It started – like so many of his fixations – with some adverts for a part work magazine. This one was about baking, and along with the recipes you got biscuit cutters, icing guns and the like.
Boy One was gripped. He filled his bedroom with recipes books and the kitchen cupboards were gradually silted up by his equipment and supplies.
He created dozens of beautiful and elaborate cakes and biscuits often the centrepiece of a celebration. His 13th birthday treat was a trip to the Lakeland headquarters to fill a trolley with baking goodies.
It made a fine change to previous obsessions that included Pokemon, dinosaurs, Thomas the Tank Engine, jigsaws and Bakugans.
The baking year saw him get special mention at school for baking a Pudsey Bear cake for Children in Need and win a most exciting cake award from Great British Bake Off finalist James Morton.
However, last week I mentioned that he hadn’t made anything for a good few weeks and wondered if he was going to.
“No. I don’t think so. I’ve finished baking,” he said. My heart sank.
“What about all your stuff?” I pointed to the edible glue and cake pop machine.
“You can have it.”
 |
| The supplies are all mine now |
Now I’ve got the most well stocked baking supply cupboard I’ve ever had and a shiny new food processor, I’d better make the most of it.
I do have his temporary passion for cake creation to thank for sparking my enthusiasm for the subject. I suppose I was partly put off by never having the right stuff in for the recipe. Well I do now.
I started the new chapter of our baking life by making a carrot cake to cheer myself up.
 |
| At least one of your five-a-day surely? |
I’d never made carrot cake before so I followed Whitworth Sugar’s recipe for perfectly moist carrot cake with apricots.
Meanwhile, Boy One is now very, very interested in Minecraft. What shall I make next to take our minds off it?
Whitworths asked very nicely if we’d do some baking and write about it. I think they were more interested in Boy One’s culinary skills, but they’re going to have to make do with me now. These posts are created on a commercial basis.
.
They are running a series of Twitter competitions to inspire some kitchen magic. To enter, follow @WhitworthsSugar. Each week @WhitworthsSugar will ask their Twitter fans a different baking related question. All you have to do is tweet your answer with the week’s hashtag.
This week it’s #MothersDayBakes. Tweet if you’re making something special for your mum or if you’re hoping to have something baked for you.