Coconut Cookies

100g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
1 large egg
100g plain flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
100g dessicated coconut
glace cherries, for decoration (cut in half)

Preheat the oven to 180'c/Gas Mark 4 and line a baking sheet.

Using an electric whisk cream the sugar and butter together until pale and fluffy.  Add the egg and mix well, then sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, then add the coconut and mix well.

Using your hands roll the dough into walnut size pieces and place on a baking tray then slightly flatten gently using the back of your hand.  Place half a cherry on top of each biscuit and transfer to the oven for 10 - 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

Snickerdoodles

125g butter, softened
110g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g plain flour
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180'c/Gas Mark 4.  Using an electric whisk cream the butter until soft, add 110g caster sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.

Sift in the flour, nutmeg, baking powder and salt then gently mix together to form a dough.

Mix together the tbsp of caster sugar and cinnamon in a seperate bowl.  Using your hands roll the dough into walnut sized balls (it should make about 25) then roll in the cinnamon mix and place on a lined baking tray (you will need to do 2 batches.)  Space them out by about 3cm and flatten them down with the palm of your hand.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until they feel firm around the edges.  Allow to stand for 2 minutes on the baking tray then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

Carrot Cake Muffins

175g brown muscovado sugar
100g wholemeal self raising flour
100g self raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp mixed spice
zest 1 orange
2 eggs
150ml sunflower oil
200g carrots, grated
orange sprinkles, to decorate

For the icing: 
100g butter, softened
300g soft cheese
100g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Pre heat the oven to 180'c/Gas Mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tin with cases.  In a large mixing bowl mix together the sugar, flours, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and orange zest.  Whisk together the eggs and oil then stir into the dry ingredients, with the grated cafrrot.  Divide the mixture between the cases and bake for 20 - 22 minutes until a skewer poked in the middle comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.

To make the icing beat the butter until really soft then beat in the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla.  Using a palette knife or cutlery knife swirl the icing on top of the cakes then sprinkle with decorations.

Pineapple Upside-down Cake

For the topping:
50g softened butter
50g light soft brown sugar
7 pineapple rings in syrup, drained (reserve syrup)
7 glace cherries

For the cake: 
100g softened butter
100g golden caster sugar
100g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 180'c/Gas Mark 4.  For the topping beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, spread over the base and a quarter of the way up the sides of a 20cm round cake tin.  Arrange pineapple rings in the bottom of the cake tin and place a glace cherry in the middle of each one.

Place all the cake ingredients in a bowl along with 2 tbsp of the pineapple syrup and using an electric whisk beat to a soft consistency.  Spoon into the tin on top of the pineapple and smooth it out so it's level.  Bake for 35 minutes, leave to stand for 5 minutes then turn out onto a plate.