TikTok has become a hub for sharing nostalgic culinary delights, and a prominent figure in this trend is Kate Keogh, who, alongside her mother—a former school dinner lady—has captivated social media users by revealing simple recipes for classic school dinner treats. Their videos have gone viral, evoking fond childhood memories for thousands.

One of the first recipes to gain significant traction was the quintessential school sponge cake, often served with vibrant pink custard. Kate showcased a slice of the delicious-looking, sprinkle-topped sponge, remarking, "This looks just like the one we had at school. It's bringing back so many memories." This throwback bake, a highlight of school dinnertimes for decades, was made accessible to home bakers through her mum's "insider recipes." The video, posted under @katekeo, quickly amassed over 425,000 views, with users flocking to the comments to express their delight and appreciation for the classic treat.

For those eager to recreate the beloved school sponge cake, here are the details: The sponge requires 280g unsalted butter, 280g golden caster sugar, 280g self-raising flour, 5 eggs, and 2 tsp Madagascan vanilla extract. The icing is prepared with 500g icing sugar and 5-6 tsp water, topped with sprinkles. The iconic pink custard is a simple combination of one tub of custard and pink food colouring. The method involves creaming butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy, adding eggs and vanilla essence, then sieving in self-raising flour and mixing. The mixture is then placed onto a baking tray and baked for 30-35 minutes until golden. After combining the icing sugar and water to a liquid consistency, the cake is turned over, iced on the flat side, and adorned with sprinkles. The custard is heated in the microwave with a splash of food colouring before serving.

Following the success of the sponge cake, Kate and her mum unveiled another cherished school dessert: the cornflake tart, which some might remember as "crackolet" or "cracknel." Kate shared, "We're back with another one of mum's school recipes. We're doing an easy one today." Holding up the crunchy, gooey creation, she asked, "Does that just remind you of school or what?" This recipe proved even more popular, with its video racking up a staggering 1.8 million views, unlocking core childhood memories for countless viewers who eagerly shared their longing for the treat.

The cornflake tart recipe is notably simpler. The ingredients include 60g butter, 4 tablespoons golden syrup, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, and cornflakes (quantity not precisely measured by Kate). The preparation involves melting butter and golden syrup in a pan on the hob. Once melted, the pan is removed from heat, cocoa powder is added and mixed well. A large portion of cornflakes is then added to a mixing bowl, the chocolate mixture poured over them, and everything mixed thoroughly. Finally, the mixture is placed into cake cases and left for one hour to set.

Through these widely shared TikTok videos, Kate Keogh and her mother have successfully revived a taste of childhood for a vast online audience, proving that simple, nostalgic school dinner recipes continue to hold a special place in people's hearts and memories.