Benjamina says: “This is a proper big, fat summer cake with all the best things. A soft, lemony sponge that’s super-easy to make (no mixer required), layered up with creamy mascarpone and lots of fresh berries. This is for the summer parties and the family BBQs where you want to go big.”

Serves 12

Ingredients

For the sponge:

• 200g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 360g plain (all-purpose) flour
• 360g caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 5 eggs
• 200ml milk
• 100g  neutral oil (such as sunflower or vegetable)
• grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1½ tsp vanilla bean paste

For the syrup:

• 100ml lemon juice
• 120g caster (superfine) sugar
• For the compote
• 300g blackberries
• 200g blueberries
• 150g caster (superfine) sugar
• juice of ½ lemon
• 200g raspberries, plus extra to serve

For the mascarpone filling:

• 350g mascarpone
• 200g icing (confectioners’) sugar
• 270g cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 200ml double (heavy) cream

Make ahead

Make the cake layers up to 2 days in advance and keep them well wrapped. Make the berries the day before and store in the fridge. The mascarpone filling should be made just before assembling.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/ 350°F/gas mark 4). Grease three 20-cm (8-in) round cake pans and line with baking paper.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine.

In a jug (pitcher), mix together the eggs, milk, oil, lemon zest and vanilla. Pour

the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until you have a smooth batter. Stir in the melted butter.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 20–25 minutes until nicely browned and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

While they bake, make the lemon syrup. Add the lemon juice and sugar to a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Let it simmer for 1–2 minutes and set aside to cool.

Prick holes across the surface of the cooked cakes and spoon the syrup evenly over each one. Let them cool completely and, if you’re making them in advance, wrap well in plastic wrap.

For the compote, add the blackberries and blueberries to a small pan with the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a low boil and cook for 2–3 minutes until the berries are softened and syrupy. Stir through the raspberries and set aside to cool.

For the mascarpone filling, add the mascarpone and icing sugar to a bowl and use a whisk to beat until just smooth. Mix in the cream cheese and vanilla until you have no lumps, then use a spatula to gently fold in the cream. This filling is easy to overwhip so be careful!

To assemble, use a serrated knife to level the cakes if they are uneven. Place one cake on a cake stand or serving plate and spoon on just under a third of the mascarpone filling, spreading it out evenly with a palette knife. Top with some of the berry compote and place the next cake layer on top. Repeat the process with more mascarpone and berries and place the last cake layer topside down. Finish with the remaining mascarpone and some fresh raspberries.

From I’ll Bring Dessert by Benjamina Ebuehi (£24, Quadrille), out now

Angela says: “Fools (the desserts, but I suppose this statement extends beyond that, too) come in various guises. Some are all cream; some cream + yoghurt; and others – like this one – custard + cream. Its more indulgent vibe suits, I think, the autumn mood and the blackberries that are being folded in. Using pre-made custard is easier, obviously, than making your own from scratch. But that’s not even the main reason for choosing pre-made here – it’s that these bought ones tend to be vanilla-heavy in a way that suits this fool perfectly. Note that I do mean the posh, in-a-tub kind of custard, not the custard powder kind. Although…”

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

• 300g blackberries
• 120ml cassis
• 300ml double (heavy) cream
• 1 x 500ml pot ready-made custard
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar

Method

Put the blackberries into a small saucepan and pour over the cassis. Gently simmer with a lid on for a few minutes until the blackberries are softened but still just about holding their shape. Turn the heat off and set aside to cool down thoroughly. Whip the double cream in a large mixing bowl until firm. 

Ripple through the custard and the cooled blackberries with most (but not all) of the juices in the pan. Divide the fool between serving glasses or bowls. 

You can make these ahead and put into the fridge to firm up for a few hours, or serve immediately with a looser consistency. Before you hand them round, pour over more of the reserved blackberry cassis juices and scatter the demerara sugar over each serving.

From Seasoning: How to cook and celebrate the seasons by Angela Clutton (£30, Murdoch Books), out now

Harriet says: “This secretly healthy tart is packed with wholefoods, fresh berries and good-for-your-bod ingredients. Berries and chocolate are a match made in heaven and this tart combines the fruity flavours of blackberries and blueberries with a scrumptious cocoa hazelnut tart shell. It’s no bake, gluten free and really easy to make”

Makes: 1 tart (serves 8–10)

Prep: 20 mins

Chilling time: 1½ hours

Ingredients

For the tart shell:

• 150g (5½oz) gluten-free oats
• 50g (1¾oz) raw buckwheat
• 100g (3½oz) hazelnuts
• 4 tbsp cocoa or carob powder
• 150g (5½oz) Medjool dates, stoned
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted, plus 1 tbsp for greasing

For the filling:

• 360g (12¾oz) fresh blueberries and/or blackberries
• 60g (2oz/¼ cup) caster or granulated sugar
• 2 tsp agar agar
• 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• juice of ½ lemon
• 350ml (12fl oz/1½ cups) full-fat coconut milk

For the toppings:

• 100g (3½oz) fresh blueberries and/or blackberries
• 2 tbsp raw buckwheat
• 50g (1¾oz) dark chocolate

Equipment:

• 23cm (9in) tart tin

Method

First, prepare the tart shell by putting the oats, buckwheat, hazelnuts and cocoa in a food processor or blender and blending until the mixture resembles fine sand. Add the dates, 1 tablespoon water and the 2 tablespoons coconut oil and blend again until combined. The mixture should press together easily in your fingers: if it’s too dry, add another tablespoon of water and blend again. Grease the tart tin with the coconut oil and press in the mixture to form the tart shell. Set aside in the freezer to firm up for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Put the blueberries and/or blackberries, half the sugar, the agar agar, cornflour and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and cook for 5 minutes until bubbling. Transfer to a food processor or blender and blend for a few seconds just to combine everything (don’t blend it completely smooth). Sieve the berries over the pan, pressing the mashed berries with the back of a spoon to capture the juice (should be around 240ml). Save the leftover pulp for spreading on toast or as a topping for oatmeal.

Add the coconut milk and remaining sugar to the pan and heat gently for about 10 minutes, stirring often with a whisk. Once thickened, remove from the heat and stir well again to ensure everything is smooth. Pour into the chilled tart shell and set aside in the fridge to firm up for at least 1 hour. Top with more fresh berries, raw buckwheat and dark chocolate.

From Eat The Rainbow by Harriet Porterfield (£20, Leaping Hare Press), out now 

Alison says: “I will hand it to them – scones always look great. But after being burned at every turn, one triangle of compacted sand after another, I couldn’t help but wonder: are (American) scones bad? A sobering truth, but yes. Scones are bad. Scones are dry. Scones disappoint. Sure, I’ve had EXCELLENT scones (hi, Tandem Bakery in Portland, Maine!), but they are far and few between. But I always order them, because I so badly believe in the concept. A slightly more firm muffin? A sweeter, fruity (American-style) biscuit? Sign me up for all of the above. So, I present: these scones. These scones are different, with so much fat that the flour is really just there as a courtesy, and more fruit than you suspect will fit, but it all does, lending flavour and moisture. These scones are puffy, fluffy and downright cloud-like. Tender without being cakey, and gorgeously deformed (on purpose), because anything that holds a perfect shape is not to be trusted. They’re great, and I hope they change your mind about scones. I know they changed mine.”

Makes 8 scones

Ingredients

• 120g (½ cup) thick (double/heavy) cream, plus more for brushing
• 110g (½ cup) sour cream
• 290g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus more for dusting
• 70g (⅓ cup) sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon (12g) baking powder
• 1¼ teaspoons (5g) kosher salt
• 115g (4oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 300g (2½ cups) raspberries or blueberries, chopped strawberries, or halved blackberries
• flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

In a small bowl, mix together the thick cream and sour cream. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and kosher salt.

Using your hands, add the butter and smash it into the flour to get large-ish, flat, even pieces. Most of the butter should be smushed, resembling flakes rather than large chunks – not unlike pie dough before you add water, or American biscuits before the buttermilk. Add the raspberries and toss to coat. Using a spoon, stir in the sour cream mixture, then use your hands to gently knead a few times, just until a shaggy dough comes together. (The berries will get crushed here, that’s okay.)

On a lightly floured work surface, pat the dough into about a 15 × 23 cm (6 × 9 in) rectangle, about 4–5 cm (1½–2 in) thick. Cut it in half lengthways, then in half crossways, to make four pieces. Cut each piece in half on the diagonal, so you have eight triangles. Place the scones on the baking sheet about 2.5 cm (1 in) apart. (For extra fluffy scones, refrigerate for 20–30 minutes before baking.)

Brush a little cream on top of the scones and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown on the tops and bottoms, 25–30 minutes

From Sweet Enough by Alison Roman (£28, Hardie Grant) is out now  

Jo says: “Whether it’s a celebration or just an afternoon treat, this cake is suitable for any occasion. Unlike standard butter-based sponges, this one is made with oil, which gives such a lovely moistness to the cake making it last a good few days rather than drying out.

This cake also comes with many flexible options, so you can swap around flavours to suit your tastes, occasion or season.”

Prep 45 minutes 

Cooking 25 minutes 

Serves 12

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 200g caster (superfine) sugar
• 3 eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• 225g sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
• 150ml milk
• finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• ½ tsp fine sea salt

For the compote:

• 200g blackberries, fresh or frozen (defrosted if frozen)
• 50g caster (superfine) sugar
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp arrowroot powder

For the buttercream:

• 225g butter, softened
• 375g icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp milk
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas 4. Brush two 20cm/8 inch loose-bottomed cake tins with oil and line with parchment.

To make the sponge, place the sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk until they are light in colour and frothy. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir until combined and pour into the cake tins.

Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and the sponge is just coming away from the edge of the tins. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes, then run a palette knife around the inside edge of the tins. Carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

To make the blackberry compote, put the blackberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook over a low–medium heat for 10 minutes or until the blackberries have broken down. Push through a sieve and return to a clean saucepan. Mix the arrowroot with 1 teaspoon water to form a paste. Stir into the purée and cook over a medium heat, stirring all the time until just simmering. Set aside to cool – it will thicken slightly as it cools.

Place the ingredients for the buttercream in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Set your mixer to a low speed and gradually increase it until you have a smooth, creamy buttercream.

To assemble, place one cake upside down and spread it with some buttercream. Turn the other cake upside down and spread a generous layer of blackberry compote. Sandwich together. Spread a thick layer of buttercream on the top and sides of the cake, smoothing the edges with a palette knife (for a super smooth finish, dip the knife into hot water before you spread). Finish by swirling some compote through the buttercream on the top of the cake.

Flexible

• Gluten-free: swap the flour for a gluten-free flour blend and add an additional 50ml/2 fl oz/scant ¼ cup milk to the cake batter.
• Dairy-free: use a non-dairy milk in the cake such as soya, almond or my favourite, fresh coconut milk. For the lemon buttercream, swap butter for a plant-based alternative (preferably a firm, not spreadable, one).

From The Flexible Baker by Jo Pratt (£20, White Lion Publishing), out now