A post by guest blogger, Asmau Hassan from The Sugared Saffron Cake Company
The UK baking scene is buzzing. Inspired by cheap-chic and shows like The Great British Bake Off, we’re all trying to return to a time of feminine glory. Aprons, hand whisks and perfect baked goods. Everyone’s getting on the vintage bandwagon; shabby chic oven gloves at the ready and your kitchen scales are finally getting used.
But things just seem a bit…well… off. The kitchen is covered in icing sugar, your sponge is as flat as a pancake and it really, really doesn’t look like the picture on BBCGoodFood. What’s a girl to do?
Ever tempted by the convenience of processed foods, us naughty Brits are going over to the dark side. Betty Crocker icing in a tub, add an egg cake mix, surely it’s still homemade if I made it at home, right? Ermm, wrong.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a food snob, but we all have to draw the line somewhere. Baking is an art, but if we’re being honest, a Victoria sponge is not rocket science. Understanding a recipe and the techniques to a happy cake takes time, reading, and most of all practice. It’s a goal easily within reach for most of us.
If we look at the ingredients of these quick fix baking products, a large proportion of them I can’t even pronounce. We don’t need preservatives, modified starches, E-numbers, partially hydrogenated vegetable fats, stabilisers, and the ever mysterious ‘flavouring’. A bit of practice and a good recipe will suffice. Do we really need to resort to buttercream style icing? Dude, it’s 1 part butter to 2 parts icing sugar! Simple!
I love that America influences our culture and gives us lots of cool things; but we really don’t need to import the baking habits of our US brethren just yet.
So here are my top tips for successful baking:
- Practice, practice, practice – One failure does not mean you cannot bake – we all try and fail sometimes.
- Creaming butter and sugar, means creaming! – Your mixture needs to be pale and have increased in volume.
- Use at room temperature – Make sure your eggs are out of the fridge and don’t leave your butter until it melts on the counter.
- Don’t convert US recipes – If you’re a beginner, start with home grown recipes to avoid cake heartache.
- Work slow – A stressed out baker rushing around won’t achieve a thing (believe me, I’ve tried)
We can't all be master bakers... but let's have fun getting there. And in the mean time at least there is The Sugared Saffron Company which creates masterpieces like this Peony Cake.
The Sugared Saffron Cake Company was born from Asmau’s love of baking, painting, and all things creative. The company strives to reach the forefront of cake design with delicious baked goods, and attention to detail. Using brilliant ingredients and incorporating big ideas, the company wants to see every bride have a spectacular wedding cake they can be proud of. For more information visit: www.sugaredsaffron.co.uk
thesweetpantry 
Just this morning I was saying on twitter how it is starting to bug and upset me the amount of recipes featured on blogs using cake mixes from a box. I’ll never understand why people use them.
Cake mixes from a box….. eeeeeeek! I think all school children should be taught a basic sponge recipe – it’s a great starting point – and home baked always tastes so much better. x
I bloody love this post! X
Thanks! Asmau hits the nail on the head… and is a very witty writer. Out with the pre-made/ready-to-mix and in with some good old fashioned baking!
Thanks you guys! I agree, so many recipes on the net start with 1 box of white cake mix. People are made to believe that they can’t bake and need a box mix, putting more money in the pockets of the manufacturers.
I sense another rant starting…