A daughter of a former school dinner lady has captivated social media, particularly TikTok, by sharing simple recipes for beloved nostalgic school treats. Kate Keogh, whose mother once worked as a school kitchen assistant, has gained significant traction by revealing insider recipes for classic school puddings, sparking widespread nostalgia among viewers.

One of the recipes that went viral is for the quintessential school sponge cake, served with pink custard and topped with sprinkles. This five-ingredient classic has brought back cherished memories for many, with social media users exclaiming how it looks "just like the one we had at school." The sponge cake, known for being a highlight of school dinnertime, has been a staple in dinner halls for decades. For the sponge, the recipe calls for 280g unsalted butter, 280g golden caster sugar, 280g self-raising flour, 5 eggs, and 2 tsp Madagascan vanilla extract. The icing is made from 500g icing sugar combined with 5-6 tsp water, finished with sprinkles. Pink custard is prepared by adding a splash of pink food colouring to a tub of regular custard. The method involves mixing butter and caster sugar until pale, adding eggs and vanilla, then sieving in self-raising flour. The mixture is baked for 30-35 minutes until golden. After turning the cake over, the flat side is iced and sprinkled. The custard is heated after adding the food colouring. This particular video, under the username @katekeo, has garnered over 425,000 views, with comments reflecting immense fondness for the treat, such as "My husband will love this! He loves school cake!" and "I love pink custard."

Following the success of the sponge cake, Kate Keogh also went viral for sharing her mother's recipe for another school dinner classic, known to some as a 'crackolet' or cornflake tart. This crunchy, gooey treat was always a hit at school, and Kate's video quickly unlocked a core childhood memory for many. The video, also posted to @kate_keo, has achieved an impressive 1.8 million views, with users enthusiastically sharing their recollections, including one who proclaimed, "Omg I used to love these at school!" and another recalling, "My mom was a dinner lady and made this! She called it Cracknel." The recipe for this nostalgic dessert is simple, requiring 60g butter, 4 tbsps golden syrup, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, and cornflakes. To prepare, the butter and golden syrup are melted in a pan, then removed from the hob, where cocoa powder is added and mixed well. A generous portion of cornflakes is poured into a mixing bowl, the chocolate mixture is added, and everything is mixed thoroughly. Finally, the mixture is placed into cake cases and left to set for one hour.

These viral TikTok videos by Kate Keogh and her mother continue to celebrate the enduring appeal of traditional school dinner desserts, allowing a new generation and those nostalgic for their school days to recreate these beloved treats at home.