Carbonara cake
It’s not always so easy to get young children involved with making dinner for obvious reasons (knives, ovens, the cooker) but this carbonara cake is an exception. I based it on a dish from Jamie Oliver but simplified it a little to make it even easier to make. It’s quick enough to be a mid week meal but a bit more special than plain pasta carbonara. You can cook the pasta and ham/bacon in advance to make it even quicker/easier. It was a first for us but we’ll certainly be making it again!
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 15 minutes plus 35 minutes baking
Serves: 6
Ingredients
300g spaghetti, cooked
100g hard cheese, finely grated (eg parmesan, guyere, cheddar)
3 large eggs
250ml double cream
250g leftover ham (or we used bacon lardons)
how to make a carbonara cake
Before you start, if you don’t have left over pasta and ham, cooked the pasta and ham or bacon and add to a bowl. Allow to cool down. I did this part in advance as there wasn’t much the kids could help with.
Preheat the oven to 180C and prepare a cake tin.
Get your children to help grease a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin with oil (you can pour a little oil in and get them to brush it over all the sides.) Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese over the bottom and shake it up the sides a little.
Add everything to your bowl
Get your kids to help you add the cream and cheese to the bowl of pasta. Break the eggs into a separate bowl first to give them a quick whisk before adding to the pasta. I normally get Hannah to break the eggs and Lewis mix them so they both get a turn at doing something.
Give it a good mix so all the pasta is coated.
Bake the carbonara cake
Add the pasta to your prepared cake tin and pat down with the back of a spoon.
Pop it on a baking tray into the oven and bake for 35 minutes. It’s ready when it looks golden brown and has cooked through.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before turning out of the tin.
Serve with a lovely fresh green salad and enjoy!

Carbonara cake
Ingredients
- 300 g spaghetti cooked
- 100 g hard cheese finely grated (eg parmesan, guyere, cheddar)
- 3 large eggs
- 250 ml double cream
- 250 g leftover ham or we used bacon lardons
Instructions
- Before you start, if you don’t have left over pasta and ham, cooked the pasta and ham or bacon and add to a bowl. Allow to cool down.
Preheat the oven to 180C and prepare a cake tin.
- Grease a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin with oil (you can pour a little oil in and get them to brush it over all the sides.) Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese over the bottom and shake it up the sides a little.
Add everything to your bowl
- Add the cream and cheese to the bowl of pasta. Break the eggs into a separate bowl first to give them a quick whisk before adding to the pasta. Give it a good mix so all the pasta is coated.
Bake the carbonara cake
- Add the pasta to your prepared cake tin and pat down with the back of a spoon.
- Pop it on a baking tray into the oven and bake for 35 minutes. It’s ready when it looks golden brown and has cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before turning out of the tin.
- Serve with a lovely green salad and enjoy!
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Oh this does sound yummy. It’s always great to see kids helping. Commenting at BritMums Baking Round-up Editor 🙂
Thanks, it can be hard to find a dinner recipe they can help with so i’m always pleased when I find something easy (and tasty) like this!