A guide to easy baking recipes that anybody can make

It can feel a bit intimidating to use a uni kitchen for anything more complicated than pesto pasta, but if you love baking (or just want a sweet treat on a budget), there’s so much you can do with just a few basic ingredients and minimal equipment. Don’t be afraid to get creative—experiment with different types of chocolate or nuts, adjust recipes to make more or less depending on what you need and what you’ve got on hand. Most importantly, just give it a go! See what works for you in your space, try something new, or even bake with your flatmates. You don’t need a ton of equipment or ingredients to whip up some delicious treats, but if you want, you can totally become a pro uni baker!

Recipe 1: Two ingredient brownies 

What you'll need:

• A bowl 
• Something to stir with - a fork, spoon, whisk or even blender would suffice 
• An ovenproof dish or small baking tray 

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs 
• 2 bars of dark chocolate (200g)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C
• Break the bar of chocolate up into squares and place it in your bowl
• Microwave your chocolate on full power in 20 second increments (so you don't burn it) until it has completely melted 
• Leave the chocolate for around 10 minutes or until it has cooled down to room temperature 
• Add two eggs into the melted chocolate and mix thoroughly 
• Transfer the mixture into your baking dish and place into the oven 
• Bake for 12-16 minutes (or until a fork comes out relatively clean but not completely or when the centre is firm)
• The texture will not be exactly like a brownie and will be fairly gooey 
• cut into pieces and enjoy!

Recipe 2: Peanut butter cookies

What you'll need:

•  A baking tray 
• Bowl
• A whisk (or something that you can mix with)
• A spoon 
• A fork
• scales or measuring cups 

Ingredients:

• 8 tbsp plain flour 
• 2 tbsp caster sugar 
• 2 tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
• 1 egg 
• 50g butter 

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C
• Place all of the ingredients in the bowl and mix until you get a smooth batter

• Put a small amount of flour on your hands and break of small pieces of the batter into small balls 
• Place the balls onto the baking tray
• use a fork to gently press the balls down into flat cookie shapes 

• Place the tray in the preheated oven for around 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown 
• Allow to cool down and enjoy 

Recipe 3: mug cake 

What you'll need:

• A mug 
• A fork or spoon to stir with 
• Measuring cups 

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp self-raising flour (or regular flour with a pinch of baking powder)
• 4 tbsp caster sugar 
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder 
• 1 egg 
• 3 tbsp milk (or dairy-free alternative)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil 
• a few drops of vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 tbsp chocolate chips, nuts, sprinkles  (or anything you want to add)

Method:

• Add the flour, sugar and cacao powder into the mug and mix 
• Add the egg and mix as much as possible (don't worry if there are still some dry mix left)
• Add the milk, oil and vanilla and mix until the batter is smooth
• Mix in chocolate chips or nuts (if using)
• Place your mug in the centre of the microwave and microwave on full power for 2-5 minutes or until it has stopped rising and is firm to the touch 

For a gluten free alternative to this recipe, try Chocolate Protein Mug Cake (1 Minute)