Bakers to get busy ‘for the love of cake’

Map of Perthshire made from cake will take shape in city centre as baking festival returns as part of Perth’s Christmas lights switch-on event

Some of Perth and Kinross’s best known landmarks are to be recreated in cake form as a baking festival returns for its third year.

Cake Fest will run on November 17 as part of Perth city centre’s Christmas lights switch-on event.

The popular event invites both amateur and professional bakers to recreate iconic Perthshire buildings and landmarks in sponge and sugarpaste.

From Perth Leisure Pool to Scone Palace, Kinnoull Hill to the Hermitage, Perthshire’s landscape will be unveiled in cake at their platform in Horsecross Plaza.

Simon Preston, the head baker for Cake Fest, said he is consistently amazed by how much the people of Perth like to get involved.

“Perth and Kinross bakers are certainly up for a food adventure,” he said.

“We’ve got 14 teams of community bakers already signed up to put spoon to bowl and we’ve got several more just waiting to make up their minds about which landmark to create. Every cake and building is challenging in its own way but it really depends how bakers decide to tackle it. They can keep it simple or make it as complicated as they like. We’d love to host as many buildings as possible which is why we’re doing a call out for bakers now.”

Nadia Cassar from Highland Perthshire has been involved since the first event in 2017.

She added: “I am really excited to be taking part in my third Perth Cake Fest. It’s such an amazing experience with an incredible group of people. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys baking and creating.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re experienced or amateur, it’s a whole lot of fun and we all help each other out with tips and ideas.

“Watching the map take shape on the day is fantastic; there is such a buzz.

“My first cake was Pitlochry Festival Theatre and last year I did the Crannog; this year I have chosen the Enchanted Forest.

“My top tip would be not to be afraid to try to just enjoy the experience; we are all in it together, for the love of cake.”

Taking part in Cake Fest is free. To register interest contact Simon Preston on simon@preston.scot