Back to School Bakes
It’s Back to School week on The Great British Bake Off, and what better way to celebrate than with a line-up of recipes inspired by the classics we all remember from school? From nostalgic dinner hall puddings (usually with a big spoonful of custard, sometimes pink…) to the tray bakes and biscuits that filled the tables at school bake sales – these bakes are full of childhood memories.
Whether you’re looking to relive the flavours of your own school days or bake up something simple for the kids coming home hungry after class, this collection brings together the best of British school baking.
10 Back to School Baking Recipes
Classic School Cake
No Back to School week would be complete without the classic old School Cake. A light sponge cake topped with white icing and a generous shake of sprinkles. It’s the nostalgic treat that every British school kid remembers from the dinner hall – and this is the original recipe, that has been replicated btime and time again, by many other bakers.
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Jam and Coconut School Cake
A nostalgic twist on the classic School Cake, this version swaps the sprinkles for a layer of jam and a dusting of desiccated coconut. Served with custard (pink or not), it’s a true British school dinner favourite that tastes just as good now as it did in the canteen.
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Flapjack
Chewy, golden, and just the right amount of sweet, these Flapjacks are the ultimate breaktime snack. With hundreds of bakers agreeing this is the best recipe (sorry Paul Hollywood!), it’s the kind of tray bake you’d find at every school tuck shop or bake sale.
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Cornflake Tart
A true school dinner classic, with a buttery shortcrust pastry base, a layer of jam, and a golden cornflake topping. Always best with a good dollop of custard, it’s a pudding that takes you straight back to the dinner hall.
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Jam Roly Poly
This old-school pudding is as nostalgic as they come. A simple soft suet pastry rolled around sweet jam. Always served with plenty of custard (why did the dinner ladies love custard so much?), it was a favourite on both the school dinner menu and the Sunday lunch table.
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Treacle Tart
Made with shortcrust pastry and a rich filling of golden syrup, breadcrumbs, and lemon, this pudding is sweet, sticky, and utterly delicious. A school dinner staple for some, and famously Harry Potter’s favourite dessert – it wouldn’t look out of place on the Hogwarts menu.
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Marshmallow Top Hats
A school bake sale favourite, made with marshmallows, melted chocolate, and colourful sweeties on top. Simple, but irresistible, they were the treats everyone rushed for at the class Christmas party, and were always the talk of the playground.
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Coconut Ice
Pretty in pink and white, this sweet treat was a staple of school bake sales. For me, it’s extra special – my Granny would always make a batch, packed into a recycled punnet (usually with a stray dog hair or two for good measure!).
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Mars Bar Slice
A Scottish bake sale classic, made with melted Mars Bars, butter, and Rice Krispies, all topped with a layer of chocolate. Sweet, chewy, and always popular, it’s still the first thing my kids make a beeline for.
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Empire Biscuits
Two buttery biscuits sandwiched with jam, topped with icing and a cherry – a true Scottish classic. A favourite at school fetes and often whipped up in Home Economics, they even made the perfect end-of-term gift for teachers.
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