East London’s hunt for the city’s most talented home bakers is well underway, as the Cutman & Hawk Caffé and GO! cake baking competition reached its first tasting session stage on Wednesday.
The four-week bake-off, affords aspiring bakers the opportunity to have their creations featured as the café’s “cake of the day” at the popular Retail Park coffee shop in Beacon Bay.
Alan Hawkins revealed that 13 entries had made it to the first phase of tasting, where judges will focus on cakes that melt smoothly in your mouth.
“I’m thrilled with the entries we’ve received so far. This week, we are judging four cakes, and we’ll taste another four next week. I’ve seen some really wonderful creations already,” Hawkins said.
“The cakes should taste better than what you buy at a grocery store and carry a personal touch.
“At home, you bake with love for your family or partner — that love is the secret ingredient that makes home baking special.”
While initial selections were based on photographs and descriptions, Hawkins said that the final decision came from the tastings.
“When selecting, we eat with our eyes first, but the ultimate decision comes down to taste. We’ll have more to say once we’ve sampled all the cakes.”
The competition will continue on Wednesday and a winner announced soon after.
A panel of judges will select the winners, culminating in a grand finale.
The top four bakers will earn the chance to supply their winning cakes to Cutman & Hawk Caffé on a weekly basis. Each winner will also receive a gift hamper valued at R300, courtesy of the café.
Bakers interested in entering can email their submissions to goexpress.co.za for more information.
