Taking to the cakewalk
Businesses showed off their most creative cakes and their catwalk prowess at the Awapuni Function Centre on Wednesday in a charity auction for Kind Hearts. Photographer David Unwin was there.
Manawatu¯ organisations have come together to show off their cake-based creativity, all for a good cause.
Twenty-four organisations and businesses from around the region strutted their stuff at Kind Hearts’ Annual Cake-off fundraiser at the Silks Lounge in Awapuni on Wednesday night.
Creations ranged from a Lion King cake, by Little Savanna staff, to a miniature heat pump unit from Excel Refrigeration. After being shown off on the runway, the cakes and extra prizes from businesses were auctioned, with the proceeds going to Kind Hearts.
Kind Hearts chief executive Miriam Peel said the foundation raised just over $11,000 from the auctions, ticket sales and selling merchandise.
‘‘There was a lot of kindness in the room that night.’’
The most expensive cake on the night was Excel Refrigeration’s.
It sold for $2700 and also included a heat pump and installation on top, he said.
The cake-off has been going for three years and is the organisation’s biggest fundraiser. This year’s efforts exceeded everyone’s expectations, Peel said.
Aside from fundraising, there were also four expert judges on hand to decide on the best cakes. CR Law took out the grand prize, with a cake in the shape of a district court judge’s head, and the technical award went to The Distinction Coachman Hotel.
The judges were Massey University associate professor Farah Palmer, Brew Union head chef Grant Kitchen, Heather Freeman, from Tataou Pacific Cuisine Catering, and Mark Harman, from Artisan Kitchen.
The work Kind Hearts does includes supporting sick children at Palmerston North Hospital and providing schools with food for children in need.