There's something therapeutic about the ritual of cake-baking – the simplicity of flour, eggs and sugar laid out on the kitchen bench, the hypnotic beating of the paddles forming rippled paths through batter, the unmistakable aroma of a cake rising slowly but surely in an oven. These cake recipes are simple, sure, but their magic ability to soothe minds and improve afternoon teas is second to none.
Simple cake recipes to soothe your mind
Sometimes, it just takes a bit of baking to make the world seem a little lighter.
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Apricot and coconut crumble cake
Photo: William Meppem2 / 0
Lime and coconut cake with pineapple glaze
Photo: William Meppem3 / 0
Mini white chocolate bundts with bitter chocolate glaze
Photo: William Meppem4 / 0
A no-bake strawberry crème fraîche cheesecake
Photo: Chris Chen5 / 0
Photo: Ben Dearnley
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How to make the perfect pound cake
Photo: Alicia Taylor8 / 0
Photo: Chris Chen
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Pauline Kwong's chiffon cake with citrus and ginger
Photo: Ben Dearnley10 / 0
Aaron Turner's Mum's chocolate ripple cake
Photo: Ben Dearnley11 / 0
Banana cake with molasses-sugar and sesame
Photo: John Paul Urizar12 / 0
Photo: Dean Wilmot
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Yoghurt cake with lemon (Yiaourtopita)
Photo: John Laurie14 / 0
Photo: Ben Dearnley
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Photo: Ben Dearnley
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Photo: Ben Dearnley
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Chocolate and buttermilk slab cake
Photo: William Meppem