Baking, talking, giggling, cheating

Cape Town - The night before was stressful. I was a bag of nerves, and nightmares of flopped, split, burnt cakes pervaded my intermittent sleep. A minute after waking up on Thursday morning the realisation that I had to bake at a food show set in again.

The invitation came from celebrity chef Jenny Morris, the “Giggling Gourmet”, and the venue was the Decadent Desserts theatre at the Good Food and Wine Show (held from May 23 to 26).

No wonder I was intimidated.

But all the stress proved needless because the “baking” itself was Red Velvet cake from a box, courtesy of Pillsbury. Even the cream cheese-flavoured frosting came ready to spread.

Which, I have to admit, was slightly disappointing considering I’ve recently taken up baking as a hobby. I have to say, however, that I have mastered a vanilla sponge – if not much else.

But with the “box”, even I could do this with one eye closed, a hand behind my back, and even hopping on one foot if necessary.

Anyway, there were plenty of willing students from the International Hotel School on hand to assist, so there was little room for error.

The upside was that with so little time actually spent baking, there was plenty of time for talking – and spoon-licking, as Morris had us sample various flavours of ice cream and frostings.

It really was as easy as one, two, three, and a 40-minute wait while the cake did its thing in the oven.

Passers-by looked impressed as our effortless cakes made us seem pretty skilled in the kitchen. Or perhaps they were just amused that we plebs managed to pull it off at all.

I may have gone there hoping to learn some seriously cheffy baking tips, but if I didn’t get that, it was useful to learn what’s possible when you have very little time to throw a cake together (or you can make about 20 cupcakes from the box if you prefer).

And no one has to know that you cheated a little. Okay, a lot. - Weekend Argus