Sew It Knit It Bake It: Bake It!

Tuesday, 7 April 2015

Bake It! - Old Bakes

My love of baking cakes stems mostly from my youngest son. I've always loved cooking anyway, and having been baking breads for a long time. When Charlie was only a couple of weeks old, I realised he had some kind of food allergy going on, and he was diagnosed with Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (Non-iGe). Over the next 4-6 months he added more foods to that list - eggs, soya, shellfish, blackcurrants and blackberries. Thankfully, all of his allergies are non-iGe which means he doesn't suffer anaphylaxis as a result.

As he approached his first birthday, I realised that buying a birthday cake would be impossible, and baking one seemed like an unachievable task. How can you make a cake without eggs or butter? Fortunately, a friend stepped in that year and baked lots of little fairy cakes for me that year, but I decided to teach myself how to bake for him in time for his second birthday. I was already adapting everything else I cooked, so surely cakes couldn't be that hard?

You know what? It's not. I have a collection of recipes I use for him now, and a firm favourite recipe book - Ms Cupcake - The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes In Town.

Once I'd mastered the cakes, it was time to master the decorations. Over the last 3-4 years I've attended 2 short cupcake decorating classes. They were helpful, and a lot of fun, but I'm happier teaching myself.

These days, as well as baking for family, I bake for friends and for charity. In 2013 I got involved with Free Cakes For Kids in my local area. They provide birthday cakes for children who wouldn't otherwise get one, with each cake baked by a volunteer. Mostly they are children living in poverty, sometimes they are teens in supported housing. The children have to be referred in by a professional involved with the family such as a Health Visitor, Family Support Worker or Social Worker. It's incredibly rewarding, the children's faces when I deliver the cake gives me the warm fuzzies.

So here is my collection of cakes that I have photos of pre-blog -

Chocolate Cake