It might not be your cup of tea, but cake making has taken the country by storm following the success of the great British bake off, with the growing cake craze spreading into our local area.
Whilst the Cath Kidston’s shop in Wimbledon Villages runs the company’s “lick the spoon” competition in search of the most original novelty cake, shops- like that of Cakeology in Raynes Park- have sprung up across the borough.
Baking competitions run rampant throughout the local area; the Girls Day School Trust which encompasses a number of independent high schools in the Merton Borough, has run a cooking contest inspired by old girl Mary Berry, inspiring students to have a hand at baking.
Undoubtedly this avocation of cake making has inspired a younger generation of bakers and although it is often a skill overlooked nowadays, this new craze reminds us of the true talent that lies within skillful baking.
Since taking up this increasingly popular hobby, one avid young baker Christiane Spring, with the use of imaginative cookbooks, has baked ingenious cakes in shapes varying from Pigs to sheep to burgers that have stunned fellow students, neighbors and friends across the borough.
The 14 year old explains the joy and importance of making cakes and what has influenced her to take up this valuable pass-time.
“Cake baking is not only relaxing, but enables me to express creativity. I like the idea of having a finished product at the end, which you can eat!”
“The relatively low costs and the ease of picking up the skills mean it is something we can all get involved in; it wasn’t difficult for me to get some practice and give the whole thing a try before I went on to create more unusual cakes.”
She continued to emphasise the massive effect of the media in influencing her and other chefs of all ages to give cake-making a go.
“Particularly the TV opened my eyes to how cooking cakes can be more than baking; it’s both a way of relaxing and almost like a form of art. The general promotion of cooking recently at school and within the media is certainly what caused me to take a keener interest in it.”
A love of baking, that could easily have been lost in the shop bought culture of microwaves and packaging of which many people have become accustomed to, seems to be flourishing even within the youngest of society, proving the ability of a hobby like baking to unite all, irrespective of who.
When looking at this new baking fad, it’s impossible not to ask why now? Although we do immediately turn to the media and television, the underlying economic climate cannot be forgotten.
Baking had previously been popular at a time where cooking was one of the only skills to uptake and with a need to save money, it could be argued that we have fallen back on this fairly cheap and easy way of entertaining ourselves.
That said, with this adoration of cake making having bared its roots within the hearts of Britons, its unlikely that even as the economy recovers, the joy in this skill- especially for new bakers like Christiane- will be forgotten.
Is this new craze the icing on the cake in proving economic recession can actually remind us of talent not to take for granted? Whatever your response, there is no doubt that baking will continue to bite into the lives of many with its relaxing and creative appeal, so why not give it a try?
