There are some times in life when you just need a little bit of respite from what's going on in the outside world.
Whether it's stresses at work, home or the world in general, life can feel overwhelming, and it's hard to put down the screens and relax.
Putting down your phone and picking up a wooden spoon can be a great way to distract yourself from a doom and gloom newsfeed on social media, as well as learn something new and make something delicious for friends and family.
If you're looking to unleash your inner Mary Berry, the BBC Good Food website is full of recipes for bakes - from cakes to bread and cookies to pie - that are easy to make and taste amazing. Here's our selection of the best recipes...
CHECK OUT the best and easiest BBC baking recipes
Closer - the best easy baking recipes
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Easy caramel cake
If you fancy yourself a little treat, try this impressive-looking but really achievable caramel cake.
![BBC baking recipes](https://images.bauerhosting.com/legacy/media/5e70/f404/011c/b00a/e40f/4c5d/easy-baking-2.jpg?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Best ever chocolate brownies
This is truly the most perfect brownie recipe. Our top tip is to whizz the eggs with an electric whisker for at least five minutes, that's how you'll get super fudgey brownies.
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Easy sourdough bread
Now's the time to bake that sourdough you've been wanting to try. Start out with this easy BBC Good Food version for beginners.
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Raspberry honey flapjacks
These cute flapjacks only use five ingredients and make for the perfect mid-afternoon snack.
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Chewy chocolate chip cookies
Who doesn't love a chocolate chip cookie? They're sure to please the whole family and this easy recipe will have you whipping up a batch of deliciously chewy cookies in no time.
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Easy blueberry muffins
We can't think of a better way to spend a wholesome Sunday afternoon that baking a batch of these blueberry muffins. Not only are they super simple to make, they taste delicious too.
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Banoffee traybake
If you're new to baking, a traybake is a great place to start. This banoffee version is good enough for second (and third) helpings.
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Next level chicken pie
If a savoury bake is more your thing then you can't go wrong with this incredible chicken pie recipe. It's packed full of flavour and you only need one pan to make the filling, which is always a bonus.
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Easy-bake bread
Baking your own bread might sound daunting but it doesn't need to be. This easy to follow recipe will have you whipping up a loaf in no time.
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Bakewell tart
This classic is packed with raspberries and almonds. A real crowd pleaser.
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Cinnamon rolls
Warm, stick, flavoursome. We've never met a cinnamon roll we didn't devour and these are perfect to bulk-bake for breakfast treats.
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If you're a beginner baker, here are a few top tips to get you started:
Read the recipe
Yes, this sounds obvious, but make sure you read the recipe the whole way through and make sure you have all the right ingredients to avoid disappointment and an emergency dash to the shop.
Make sure your butter is the right temperature
There's nothing worse than clumpy butter in your icing, so make sure you bring your butter up to room temperature if you're creaming it with sugar for a sponge or buttercream, and keep it chilled for pastry.
Get the right sugar
Surprisingly, sugar can have a huge impact on the texture and consistency of your bakes. If a recipe says to use a certain kind of sugar, try your best to use it. Dark sugar makes cookies soft and squidgy, but caster sugar makes them crisp and snappable.
Get to know your oven
Now we know this one sounds a little silly, but it's so important to get to know your oven in your kitchen and what temperatures it performs best at. Most modern ovens have baking options built in, so made sure you read the instructions as they're very handy when it comes to tricky bakes that need the perfect temperature.