Britain needs bakers!

So says a rather fab article in the Times about the growth of the cake industry in the UK.

Britain is in the grip of cake mania. Last week the Women's Institute, spiritual home of the iced occasion fruitcake, reported that interest in its baking courses was up 60 per cent; one online retailer said it was selling a cookie cutter every 15 minutes; and on Monday the nation is to be galvanised into action with the start of National Baking Week.

You can read the rest of the article here, with recipies for cakes by Konditor and Cook and Cake-boy (which I'm visiting next month), and some very yummy looking mint choc chip cupcakes from Crumbs and Doilies!

Punk cupcakes

From the ever fantastic Crumbs and Doilies, some great punk cupcakes that were made for a wedding - how cool!!

Also pictured, the cupcake of the month from C&D, mint choc chip - the description is making my mouth water!

Some of the greatest chocolate cupcakes we've ever had the pleasure to produce - Valrhona cocoa powder, Lescure AOC butter, you know the sort of thing, but this time with added Callebaut milk chocolate chips - heaps of 'em! All this, and a smooth buttercream icing made with organic peppermint extract. Marvellous.

I am going to try to get there next Saturday to see if they taste as good as they sound!

Finally, make sure you sign up for their halloween email which will give you a severed heads up on C&D's halloween spooktacular!!!