Fill your cake hole

I'm still recovering from the sugar high that was the Cake and Bake Show 2013 at Earls Court.

I went along with my partner in crime Little Miss Shortcake, and I don't think it turned out to be quite what we expected. 


I was going with the expectations of learning techniques, discovering new equipment and be inspired. What I found was stand after stand of cupcake/cake bakers desperate to sell their sweet wares.

Don't get me wrong. Some of the producers were quite talented, but this show felt like it was being sold as place for bakers to discover new things.

It wasn't just once that I overheard a visitor or two exclaim "I'm not buying that when I make it every week!"

I don't blame them. If I want cakes I can bake them myself, or better yet ask Miss Shortcake to bake me a treat. 

The show itself was split into two. One area for cakes and other sweet things, and another area for the savoury. Little of it was dedicated to bread.

In fact the savoury area was much the same as the sweet. Producers selling their breads and quick fix pizza bases. 

I love making pizza dough. Being a baker I love making most types of dough, even Spanish pan rustico. Why oh why would I go to a baking show to buy someone else's pre-made pizza bases? 

The other interesting thing about the show was the range of quality. There was the full gamut of pure chancers to top quality producers, and everything in-between.  

It's quite shocking to think some piss-poor hobbyists would expose themselves to shows such as this while exhibiting next to some talented people. 

The show did open my eyes up to some quite disgusting sexism in the baking world. I was ignored at many of the stands I visited. There were a few, especially some artisan flour mills, I wanted to find out about. Unfortunately certain representatives didn't want to sell me anything.

I can only assume it was because I am a guy. The other assumption is that I'm brown, and maybe they didn't think brown people bake. I really hope it was the sexism thing and not a racism thing.

I would name and shame but there were just so many exhibitors that were not interested in my cash.

The show itself wasn't a total bust. I discovered Bakery Bits who were doing some great deals on bread-related equipment. And I met the lovely Luisa Zissman, who was there promoting her new business the Bakers Toolkit. 

Full credit to Luisa. She could have just pranced around being a well-known face. In fact she was behind the stand working as hard as any of her employees/helpers. And while doing that she stopped to talk to people and pose for photos. 

I asked if her business would move into providing bread kit. She didn't seem keen. I guess we'll have to watch this space. 

Another brand I thought was quite cool was a tea company. 

Alison Appleton actually are more focused on tea pots, but the teas they had brought to the show were lovely. 

The teas were presented in glass bottles, much akin to a gentleman's hip flask. I wanted to buy a few but they had run out of the particular brews I wanted. Maybe next time. 

So a mixed experience at the show, but it was pretty fun. This time next year who knows, maybe I'll be there flogging bread.