We all have classic baking recipes our families love – traditional cakes we create again and again, and recipes that have been passed down through generations.

Sometimes, however, it's nice to play about with a classic, which is why we've come up with a few suggestions for how you can change up your cakes while still maintaining a delicious flavour.

If you're feeling a bit creative, then why not give these ideas a whirl? Happy baking!

CARROT CAKE

A classic carrot cake recipe is a great place to start when it comes to baking this British favourite. To give it an unique finish, try adding candied carrots and parsnips as a topping:

Ingredients

250 g (9oz) caster sugar

1 carrot, peeled into ribbons

1 parsnip, peeled into ribbons

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan) mark 3. Mix together the caster sugar and 250ml (9fl oz) water in a medium pan over low heat, until sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Add the vegetable ribbons to the pan and allow to bubble for 5min.

2. Turn off the heat and use tongs to remove the strips carefully, laying them out on a lined baking sheet spaced well apart (you may need more than 1 baking sheet). Transfer to the oven and bake for about 15min.

3. Taking one tray out of the oven at a time and, working quickly, carefully wrap the peelings around the handle of a wooden spoon, one at a time – we used multiple spoons to get this done quickly.

4. Allow to harden slightly, then slide off and place on a lined tray. Repeat with remaining peelings. If they start to get brittle, return to the oven to soften.

5. Store cooled, curled peelings in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

LEMON DRIZZLE

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If you love the traditional lemon drizzle cake, then why not try a new citrus twist? Make an orange drizzle cake by replacing the amount of lemon zest and juice with the zest and juice of three small oranges.

VICTORIA SPONGE

Who doesn't love a slice of sumptuous Victoria sponge? You can give it a seasonal twist by filling the sponge layers with a variety of fruit jams: rhubarb for Spring, strawberry for Summer, blackberry for Autumn or marmalade for Winter.

Once assembled use a doily as a dainty stencil: cover the top of the sponge with a doily and dust with icing sugar, then remove the doily to reveal the pretty pattern left behind.

COFFEE AND WALNUT

Coffee and walnut is a family favourite in many households, but if you want to make it more of an adult treat, then add a little whiskey or rum to the buttercream. This instantly transforms the taste from teatime classic into a boozy Irish coffee cake.

CHOCOLATE SPONGE

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Fed up of everyone fighting over who gets the biggest slice of your chocolate sponge cake? Use the chocolate cake batter to make individual cupcakes or muffins. Spoon the batter into cupcake or muffin tins lined with cases and bake until risen and firm to the touch.

RED VELVET

For a sumptuous finish, top a red velvet sponge with crystallised red rose petals.

Rose petals can be crystallised up to two days in advance. Lightly brush organic rose petals with egg white, then sprinkle with caster sugar. Arrange on baking parchment and leave to harden overnight in a cool place.

Images: Good Housekeeping. This article first appeared on Good Housekeeping UK.

From: Good Housekeeping UK