Sticky Toffee Cake and a Bake Off

The Golden Fleece hosted the third annual Fleece Fest this bank holiday weekend and that meant it was time once again for the Great Birkenshaw Bake Off. 

My offering this year was to be a Sticky Toffee Cake and I set off down to pub full of hope yet these were soon to be dashed as cake upon cake arrived each looking better than the next. 

There seemed to be a common feeling in the air between this year’s bakers as similar recipe ideas kept cropping up, there were two chocolate orange cakes and even another sticky toffee cake to accompany mine. I knew I should have done that raspberry and pistachio cake that I had been planning.

Are you not going to take the bloody foil off?

There was new marking system in place this year, one which seemed to favour presentation and so although I had upped my decoration game this year, the piping even worked this time,  my cake still came up short.

Third places went to the Sticky Toffee Pudding cake, second to the Terry’s Chocolate Orange cake and the winning cake was the very elaborate fondant icing decorated ‘Down The Rabbit Hole Cake.’ 

As I was accompanied this year by both my mother and grandmother we took it up on ourselves to buy a slice of each of these winning cakes to take home to try. It turns out that I am a very harsh critic. 

I think he's trying mine

Does that look like a happy face? I can't tell

To make your own Sticky Toffee Cake you will need:

For the cake:

400g prunes/dates

500ml tea

250g butter

400g sugar

6 eggs

1tsp bicarb 

4tbsp golden syrup

500g self-raising flour

Start by preheating the oven to 180 degrees c and lining a deep cake dish with greaseproof paper. 

Finley chop the dates and prunes and soak in hot tea for about 10 minutes

Cream the butter and sugar

Slowly add to the mix your syrup, bicarb, eggs and fruit as well the flour, folded in a spoonful at a time. At this stage, I divided the mixture into two, one-half for the competition and the other half for my mother’s birthday cake. 

To this second batch, I also added 50g walnuts. 

Bake in the oven for 55 minutes (maybe longer depending on the size of the tin) or until it brings back and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

The Bake Off

The Great British Bake Off is now in its sixth series and has quite literally taken over the world, well the UK at least as ‘bake off’ competitions are cropping up all over the country and the humble village of Birkenshaw was not one to miss out.

The Golden Fleece in Birkenshaw has recently been refurbished and since its reopening has placed itself firmly as ‘Birkenshaw’s favourite local.’  

This bank holiday weekend saw the first ever ‘Fleece Fest’ and welcomed over 60 types of beers, a hog roast, live music and even a BOUNCY CASTLE!!!  The village’s first ever Fleece Fest Bake Off was held on the bank holiday Monday and I of course had to take part.

The cake that my very good friend Emily and I made for the occasion was GBBO winner John Whaite’s Sherbet Lemon cake.

Herre I am with my mate John Whaite and his lovely shorts

The baked masterpiece combines the popular lemon sponge with zingy sherbet lemon filling and homemade mixed peel. Guys we made mixed peel! Surely that means points in our favour? 

Our contribution was the first cake on the bench as I (naturally) was the first to arrive and my hopes were high. I mean there was free meal at stake here. However my hopes were dashed somewhat when a cake with an actual sheep on top arrived a.k.a The Golden Fleece.

All proceeds of the Birkenshaw Bake Off went to the BVA (Birkenshaw Village Association) and indeed as well as the £1 entry fee, each slice of cake  was also sold off at the end of the competition.

There were three separate categories: cakes, cupcakes and children. however of the grand total of 6 entries (one being the kids’ so that won by default so there were technically only 5)  they were all cakes. Maybe I should of made cupcakes instead. 

To be honest things were getting a bit tense as I sat waiting patiently…ok not so patiently…for the judging to start and it did not help matters that the affair was late. 

Head Chef Ollie (from Hotel Chocolat no less) was to head the judging joined by the general manager. Apparently Ollie recognised me…maybe I've been to Roast and Conch a bit too much.

The first cake under scrutiny was the Homer Simpson Doughnut cake which though chocolatey didn't look all that appetising alas we didn't get to hear any feedback and I was eager to hear what the judges thought as my cake was up next. 

I was quite disappointed that they didn't try any of the peel.

Sophie's’ Cookies and Cream cake was a tribute it would seem to the popular Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream yet I never really got the hype about that and personally I feel that it lacks flavour. Something that can also be said about this cake (i tried some of it) Sorry Sophie

The Golden Fleece cake caused quite a commotion as the judges weren't sure how to cut it - eventually they went for the popular delicacy: mutton rump. As the cake had been called ‘Golden Fleece’ it wasn’t clear what type of cake it was and as we got no feedback from the judges i just had to guess. The sheep looked to be lemon whilst the base was a plain sponge decorated with coconut. 

The final cake to be tried was Chocolate and Strawberry. This yummy looking chocolate cake was topped with strawberries yet I’ll guess we’ll never know whether or not there was anymore strawberry involved.

Three men debating about cake - it doesn't get much more tense

I was gutted to find out that I had not even placed as third place was awarded to Charlotte’s Strawberries and Cream, Second place surprisingly went to Adele’s Golden Fleece which I had thought was sure to win. 

The Cookies and Cream cake by Sophie was declared the winner much to my shock and hence why I had to try some for myself. Suffice it to say that I did not agree with the judges verdict. 

Next week on the GBBO it is ‘Free From’ week, here the bakers will create gluten free/dairy free e.t.c  bakes. For some free from recipe ideas check out the baking tag.