Dundonians are proving you can have your cake and eat it — as the popularity of baking takes off.
TV fans may be mourning the loss of the Great British Bake Off from screens for another year, but businesses in the city are keeping a smile on their faces as they roll in the dough from amateur cooks desperate to sweeten up their lives.
The resurgence in interest has gathered momentum over the past five years, helped along by the BBC programme that has captured the imagination of the nation.
Wendy Fraser, owner of baking and cake decorating supply shop The Cake Guru, said: “Baking has become a very fashionable thing to do.”
The former air traffic controller, from Argyll, opened her Broughty Ferry business six years ago, as she spotted a rise in the cake decorating market. The famous baking show was introduced a year later, something Wendy thinks demonstrates that small screen bosses spotted the same changing landscape that she did.
“My job was very high stress and when I first started as an amateur baker, it was such a release. I think Bake Off has introduced a whole load of people to baking that need that same release,” she said.
Jonathan Clark, manager of Clark’s Bakery, in Dundee, says the TV show has helped baking become a “craft”.
He said: “Bake Off has been crucial to getting baking into that category.
“The programme has been great for the industry and getting people to bake at home as well as thinking about baking. There is so much more knowledge and appreciation of what it takes to make a great quality cake.”
Wendy added that baking used to be reserved to the competitions of summer fetes — but it has now become more accessible, creative and “cool”.
“People are certainly more enthused about baking than ever and my business has seen the result of that. I’m very grateful to Bake Off presenter Mary Berry,” she said.
“Although we’re doing well, I think supermarkets have still cashed in on the success of Bake Off more than local businesses.”
Sainsbury’s saw a surge of 246% in online searches for iced buns following their appearance in the show’s final, as well as increases in carrot (21%) and lemon drizzle cakes (45%).
The supermarket also experienced a rise in sales of baking ingredients used on the show shortly after an episode aired. During “Cake Week”, walnut sales rose by 27%, butter by 11.1% and eggs by 14.1%.
Wendy noted that equipment used in the show also flew off the shelves shortly after an episode. The Cake Guru stocks a lot of the same products as used on the show and this, she said, can help sales.
“Often, people are quite attached to the same product”, she said.
“But, and this is where we majorly differ from supermarkets, we can also offer advice and expert knowledge.”
She says that her staff help train bakers at various levels, as more and more customers attempt ambitious and adventurous recipes.
“The days of the boring Victoria Sponge are gone”, she added.
“The technical decoration has become just as important and I think it is the Great British Bake Off that has done that. People see the incredible designs and want to try the same.”
Jonathan is thankful for the programme which, he believes, has had a big impact on the baking industry.
“It is something we needed very badly,” he said. “Clark’s Bakery had to make the decision years ago to move away from just baking and start selling hot food, just to stay open. Ten years ago it was all about going to the supermarket and buying five doughnuts for £1.
“We couldn’t even buy the ingredients as cheaply as the finished product in a shop.”
More than 14 million people tuned in to the final of the show last week, which saw Nadiya Hussain, from Luton, crowned the winner.
Twelve people started the show before they were whittled down over the weeks.