Time for tea as the Calendar Girls get baking for charity

AS Yorkshire's own Calendar Girls celebrate their 10th anniversary and the 50th birthday of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, they are urging people to hold their own Un-Birthday fund-raising tea parties.

And they have brought out a new calendar to mark the event.

The Calendar Girl 2011 calendar features a different cake recipe for every month alongside iconic photographs of the girls.

Lynda Logan, Miss July, says: "We have a lovely big kitchen and I often bake for my grandchildren. I recommend the cherry buns and the fruity passion cake."

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Calendar Girl Angela Baker says: "Everyone knows how important a good cake is, and we're happy to let you into our baking secrets. Please buy a calendar and get baking – why not organise a special Un-Birthday fund-raising tea party? Every penny raised will help Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research help families affected by leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma."

City Inn, Leeds was the first in Yorkshire to join the Un-Birthday campaign, inviting customers to indulge in sweet treats by donating 5 to the charity for each afternoon tea sold until Saturday, June 19.

Each calendar costs 9.95 and is available from www.leukaemia

shop.com or by phone on 0844 846 7607.

Victoria sponge

4 eggs

225g/8oz softened unsalted butter

225g/8oz caster sugar

225g/8oz self-raising flour

tsp vanilla essence

Strawberry jam

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins. Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, like whipped cream.

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Break the eggs into a small bowl and add the vanilla extract. Beat the mixture lightly with a fork.

With the mixer running on full speed, add the egg very gradually to the butter/

sugar mixture. It's important to do this slowly and gradually, to stop the mixture curdling.

Once all the eggs are in, fold in the flour with a spatula or large spoon. The mixture should be of a dropping consistency.

Add a drop of water if it's too thick.

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With a spatula or large spoon scoop half the mixture into each of the two tins.

Transfer to the centre of the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until well risen and golden brown. To check they are cooked, slide a sharp knife blade into the centre of the sponge – the knife should come out clean.

Remove from the oven and leave the cakes in the tins for a couple of minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely before decorating.

Once the cakes are completely cool, spread the jam onto one half and the whipped cream onto the other. Sandwich them together and dust the top with caster sugar.

Chocolate fudge cake

175g self-raising flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

150g caster sugar

2 eggs beaten

150ml sunflower oil

150ml semi-skimmed milk

2 tablespoons golden syrup

For the coating and filling

75g unsalted butter

175g icing sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

Drop of milk

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Pre-heat oven to 180C, 350F, gas mark 4. Grease and line two 18cm (7in") sandwich tins.

Sieve the flour, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Add the sugar and mix well.

Make a well in the centre and add the syrup, eggs, oil and milk. Beat well with electric whisk until

smooth.

Spoon the mixture into the two tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and firm to the touch. Remove from oven, leave to cool before turning out onto a cooling rack.

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To make your butter icing, place the butter in a bowl and beat until soft. Gradually sift and beat in the icing sugar and cocoa powder then add enough milk to make the icing fluffy andspreadable.

If the cake has risen a little too high, then use a serrated knife to even off the top.

Now sandwich the two cakes together with the butter icing and cover the sides and the top of the cake with more butter icing.

Cherry buns

100g butter or margarine

125g sugar

250g plain flour

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

Pinch of salt

50g glace cherries

2 rounded teaspoons baking powder

Pre-heat oven to 180C, fan 350F, gas mark 4. Cream together the butter and sugar.

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Add the beaten egg and the milk. Mix in the sifted flour, baking powder, chopped cherries and salt. Put the mixture into small cake cases, placing a cherry on top of each bun. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes.

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