The Great TfL Bake Off

Join us for a look at historic baking recipes from our staff magazines

Recipe for roly poly (1952)TfL Corporate Archives

Pastry Week

The first week of the Great TfL Bake Off is pastry week, for which we will visit this minimalist jam roly poly recipe from a 1952 edition of the London Transport Magazine. The added knitted swimwear gives a new meaning to the phrase 'soggy bottom'.

Quick and Easy Bread Recipes (1964)TfL Corporate Archives

Bread Week

We go forward in time for bread week, to these 'quick and easy' bread recipes from the London Transport Magazine, 1964. We wonder how they would go down with Paul Hollywood?

Recipe for Champion Gateau (1967)TfL Corporate Archives

Cake Week

We're staying in the 1960s for cake week, with this racing car gateau from a 1967 edition of the London Transport Magazine. This recipe is not for beginners though - you will already need to know how to make a swiss roll!

Recipe: Brandy snaps, onion buttered biscuits (1964)TfL Corporate Archives

Biscuit Week

For biscuit week, how about trying some recipes to help your 1964 party go with a swing! Brandy snaps for the sweet-toothed among us, and the savoury eaters are covered too - if you like the sound of onion buttered biscuits

Recipe for puff pastry French tartlets (1951)TfL Corporate Archives

Patisserie Week

You won't find some of the Bake Off's fancier patisserie recipes in our staff magazines. But we think this 1951 recipe for puff pastry French tartlets just about makes the cut - complete with raspberry or strawberry jam

Recipe: Christmas Recipes (1949)TfL Corporate Archives

Pudding Week

For pudding week, try a classic Christmas pudding from the London Transport Magazine, 1949

Christmas at Croydon Food Production Centre (1954) by London Transport ExecutiveTfL Corporate Archives

Of course, you could just outsource the work and buy your Christmas pudding - in 1954 you could have bought this from London Transport's in-house food production centre for 4 shillings and sixpence

Recipe for treacle tart (1965)TfL Corporate Archives

Tart Week

This recipe from the London Transport Magazine in 1965 bills itself as 'particularly good' - sure to be a hit with judges and friends alike!

Recipe for mince pie and fruit & spice pie (1967)TfL Corporate Archives

Pie Week

Another Christmas treat, this time for pie week. After all, a mince pie a day keeps the bad luck away - at least according to this recipe from the London Transport Magazine, 1967

Recipes for savarin, macaroni surprise, walnut bread pudding, lemon pudding, cornish syrup tart, dessert bananas (1969)TfL Corporate Archives

Dessert Week

Lots of dessert options from this page of the London Transport Magazine, 1969. Macaroni surprise, anyone?

Recipes for chocolate & banana flan, devil's food cake, and butterscotch cake (1955)TfL Corporate Archives

Chocolate Week

Time now for chocolate week, in the form of this 1955 recipe for chocolate and banana flan - with bonus caramel frosting!

Recipes: Eat well and lose weight (1969)TfL Corporate Archives

Custard Week

And finally... We leave you with a rather unusual offering: Individual cheese custards for dieters. If they don't fill you up, don't worry, you can always snack on some braised celery! What *would* Prue say to that - worth the calories?

Staff Member with Christmas Puddings (1968) by London Transport ExecutiveTfL Corporate Archives

That's a wrap!

That's the end of the Great TfL Bake Off. We hope you've enjoyed these recipes. If you try any of them why not share the results with us at corporatearchives@tfl.gov.uk!

Credits: Story

Story compiled by TfL using information in records at the Transport for London Corporate Archives. The Corporate Archives seeks to preserve and make accessible records, not to interpret them. A wider range of material is available for physical consultation.
  Permission is granted to reproduce for personal and educational use only.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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