Something new is cooking in Bedminster: Bake It! Bristol– the city’s first competitive baking experience.
Rosanna Spence donned an apron and set the timer to prove that even a novice baker could walk away from the city’s latest must-do activity feeling triumphant…
As someone who was once editor of a bakery magazine (albeit a business-to-business one, rather than a glossy recipe title) I’ve clocked up an embarrassingly low number of hours whipping up my own creations at home. I was in a committed relationship with my lockdown sourdough starter – it was fed more regularly than I was at times – but it produced fewer than three actual loaves. Okay, maybe just the one. There have been some questionable oat cookies over the years. A couple of flatbreads.
But an actual cake? No way. And a four-tiered, buttercream iced, fondant decorated scenic masterpiece, at that? You’ve got to be kidding.
Yet what was once thought impossible has now been achieved. I am a cake baker. I have mixed, assembled, infused with flavours, crafted and decorated a multi-tiered cake (with the help of my teammate, of course) all within a strict 90-minute timeframe. And did I mention it’s a competition, with 11 other hopeful baking teams pushing the creative boundaries of their cooking? Pop the kettle on, make a brew and get ready to read all about your next big day out in Bristol, because believe me, you’re going to want to try this out.
Above: the 12 baking stations set up before the competition begins; pre-measured ingredients waiting to be used
Ready to rise
While the oven’s pre-heating, let’s iron out the details. Bake It! Bristol is the brainchild of sisters Kalisha and Aleena, who have taken over a spacious corner unit on East Street with their competitive baking concept that promises two hours of fun, whisking and creativity (no experience needed, phew). There are 12 baking stations kitted out with everything you need for the session, which is ideal for couples, friends, families and colleagues – or if there’s more of you, you can take over the whole space. Bake It! Bristol’s team handles all the washing up – a real treat – and is on hand for any hints or tips you might need. (For example, when I didn’t know how to get the mixer going, someone kindly pointed out that it helps when it’s switched on at the plug…)
Our experience began in the garden-themed bar while we waited for everyone to arrive, with plenty of drinks available to order – and even a cake-themed cocktail of the month if your sweet tooth can’t wait until after the session. After being welcomed and shown to our station, aprons securely fastened, we familiarised ourselves with the simple, fool-proof recipe cards. There’s a theme for each month (ours was a summery teddy bear’s picnic, but we were encouraged to be as creative as possible – our group’s bakes included chubby cats who gorged on too much cream, rowers in a canoe boat and more).
No prep was needed, all our ingredients were pre-weighed, equipment set up and waiting for us to dive straight in once the timer was set. The colourful Creation Station is an imaginative apothecary of flavours and decorations, with plenty of ingredients to go around the whole group for our personalisation preferences.
Above: Competitors decorating their four-tiered cakes; the Creation Station
After 90 minutes was up, it was time to take our cake to the Head Baker station to be proudly displayed alongside our competitors’. We each got the opportunity to talk through our concept, flavours and creative ideas, with Aleena judging the final winner (having tasted a sample of each) and bestowing the lucky bakers with a coveted golden cake slice. Name me a prouder moment, I dare you.
The icing on the cake
With the latest series of The Great British Bake Off premiering on Channel 4 this month, I’ve no doubt that plenty of people will fancy trying their hand at some competitive baking sometime soon – I know plenty of workplaces and groups of friends and families competing alongside the series. Although Kalisha and Aleena’s concept has no affiliation with GBBO, and is its own experience entirely, I can honestly say that getting a taste of the excitement, a sprinkling of the stress (don’t worry, it’s the fun type of stress where you might forget how to use a tap properly in a panic, or nervously laugh at how difficult carrying a cake across the room can become) and the utter elation at managing to complete a bake within the nick of time was an incredible experience that I’m already keen to repeat.
The atmosphere in the room is jovial and relaxed enough so that everyone can laugh at their efforts, collectively commiserate any mild disasters and – most importantly – celebrate everyone’s success at turning up and giving it a go. Aleena was an incredible host during our session, keeping the energy bubbling away (plus, GBBO competitors don’t get to listen to club anthems while they whisk and mix, unlike us in true Bristolian party style).
I can imagine Bake It! Bristol becoming a hen party haven, but the space and experience would equally suit co-workers on team building days, groups celebrating milestones, or simply mixed pairs and threes having an absolute ball among likeminded strangers, like we did.
We may not have walked away as winners on the day – the truly deserving champions were rightly awarded the golden cake slice by Aleena – but it had been a very long time since I’d felt so accomplished. The fast-tracked journey we went on from nervously glancing over the recipe card to finessing our fondant decorations in only 90 minutes left me genuinely impressed. Bake It! might have even encouraged me to attempt my own sweet creation at home very soon. Even if you’ve never mixed flour, eggs, sugar and butter before, I can guarantee that spending time with Aleena, Kalisha and the team will leave you laughing, ready to show off your bake to anyone who’ll listen afterwards.
bakeitbristol.com | @bakeit_bristol | 127 East Street Bedminster, BS3 4ER
Images, left to right, top to bottom: Aleena and Kalisha; a happy couple showing off their final bake; competitors decorating their four-tiered cakes; the Creation Station; the 12 baking stations set up before the competition begins; Aleena with two competitors at their station; and pre-measured ingredients waiting to be used
