Calling all home bakers! Cake Fest is making its return and this year organisers are on a quest to make a giant edible map of Perth and Kinross.
Organised by events freelancer, Simon Preston, the event will take place on November 20 from 9am to 4pm at Horsecross Plaza outside Perth Concert Hall as part of Perth’s Winter Festival 2022.
Cake Fest is a celebration of communities and their homes through baking. Teams of budding cake makers will create a giant three-dimensional fully edible map featuring scores of the region’s most loved buildings and places.
This year will mark the sixteenth Cake Fest and Simon’s fourth year at the festival following a two-year break as a result of the pandemic.
Perth and Kinross Council employed the 55-year-old to organise the event and he is responsible for marketing it and recruiting bakers, to setting up the 60 to 100 square metre map on the day.
Cake Fest gives locals from Perth and Kinross and surrounding areas the opportunity bake and design a landmark building which holds personal importance to them.
Participants are able to choose their desired building and design cakes vary in size and height from 30cm cubed to one metre cubed, depending on the real life size of the building.
The event will take place within a marquee and participants can sign up to claim a building to bake by emailing him at simon@preston.scot.
Who does Cake Fest involve?
Home and professional bakers are asked to volunteer their time and cover the costs of their bakes for the building they choose to create, with a £20 contribution fee donated to bakers if required to be able to afford ingredients.
And Simon wants to ensure home bakers are just as welcome as those who are pros.
At previous events around 30 to 50 individuals or groups have helped to create the buildings and for Simon it is always a breathtaking moment when all the cakes arrive.
Simon said: “It is so beautiful and a moment where people can celebrate their community and the place where they live.”
There is also the opportunity for three charities to get involved where Cake Fest can provide support.
Simon said: “If there is a charity and they don’t have the money or expertise we can cover the cost of the bake.
“We can also provide support with a baker who will carry out a workshop with them.”
What will happen on the day?
Starting at 9am, Simon and a team of 10 to 15 volunteers will begin to build the map on the ground on top of a blank placemat.
Areas including rivers, woodlands, railway lines and roads will all be built from food, with the majority created from surplus food that would have otherwise gone to waste.
Once the foundations have been placed, cakes from external bakers will begin to arrive at noon and the process of placing down each cake will run until 3pm.
For the next half hour attendees can then view and photograph the entire structure and public voting for the best cake occurs, with the best one winning a Bakers’ Choice Award.
“Usually it is not the best cake, it is the funniest or most well presented cake that makes them feel something in the moment,” said Simon.
From 3:30pm to 4pm the cakes will then be sliced and given out to attendees to enjoy for free.
Simon recalled: “Last time we gave close to 10,000 slices of cake out to attendees for free.”
Bakers also have the option to take their cakes away to donate to charity or use them to fundraise for their chosen cause.
Future Cake Fest plans
With more than 12 years of experience holding Cake Fests across the UK, with the very first being a flash mob in Newcastle at EAT! NewcastleGate Festival, Simon hopes this year will bring the community together for another winter celebration.
And although he has not cemented any future plans for his next Cake Fest location, the full-time dad and primary caregiver is looking forward to seeing this year’s event be a huge success.
He said: “This Cake Fest will keep me busy for the remainder of the year.
“I don’t currently have any future plans, just see what is on the horizon for the coming year.”
Conversation