Okay hands up, who’s ever bought a pre-bought cake to the office and claimed it as their own? Well, we’re not judging, but it’s ever so easy to create a cake these days, you don’t really have an excuse to cheat!
Whether it’s time, creativity or a lack of ingredients, your days of sneaky food shame are numbered, but thankfully we’ve got just the solution for you! Perhaps you have seen our star bakers taking on the Great British Bake Off challenge? Well don’t worry, we’re not going to bundle you into a tent and force you to bake, but we are going to show you just how simple it is to join in!
Toss those packet mixes aside and get your apron at the ready. It’s time to get baking!
How do you start baking?
If you’re looking for those kitchen essentials that every baker needs, then look no further. We have everything you need to get cooking and you can often bag a bundle that will give you the whole kit in one. Our gorgeous Mason & Cash set is highly recommended and we’ve even spotted it on GBBO! Now if that isn’t a ringing endorsement of a product, we don’t know what is.
You’ll also need to invest in a decent set of weighing scales. The crux of good baking is understanding the recipe – if you fail to read the recipe or set up your scales properly, you may come unstuck. Make sure you take into account the weight of your measuring bowl too. Many of us fail this important step and end up with 50g extra of every ingredient!
Aside from your kitchen gadgets, you may also need baking paper or foil. Read the recipe at least twice before you make a move, it won’t always say you need these elements in the ‘ingredients’ section.
How to rescue a disaster bake
Every top chef once had to learn how to fry an egg – remember that if you ever find yourself in a kitchen pickle. You have to start somewhere and if you manage to bake a lovely cake that doesn’t quite look right, there are plenty of ways to make it look a little more appetising.
Icing is the Photoshop of the baking world. Scrape off the burnt bits and cover your cake in lashings of buttercream and decadent icing that really hit a sweet spot for baking fans. This isn’t cheating, it’s simply making the best of what you’ve got!
Our brilliant Katie Alice Cottage Flower cake decorating nozzle set gives you loads of ways to style your cake. With soft peaks of buttercream to intricate swirls of coloured icing, we eat with our eyes first, so go wild.
What could go wrong?
Who doesn’t like cake? Take the risk and make the effort to bake along with the Bake Off contestants this year!
As long as you read the recipe and check your guests’ allergy needs, there really isn’t a lot of room for error. To sweeten the deal we’ve even set up a post-GBBO twitter chat #bwbo, for you to ask any questions regarding your next bake. So what are you waiting for? Get cooking!