Kate Keogh, the daughter of a former school dinner lady, has taken TikTok by storm by sharing simple recipes for beloved nostalgic treats, captivating social media users with her mum's classic school dinner creations. Leveraging her mother's insider knowledge from her time as a school kitchen assistant, Kate has unveiled two highly popular recipes that evoke widespread childhood memories: a school sponge cake paired with pink custard, and a crunchy cornflake tart.

The first sensation to go viral was a simple school sponge cake, accompanied by its iconic pink custard. Kate showcased a slice of the delicious-looking sponge, remarking, "This looks just like the one we had at school. It's bringing back so many memories." This throwback bake was consistently a highlight of school dinnertime, with children eagerly lining up for a generous slab of the sprinkle-topped sponge. A staple in dinner halls for decades, its rediscovery on TikTok allowed countless users to recreate this retro cake at home. The video, posted under the username @kate_keo, proved a hit, racking up over 425,000 views, with commenters expressing excitement like, "My husband will love this! He loves school cake!" and "I love pink custard."

For those eager to recreate this classic sponge and custard, here are the detailed ingredients and method shared by Kate's mum:

Ingredients for the Sponge:
280g unsalted butter
280g golden caster sugar
280g self-raising flour
5 eggs
2 tsp Madagascan vanilla extract

Ingredients for the Icing:
500g icing sugar
5-6 tsp water
Sprinkles

Ingredients for the Pink Custard:
One tub of custard
Pink food colouring

Method:
1. Place the butter and caster sugar in a bowl and mix until pale and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs and vanilla essence.
3. Sieve in the self-raising flour and mix all ingredients together.
4. Place the mixture onto a baking tray and bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden.
5. Combine the icing sugar and water in a bowl until it forms a liquid consistency.
6. Turn over the cake and ice the flat side, before adding the sprinkles.
7. Add a splash of food colouring to the custard, heat it up in the microwave, and then serve. Kate encouraged viewers to "Share with someone who loves a trip down memory lane."

Following the success of the sponge cake, Kate returned with another beloved school dinner dessert: the cornflake tart. While Kate's school knew it as "craciolet," others recognized it as "cracknel" or simply cornflake tart. "We're back with another one of mum's school recipes," Kate announced in a video posted to her account @kate_keo, emphasizing its simplicity. Holding up her easy-to-make creation, she questioned, "Does that just remind you of school or what?" This crunchy, gooey treat was another consistent hit during school dinner times, and Kate's video quickly unlocked a core childhood memory for many, going viral and amassing a staggering 1.8 million views. Comments sections overflowed with nostalgic remarks such as, "Omg I used to love these at school!" and "I've been dreaming of these since school."

Here is the recipe for the classic cornflake tart:

Ingredients:
60g butter
4 tbsps golden syrup
1 tbsps cocoa powder
Cornflakes (a large portion)

Method:
1. Place the butter in a pan along with the golden syrup, and melt both down on the hob.
2. Remove the pan from the hob, add the cocoa powder, and mix well.
3. Pour a large portion of cornflakes into a mixing bowl.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the cornflakes and mix well.
5. Place the mixture into cake cases and leave for one hour to set.

Kate Keogh and her mother continue to delight TikTok users by sharing these authentic school dinner recipes, proving that simple, nostalgic treats hold a powerful place in collective memory and remain incredibly popular across generations.