Clandestine Cake Club, Inspired by History at The Knit Studio on 22nd July 2013

Melanie's Edwardian Recipe: Kitchen Garden Cake

This was my last Clandestine Cake Club (as organiser) so I was filled with mixed emotions, will I be able to keep away? will I be able to hand over to Iona thoroughly enough for her to be able to do it? Will I cry when I do my little 'welcome' speech?

Hannah's French Revolution Cake

For this last gig I'd decided to take advantage of my position as organiser and chose my favourite venue, so I picked The Knit Studio at Blackfriars.  The Knit Studio (shop, workshop, meeting place, magical treasure trove of all things 'knit') welcomed us for a third visit and we were well looked after by Anne and her 'helpers'.

And as always The Knit Studio proved to be the perfect place for us, a large table for our cakes, space for us to gather (around the table), and sofas to chat, all surrounded by nooks and crannies filled with amazing colours and textures of materials, yarns, books, equipment, clothes, and  things to inspire you to have a go...

The theme for the gathering was, Inspired by History because of the history of Blackfriars - and our cake bakers took up the challenge (as always).

So let me take you all on a journey through time presented through the medium of cake (click the baker name & cake for a picture):

A Jurassic Ginger Cake baked by Iona

We began our journey as far back as prehistoric times with a Jurassic Ginger Cake (baked by Iona) with a reenactment of the decline of the dinosaur era (FACT: Dinosaurs died out because their gingerbread bodies couldn't cope with the hot weather & their gingerbread legs buckled in the heat).....Then our time travels moved (very) swiftly on several hundred (million) years to celebrate the Chai Spice Trade (baked by Kate) and the French Revolution (baked by Hannah).


We stopped for a bite to eat (only a thin sliver of cake from each) a cup of tea and headed back onto our journey of cake...

Battenburg Cake baked by Lisa

We took another sliver of the brightly coloured & marzipan smothered Battenburg cake, circa 1898 (baked by ME) followed by our full daily complement of fruit and vegetables in a traditional Edwardian Kitchen Garden Cake (baked by Melanie)

We stopped somewhere in the 70s to sample  an Upside Down Peach Melba & Coconut Cake (Nelly), A sophisticated coffee cake (Val), a Cheesecake (Rose) and a Carrot Cake (Lauren)  
Sorry Rose I didn't get a pic of your cake, but it was the perfect palate cleanser

Orange & Poppyseed Cake baked by Catherine

Our final decent into the present day saw our bakers take snippets from recent cake-histories, recipes from families, friends, travels, and previous CCC events, sampling Armenian Orange & Almond Cake (Lauren), Orange & Poppyseed (Catherine), Banana, Cherry and Chocolate Chip (Claire) and Cinnamon & Walnut Soured Cream Cake (Seymour)

Until we crashed - full of cake, stuffed happy and educated in the history of cake!

Thanks again to our bakers - you did the theme proud, I hope I've told the history how it was ;)

Welcome to new CCC member Catherine, who successfully pulled off her mum's Orange & Poppyseed cake - even though her scales broke!! And Chloe from Living North Magazine - I hope we've inspired you to bake a cake for the next gathering!

Thanks again to Anne for letting us use your wonderful space in The Knit Studio .
And good luck to Iona who'll be running Newcastle Clandestine Cake Club gatherings - all members will be notified of any changes via emai, and I'll be along as a baker - don't you worry :)

View all of the photos from the event in my Flickr account