If you want a heads up on what to bake this year for the Benoni City Times Mother’s Day Cake Bake competition on May 4, here is a tip: old but not outdated.
A taste for perfection without arrogance is what former Great South African Bake-Off competitor Shawn Govender is looks for. Cakes need to be visually appealing and well put together no matter how simple the bake. Govender does not like sloppy, soggy bottoms of the cake and he enjoys cakes which have a complexity of flavours. Photo: BBC
Confused? Don’t be.
It simply means that some of last year’s judges (and no, we are not calling them old) will be be back for a second taste, this time in the 10th anniversary of the competition.
Good food, great taste and fantastic appeal is the way to bake an unforgettable cake according to Wendy Bernhardt. “I look for cakes which have a firm texture and are not over-sweetened.
“There is nothing wrong with having a sweet-tasting cake, but it must not be so sweet that a person feels sick while eating it,” she said.
Paul Smith enjoys having accessories like icing, fruit and nuts on a cake which is as important as the appeal. “Great presentation can have you tasting a cake just by looking at it,” Smith said.
A cake needs to look as good as it tastes for Stelios Coutsides. If contestants want a tip for winning his heart, they should think out of the box. “I like simplicity, but with a bit of a twist,” Coutsides said.
Berry Legg, better known as Miz Gooz Berry (left), and Xanthe Weissnar, are looking for contestants who wear their smiles and develop recipes that cater for those who have special dietary requirements.
Moira Wall has been a judge in the Benoni City Times Mother’s Day Cake Bake Competition numerous times. Not only did she start baking birthday and wedding cakes for friends and family, she also joined the South African Cake Decorators Guild (SACDG) in the late 1990s. Here’s what Walls looks for in a cake: first impression, balance, texture and flavour.
So join in the fun for this year’s fun because the party will be bigger and better with entertainer HunTer, who will perform and be the Master of Ceremonies (MC) for the day at Cherrylane Gourmet Café, at 12 14th Avenue.
The categories for 2017 include: professional, fun, tarts (sweet and savoury), cupcakes and tartlets, and raw cakes.
One of our new judges is Loraine Krugel. Look out for the following City Times edition to see what cake will win her heart.
