We’re guessing you’ve just enjoyed one of our irresistible home-made cakes as part of your HF Holidays picnic lunch.  

Our expert chefs have been baking delicious cakes at our UK country houses for years – and they’ve always been a huge hit with our guests.  

If you’d like to replicate three of our favourite cakes when you get home, here’s some easy-to-follow recipes using gluten-free ingredients (although you can replace with regular flour/baking powder).  

We hope you love recreating these bakes from the comfort of your own kitchen (or sampling them again first-hand on your next holiday with us). 

Makes 12

Ingredients 

• 250g unsalted butter 
• 250g dark chocolate 
• 4 eggs 
• 300g golden caster sugar 
• ½ tsp vanilla extract 
• 100g gluten-free plain flour 
• 60g cocoa powder 
• ½ tsp salt 
• 150g milk chocolate pieces 

 Method 

1. Melt chocolate and butter, either in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Leave to cool.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and sugar, either with a hand whisk, or in a food mixer. It’s ready when you can lift the whisk out of the mix and a trail stays on the top for a few seconds.
3. Fold in the cooled chocolate mix to the beaten eggs and sugar, and add vanilla.
4. Fold sieved flour, salt and cocoa into the mixture. 
5. Fold in milk chocolate pieces.
6. Line a 20cm baking tray with greaseproof paper, and pour in the mixture. 
7. Bake at 160C (fan) for 30-35 minutes.
8. Leave to cool on a wire rack, and cut into fingers. This recipe makes 12 generous portions.

Makes 12 

Ingredients 

• 4 eggs 
• 70g caster sugar 
• 130g dark brown sugar 
• 300ml sunflower oil 
• 200g self-raising gluten-free flour 
• 1½ tsp gluten-free baking powder 
• 1½ tsp cinnamon 
• ½ tsp mixed spice 
• 190g grated carrot 
• 70g raisins 
• Zest of 1 orange  
• ½ tsp salt 

Method 

1. Cream eggs and both sugars together in a bowl with an electric hand whisk or use a food mixer until the sugar has dissolved. It’s ready when you can lift the whisk out of the bowl and a trail stays on the top for a few seconds.
2. Add oil to the bowl gently, while continuing to whisk slowly.
3. Sieve in flour, baking powder, salt and mixed spice. Add grated carrot, raisins and orange zest. Fold in gently.
4. Line a 20cm baking tray with greaseproof paper, and pour in the mixture.
5. Bake at 160C (fan) for 1 hour (or until a skewer comes out clean) 
6. Leave to cool on a wire rack, and cut into fingers. This recipe makes 12 generous portions.

Makes 12 

Ingredients 

• 300g butter
• 150g light brown sugar 
• 150ml golden syrup 
• 500g porridge oats 

Method  

1. Melt butter, sugar, and syrup in a pan over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Add the porridge oats to the pan, and stir until combined.
3. Line a 20cm baking tray with greaseproof paper, and pour in the mixture.
4. Bake at 160C (fan) for 10-12 minutes.
5. Leave to cool on a wire rack, and cut into fingers. This recipe makes 12 generous portions.

All the recipes above are made using gluten-free flour and baking powder. Flapjacks can be gluten-free if gluten-free oats are sourced.