If you run out of self-raising flour add 2.5 tsp of baking powder to each 225g/8oz of plain flour and sift together before use.

When baking shortbread cookies, substitute half of your plain flour with cornflour. It gives them a really nice taste.

Before icing a cake, sprinkle the top with some flour, this will stop the icing from running down over the edges of the cake.