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12 holiday-inspired bakes to brighten your coffee table

Three slices of orange cake with cream on the side

12 holiday-inspired bakes to brighten your coffee table

Edd Kimber
, Janine Ratcliffe

Published: April 29, 2026 at 2:22 PM

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From Greek-inspired cakes to Spanish-style slices and Italian snacks, these Mediterranean bakes will whisk you away for ultimate holiday feels

Looking to add a bit of sunshine to your afternoon tea spread? Want to indulge in a spot of Italian baking? End a meal of meze sharing plates with one of theses cakes, bakes or sweet treats and dream of bathing on a Mediterranean island.

Mediterranean-style baking recipes

Fragrant orange portokalopita

This syrup-soaked cake from Edd Kimber is inspired by the sunshine flavours of Crete.

Three slices of orange cake with cream on the side

Cannoli

Create a batch of homemade cannoli for a sweet Italian treat for your next dinner party, served with a shot of espresso.

A large plate of cannoli on a grey background with a shot of espresso and a small bowl of chopped pistachios

Portuguese custard tarts

Make classic Portuguese custard tarts Pastéis de Nata with step-by-step help from the test kitchen. Dusting the pastry with icing sugar gives the tarts a golden, caramelised crust when cooked.

Portuguese custard tarts on a cooling rack

Loukoumades (Greek doughnuts)

One of the pleasures of a Greek holiday comes in those moments after dark (and after dinner) when everyone moves to the tables in a local square to drink coffee and eat plates of tiny cinnamon-scented doughnuts. Whether your preference is for the sugar-dusted variety or those soaked in honey, try making them at home for a crowd-pleasing dessert with a difference. Check out more doughnut recipes here.

Effortless madeleine 'baba'

Cut corners with this cheat on a rum baba – it’s simple to make, and you can use whichever rum you like.

Two glass bowls with two madeleines and a dollop of cream next to a jug of syrup

Sicilian ricotta cake

This impressive Sicilian ricotta cake will steal the show at dinner, with chunks of chocolate studded through creamy baked ricotta. It's deceptively easy to make, too.

Baklava

Try our version of baklava, drenched it in a salted honey sauce. This sweet and sticky filo pastry treat comes packed with four types of nut, cardamom and cinnamon.

Salted honey baklava

Italian lemon cake

Amalfi lemons give a strong, intense lemony aroma in our Italian cake recipe, making a fitting summery cake which is a real crowd pleaser, too.

Tres leches cake with rum and toasted coconut

Tres leches is translated from Spanish as ‘three milks cake’, where evaporated milk and cream are used alongside condensed milk.

Tres Leches Cake Recipe With Rum and Toasted Coconut

Biscotti

These twice-baked Italian biscuits are the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea. They are traditionally made with skin-on almonds that give a delicate nutty flavour.

Pieces of biscotti on a wire rack on a blue background

Lemon and lime tart

The perfect make-ahead French pud and similar to a classic tarte au citron – recreate Edd Kimber's epic lemon and lime tart with a coconut macaroon case and fill with a citrussy curd.

A lemon tart with lime zest on top

Dark chocolate, olive oil and sea salt focaccia

Achieve baking heaven with our sweet focaccia. Peppery olive oil and dark chocolate pair really well – throw some sea salt in the mix for a sweet/salty edge.

A whole sweet focaccia on a serving board

French crullers

Make Edd Kimber’s crullers, a classic French dessert, for glazed donuts which are crispy on the outside and light on the inside.

French crullers with two different glazes

Churros with hot chocolate sauce

Make these Spanish sweet treats for a comforting dessert or breakfast. The rich, indulgent hot chocolate sauce is also delicious over ice cream.

Authors

Three photos of Edd Kimber, his One Tin Bakes book and a brownie in a tin

Edd KimberBaking columnist

Janine Ratcliffe in a short sleeved long dress sitting on a chair beneath palm trees on a balcony

Janine RatcliffeFood director

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