Cakebook 2012 - The big event

Today was Cakebook 2012, at Gateshead Stadium (a change of venue due to the amount of rain we've had recently), the change of venue didn't put the bakers off, and didn't put the visitors off either.  It turned out very well actually.

The Gherkin was carefully wrapped in clingfilm, loaded into the footwell of the car (and I sat beside it in the back, keeping it steady as we made the journey from NE25 to NE10.

I felt kind of sad, knowing that he wouldn't be coming home...A bit like when you take a pet to the vets to be put down...

But then I thought about how much joy he would bring by being at Cakebook and being EATEN at cakebook and told myself that he would be fulfilling his destiny.

The event was organised superbly (as always): cakes arrived, booked in, had their photos done and were then positioned on a giant map of the UK, when the regions were 'complete' they were finished with icing roads, bourbon biscuit pavements, icing cars and hundreds and thousands 'space'.

There were various entertainers: men with knitted beards, live music, cooking demonstrations for kids, and a variety of food stalls.  The food sellers probably did a cracking trade, I had a great tasty burger from The Feathers Inn, but waiting 20mins for a coffee wasn't fun, especially as the coffee wasn't great.

The cakebook map taking shape, this is 'down south'

Cake bakers voted for their favourites, won by Shakespeare's The Globe, followed by Ambleside (decorated by Lindsey (who bakes at my CCC events) and her friend),  followed by Glastonbury Festival.


Let them eat CAKE

Bakers were invited onto the map to serve their cakes to the attendees.  This is where Mr Gherkin took centre stage...I took the first slice, from top to bottom....Gently wiggled the knife to let the slice fall out, and slowly there was a hushed "wow" going around the venue, Mr Gherkin's rainbow cakes fell out - for all to see, and everyone wanted a piece of him!!


Lots of people came over for a slice of the stripy cake, It surprised quite a few people, and it was nice to hear that they thought the cake was tasty too.  It had the same effect as the 'practice' cake I did for my niece's 4th birthday, her Belle Cake. This made me all warm and happy inside.

Mr Gherkin defintitely fulfilled his destiny, to look like the gherkin, and WOW the crowds with his amazing technicolour interior....I'd like to think that the walls inside the real building are painted in similar rainbow colours.

All in all, a great event and I'm still smiling...

Plans	Production	The Gherkin

A few thank yous...
My contribution to the day wouldn't have been possible without the following:

• My oven (for baking all of those cakes)
• My garden (for producing the strawberries, which made the jam that filled the cakes)
• The pasta machine (for rolling the icing)
• The rotating cheeseboard (which made icing the cake so much easier)

• Mr Lisa (for cake engineering & maths)
• Kate (www.cakepoppins.co.uk) for advice on using the spray-glaze
• My dad (for constructing the cakeboard & broom-handle)
• EAT Festival people for organising the event
• Everyone who came to the event

My photos from this years event are in my flickr account: The Gherkin Cakebook 2012
And you can read up on all of my tweets about #CakebookGherkin here: https://twitter.com/#!/search/realtime/%23cakebookgherkin