Six Fantastic Finalists Compete In The Caring Homes Signature Cake Bake Off
The competition to select a new Signature Cake to feature on the Caring Homes high tea trolleys reached an exciting conclusion this week, as our finalists gathered for the ultimate bake off!
Six finalists arrived at the Brakes Development Kitchen in Reading, ready to go head to head. Benson House, Broadbridge Park, Horsell Lodge, Laverstock and Parris Lawn were represented by chefs, while Vicky and Emily from Sanford House’s Wellbeing team competed for the second year running!
A Competition Full of Creativity and Friendly Banter
Each team was set up at their own station and the preparation stage began with a flurry of weighing, sieving, grating, beating and blending. There were citrus fruits galore and a rainbow of colours, from vibrant orange to subtle lavender and rose pink, appeared in mixing bowls across the kitchen. Soon, the delicious aroma of baking cakes signalled the end of stage one as the contestants took a short break.
Despite the prize at stake, there was plenty of friendly banter throughout the day as ingredients were borrowed and tips were shared. Creativity was on display at every station, and cake bases were stacked, filled, iced and decorated. With the clock ticking, our competitors added final touches and flourishes before taking their finished cakes through to the judging table.
Residents Welcomed to the Judging Panel
Enter the judges! We were delighted to welcome Daphne from Horsell Lodge, who had been a judge at last year’s competition, and returned with her fellow resident, Mary. As members of the panel, the two ladies offered their unique perspective on which cakes might be most popular on the weekly high tea trolley, as each cake was marked out of five for appearance, texture, taste and creativity.
Bakewell Gateau Wins the Day with Lots of Talent on Display
Once the judges’ scores had been collated, the results were announced.
Neil Wilson, Head Chef from Parris Lawn, came a close second with his Ambassador Cake, originally created for Resident Ambassador, Albert, on his birthday. Neil was also praised for creating mini versions of his cake that would be suitable for residents who are on modified diets.
However, a clear winner had emerged and this year’s top prize went to Benson House Head Chef, Stefan Cojocaru, for his brilliant Bakewell Gateau - an inspired reinvention of the classic Bakewell Tart which featured three different sponge layers and a stunning combination of vanilla, cherry, almond and frangipane flavours.
Congratulations to the creators of all six delicious cakes: Emily & Vicky from Sanford House with their Blackberry and Lavender Cake; Broadbridge Park Sous Chef, Claire Davis for her Fancy Fruit Cake; Horsell Lodge Head Chef, Gavin Speller, who entered a Chocolate Orange Ganache Cake; and Laverstock’s Head Chef, Dean Crabb, whose Lemon and Blueberry Cake was highly commended by the judges.
A Day To Remember, Inspired by Residents
A big thank you to our event sponsors - Brakes, who were wonderful hosts for the day, and Procurement for Care, who kindly donated our winners’ prizes. Everyone agreed it had been a fun day, despite the pressure to create the perfect cake, and Group Exec Chef Steve complemented all the finalists, suggesting there might even be a guest spot on the high tea trolley for some of their cakes.
Every entry that reached final had been tasted and approved by the home’s residents and their chefs did them proud. At the end of the day, it’s the inspiration we get from our residents and our commitment to making their requests and wishes a reality every day that makes everything worthwhile – especially when there’s so much at stake at the Caring Homes Signature Cake bake off!
