]

You could use frozen ready-made crepes, or freeze your own. The filling needs to be made on the day of serving. Note

Whether you're a fan of the original story or of the sassy Shrek cat, this Puss In Boots cake from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook is an all-time favourite.

Peaches & Cream are found in Allen’s Party Mix. You’ll have about 1 cup of the cake mixture left over; use to make extra cupcakes for the party. Note

The butterflies can be made months ahead; store in an airtight container at room temperature. Tylose powder is a hardening agent, it helps the butterflies maintain their wings in an upward position. Cascading butterflies of just about any colour will look splendid on a tiered cake like this. Keep the colour of the cakes pale, […]

Fruit medley is a combination of chopped dried fruit containing apricots, apples, sultanas etc. Any fruit of your choice can be substituted. Note

The tin needs to be coated thickly with melted butter so the roll won’t stick to the inside of the tin. Don’t use cooking-oil spray, as this doesn’t give a good enough coating and the roll will stick and be hard to turn out. If you can’t find nut roll tins, this mixture can be […]

You can use any fresh berries you like in this recipe. Note

To save time, buy shelled and deveined prawns and calamari rings from your local fish supplier. Some major supermarkets also have a fresh seafood section. Note

This adorable princess birthday cake is perfect for kids who love all things pretty and pink.

Equipment 6-hole (¾-cup/180ml) texas muffin pan 7 x 12-hole (1-tablespoon/20ml) mini muffin pans 1 yellow texas muffin paper case 77 yellow mini muffin paper cases 50cm-square prepared cake board (see basic know-how number 2, pages 160-161) Decorations 85g packet yellow jelly crystals 400g packet Smarties 1 tablespoon orange sprinkles 5cm piece black licorice strap 25 […]

This recipe also makes 6 texas muffins (¾-cup/180ml), bake about 25 minutes. Note