Jane Asher is recalling a recipe from her first baking book.

The novelty cake, made for a friend's 40th birthday, was adorned with 40 naked ladies made of flesh-coloured icing, "because he was a bit of a ladies’ man”.

The naughty concoction, from the 1982 book Jane Asher’s Party Cakes, is still a popular order at the actress and writer’s cake shop in London.

“I mean sex and food – you can’t get better than that,” she says . “And now, of course, we do every combination - men, women, different nationalities, bondage. My initial one looks so innocent now, these misshapen little ladies.”

All this talk of nudity and bondage comes as a bit of surprise, given Asher’s wholesome image. But as the 68-year-old, who had a high-profile romance with Beatle Paul McCartney in the Sixties, points out: “I’ve been around for so long, there isn’t much I haven’t seen.

Asher’s cake business began as a hobby when her three children were small. More books followed after the success of her first. Her latest venture is a bakeware range with bargain chain Poundland, selling pastel-coloured kitchen essentials, including mini-scales and whisks for £1 a piece. Here are two recipes from her new Poundland book, Beautiful Baking.

CHOCOLATE FRIDGE CAKE (Nine-16 servings, depending on size) Ingredients 350g dark chocolate drops 125g butter 2tbsp golden syrup 450g cake crumbs (any leftovers, even stale, will do) 4tbsp brandy 225g crushed digestive biscuits 50g glace cherries Icing sugar, to serve Method Grease and line an 8-inch square or rectangular tray bake tin. Put the chocolate, butter and golden syrup into a large, heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until all is melted together (or melt it in the microwave).

Take the pan off the heat and stir in all the other ingredients.

Turn the mix into the prepared tin and chill until set (about two to three hours).

Cut into nine or 16 squares, then dust the tops with sieved icing sugar.

SOAKED LEMON CAKE Ingredients 175g spreadable butter 175g caster sugar 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and the juice of 2 (about 3 tbsp) 175g self-raising flour Pinch of salt 3tbsp milk 50g granulated sugar For the drizzle: 50g sieved icing sugar A little lemon juice Method Pre-heat the oven to 180C/165C fan. Line the bottom and sides of a 900g (21 x 10 x 6cm) loaf tin with baking parchment or a liner, to come a couple of centimetres above the top edge.

Cream the butter and caster sugar together, beating well until really pale and fluffy. Add the eggs little by little, beating well all the time.

Add the grated lemon zest, then gently fold in the flour and salt.

Stir in the milk, then turn the mixture into the prepared loaf tin.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until springy to the touch and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Remove from the oven but leave in the tin. Put the granulated sugar and lemon juice into a small pan and bring it to the boil, stirring all the time as the sugar dissolves. Boil strongly for about half a minute.

Make several holes in the cake with a skewer, going right to the bottom of the tin. Pour the hot syrup all over the cake, letting it seep into the holes. Leave to cool.

Carefully lift the cake from the tin, by holding the edges of the paper or silicon. Gently peel away the paper or liner.

Add the lemon juice little by little to the icing sugar, beating well, until it’s of pouring consistency but not too runny.Drizzle over the top of the cake and let it run down the sides.