Throw the perfect Mother’s Day afternoon tea party with these 10 must-try recipes

If you've left things until the last minute, chances are most afternoon tea venues are probably fully booked for Mother's Day. Our solution? Host your own posh tea party for mom at home. Bring out the best china and cutlery and set a table fit for a queen. Here’s how to serve your menu like a pro:

First course

Savouries are eaten first. Think finger sandwiches and quiches. Everything can be eaten using your fingers and is usually served in small bites. Eat the lightest savouries first and finish off with the heavier options.

Finger sandwiches

These dainty sandwiches are sliced into long rectangles, super-easy to assemble and can be made ahead of time while you work on the rest of your menu. They're a tea-time staple.

Get the recipe for salmon finger sandwiches here.

Savoury tarts

This is our twist on traditional afternoon tea, which usually only consists of a variety of finger sandwiches for the first course. If sarmies don’t do it for mom, this easy quiche with a crunchy pretzel base will be the perfect savoury addition.

Get the recipe for onion-and-leek quiche with pretzel base here.

Second course

Scones and breads are next on the menu. Serve with clotted cream and jam for the full afternoon tea experience!

Scones

Tea and scones are a classic pairing. This recipe uses amasi to make them extra fluffy.

Get the recipe for amasi-and-raisin scones here.

Sticky buns

These sweet buns get their stickiness from dates! If mom doesn’t have a sweet tooth they're a winner.

Get the recipe for sticky date and mocha swirled buns here.

Third course

Finally, it’s time to dig into the pastries. These can range from tarts to biscuits and cake. Like the courses before, these should be served as bite-sized treats. If you can, we suggest baking these in smaller tins. It’s recommended that you start with simple treats before moving on to richer pastries.

Biscuits

These chewy chocolate cookies are made using oat-and-honey bread – a genius way to not waste a crumb of bread.

Get the recipe for white chocolate and tahini bread cookies here.

Pucker up

After sampling so many sweet treats, these zesty lamingtons bring a little relief from the sweetness.

Get the recipe for lemon-and-lime lamingtons here.

Cake

We’ve kept it classic with a Victoria sponge and home-made raspberry jam. This gluten-free bake is great for gluten-intolerant moms.

Get the recipe for gluten-free Victoria sponge with raspberry chia jam. 

Cupcakes

Our dood director, Abigail, was inspired by the spring flavours of Harry and Meghan’s wedding cake when she made these.

Get the recipe cupcakes with whipped buttercream here.

Something creamy

Cheesecake ushers in the "dessert course". Since you’ll be baking quite a few treats, this no-bake cheesecake is one less thing to add to the oven. Get the recipe no-bake cheesecake with blueberry coulis here.

To finish off…

Since it’s customary to end afternoon tea with something rich and decadent, pull out all the stops with a cocoa-rich tart topped with a light and airy toasted meringue. Get the recipe for chocolate meringue tart here.

Finally, make sure you have an array of mom's favourite teas and maybe splurge on a bottle of bubbles to toast to the lady of the hour. Have a wonderful Mother's Day.