a projected led by Tina Scott Parashar
Incredible India Cake Magazine
Cake International is a show which happens annually at the NEC in Birmingham. I happened to visit one year purely by chance and I have been making sure I head to the halls every year for the biggest cake competition in the world. The entries to the competition are always stunning but then there’s also the stalls and exhibitors to marvel at throughout the event too.
This year the competition involved hundreds of entries across a multitude of categories and the best in show winner walks away with a prize of £2500. I had a good look at some of the entries and have walked away feeling awestruck – marvelling at the creativity and attention to detail as well as how realistic some of the cakes and sugar work is. Heartbroken for the cakes damaged in transit too.
What’s wonderful to see at Cake International is the children’s categories which feature some really wonderful creations and have left me feeling as though I want to encourage my classes to participate in the competition and perhaps bring them along to the show next year. There’s also a new baking category and I fancy my chances here so might try and enter next year.
As well as the competition entries to wonder at, the cake international halls are bursting with stalls where you can buy all manner of things to up your cake game. I gave myself a strict budget and walked out with some beautiful sprinkles and a wonderful new buttercream mix but I also have my eyes on some new tools and equipment I simply need to have in my kitchen.
One thing I really enjoyed was watching not only the scheduled demonstrations and sessions on the main stages, but seeing people model and mould live new methods, ingredients and materials from the stalls. Seeing exactly how to use a mould or tool really helps you to understand new products and appreciate how they are used to best effect before purchasing, and even ask manufacturers questions about existing products you may already own.
Throughout the exhibition hall are some truly stunning installations. At the main entrance this year was a Bollywood themed life size display by Tina Scott Parashar and I happened to find a life sized Tom Shelby sponsored by Renshaw as well as a huge Christmasaurus by Zoe’s Fancy Cakes which made me pause in my tracks.
With so many cakes and things to see I was snapping away with my camera so here’s some of the wonderful entries – with winners due to be announced I do not know how the judges arrive at their decisions. Well done to all who entered.
Cake International is at the NEC in Birmingham 4-6th November and in conjunction, your ticket will get you entry to Cake and Bake International, as well as Simply Christmas, and The Creative Craft Show.