Christmas cakes made easy: 6 hacks to sweeten up your holiday season

What you’ll need: one sponge/pound cake, sweets or hundreds and thousands, buttercream icing, one round cutter

Steps:

1. Slice the cake into three equal layers.
2. Make a hole in the middle of one layer using a round cutter.
3. Place one uncut cake layer on a serving platter and cover the top with buttercream icing.
4. Place the layer of cake with the hole in the middle on top of the icing.
5. Fill the hole with your favourite sweets and hundreds and thousands.
6. Spread buttercream icing on top.
7. Add the last layer of cake.
8. Cover the sides and top of the cake with icing.
9. Decorate with more sweets.

Tip: Chill your cake in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before cutting it, to make the cake sturdier and easier to cut.

Cozy Christmas drinks you can make at home

Kids and adults alike will adore this delish ice cream cake. You can customise it whichever way you like.

What you’ll need: one sponge/pound cake, vanilla ice cream, fruit slices, cling wrap, chocolate sprinkles (optional)

Steps:

1. Slice the cake lengthwise into two equal layers.
2. Line a pan with cling film.
3. Place the bottom layer of the cake into the pan.
4. Spread a thick layer of ice cream on top of the pound cake, and cover with plenty of sliced fruits and chocolate sprinkles.
5. Place the other slice of cake on top of the fruits and ice cream.
6. Spread a thin layer of ice cream over the top, and decorate with chocolate sprinkles.
7. Secure the cling film firmly around the cake, adding more cling film if necessary, and freeze the cake.

Tip: Leave the ice cream out of the freezer for a few minutes before you start to make it easier to spread across the cake evenly.

A jam sandwich is super quick and easy to make. You can easily create a cake version in less than 10 minutes.

What you’ll need: one sponge/pound cake, a bottle of your favourite jam, buttercream, icing sugar (optional)

Steps:

1. Slice the cake lengthwise into two even layers.
2. Spread jam on top of one of the layers.
3. Spread buttercream on the cut side of the second layer. Place it, buttercream side down, on to the jam.
4. Dust the cake with icing sugar.

Tip: To dust cake with icing, place about one teaspoon of icing sugar in a tea strainer or fine sieve. Hold it about 20cm above the cake and tap the sides so the icing falls lightly.

The ultimate guide to what you can recycle this Christmas

This is the ultimate cake for anyone who loves all things chocolatey.

What you’ll need: one plain sponge cake, 10 packs of four-fingered Kit Kat, one pack of M&M’s, buttercream icing, ribbon

Steps:

1. Break the Kit Kats into single fingers.
2. Spread a thin layer of buttercream icing on the top and sides of the cake.
3. Place the pieces of Kit Kat around entire side of the cake.
4. Fill the top of the cake with M&M’s.
5. Tie a ribbon around the cake to keep Kit Kats in place.

Tip: Break your Kit Kats while they are still in their packaging to avoid getting your fingerprints on the wafer bars.

You can also make delicious cake trifles. They are very easy to make and are perfect for any occasion.

What you’ll need: one sponge/pound cake, whipped cream in a can, fruit, chocolate sprinkles, transparent plastic/glass cups

Steps:

1. Roughly slice the cake into 2cm thick chunks.
2. Cut fruit into small pieces, but save some for decoration.
3. Spray some whipped cream into your plastic cups.
4. Add fruit and chunks of cake for the second layer.
5. Top with more whipped cream, fruits, and chocolate sprinkles

Tip: To give the trifles some Christmas spirit, use strawberries and add some mint leaves at the top.

Cake pops are a great addition to any party snack table. This fun, bite-sized treat is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

What you’ll need: one pound cake, chocolate chips, hundreds and thousands, lollipop sticks, baking tray

Steps:

1. Trim the cake to make all of its sides straight, and slice into approximately one-inch cubes.
2. Lay the cake cubes on a baking tray, and stick a lollipop stick halfway through each cube. Place the cubes into a freezer for two to three hours.
3. Melt chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave (in five second blasts, stirring after each time). Dip each cake pop into the chocolate.
4. Roll the chocolatey cake pop in some toppings and place them back in the freezer. Chill until firm.

Tip: Coat your cake pops in salted caramel or shredded coconut, too!