The Big Bakes has reopened its marquee doors and has been inundating with lock-down bakers wanting to perfect their skills!
For those who can’t get to The Big Bake the team is inviting Brits to keep their distance and carry on baking, with a supersized 2 meter or 1 meter cake recipe that’s perfect for social distanced sharing.
The UK’s first and only live baking competition is encouraging the nation to create the ultimate centre piece for their next garden party – a one- or two-metre cake that will not only help people keep their distance, but have some much-needed fun, too. With this recipe, it’s up to each individual baker how long they make their cake, depending on the distance they want to put between their guests.
The recipe offers a step-by-step guide to making a Genoise Swiss Roll, using a 9×13 inch cake tin that every baker has to hand. Brits can times the ingredients by four to make a one-metre long version, or by eight to create the ultimate social distanced dessert at two metres in length! Bakers can then use their buttercream to stick all of the cakes together, in one long line!
The ultimate centre piece (and social distancing measuring device) for any summer event, all people need to do to have a go at home is visit @Thebig_bakes on Facebook or Instagram, for the BIG recipe.
The Big Bakes’ Two-Metre Cake
Sponge Ingredients*:
4 eggs
100g caster sugar
100g self-raising flour
Jam Ingredients:
130g frozen berries
100g sugar
0.5 tsp cornflour
Buttercream Ingredients:
250g icing sugar
125g butter
2 tsp flavouring of your choice (zest or essence)
*Times the ingredients by x4 to create a 1-metre long cake and by x8 to create a 2-metre long cake
METHOD:
· Set your oven to 180c. Crack your eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar and beat use an electric mixer on a high setting, for approximately eight minutes. Make sure everything is well incorporated. Your eggs are ready when they’ve tripled in volume and have small air bubbles.
· Now it’s time to think about flavourings. If you’re using a liquid extract, add 2 tsp to the egg mixture. If using a dry ingredient, such as cocoa or spice, add 1-2 tsp to your flour. When using cocoa, remove the same quantity of flour to even out the recipe. For zest, grate one fruit and add to the mixture.
· Sieve flour over eggs and carefully fold in using a spatula, being careful not to knock out too much air. Get your tray and line it with a sheet of baking parchment. Make a couple of cuts at each corner, for a better fit.
· Gently pour your batter into a 9×13 inch tin, spread it out evenly and give it a gentle tap to remove any air pockets. You’ll need to cook each portion of batter separately. Place in the oven for 15-18 minutes.
· While your sponge is baking, make your jam. Tip sugar, cornflour and berries into a saucepan. Cook on a medium/high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. The mixture should thicken and be jammy in consistency. Pour onto a plate to cool.
· Once your timer has chimed, check if the cake is ready by gently pressing the top. It should be golden and springy to the touch. Gently lift the corners of the baking sheet to remove it from the tin.
· Get another piece of parchment and dust it lightly with icing sugar. Flip your cake onto the dusted parchment, then carefully peel off the paper and discard.
· Using a serrated knife, carefully create a slit along one of the short ends of your cake, about an inch in. Be careful not to cut all the way through. This will help your cake roll!
· Starting from the indented edge, tightly roll your cake and parchment, then set aside to rest and cool, while still rolled up.
· For your buttercream, place your icing sugar and butter into a mixing bowl and use a paddle mixer attachment on a minimum speed to incorporate. Once combined, increase the speed and mix for approximately 10 minutes, to make the buttercream light and fluffy.
· If you’re using a liquid flavouring, add it in now. Don’t forget to stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, so everything mixes evenly.
Assembling your cake:
· Spread a thin line of buttercream diagonally across your cake board. Take your cooled sponge and carefully unroll it. Spread a thin layer of buttercream (approximately ¼) onto your sponge. Then spread your jam on top.
· Now roll it again and place it on the line on your cake board, so your roll seam is underneath. Spread the remaining buttercream over the roll using a palette knife. Arrange fresh berries, or other decorations, on top.
The Big Bakes was founded in 2017 by Eloise Frank and Adam Chaudhri, who discovered a gap in the market for fun, accessible and affordable baking events, after taking part in a bake-off competition during a work away day. Thanks to their backgrounds in marketing and events, Eloise and Adam quickly turned The Big London Bake into the capital’s highest rated event.
During lockdown, the brand has been releasing scrumptious recipes to keep the nation entertained in the kitchen – and its latest offering is its biggest yet! Ideal for family garden parties, summer barbeques and special occasions, the recipe is for a mammoth one- or two-metre long cake, that’s both delicious and perfect for encouraging everyone to stay at a safe distance.
Those looking for the full interactive experience can now enjoy The Big Bakes live in London and Birmingham. Having reopened to the public post-lockdown, the team is ready and waiting to offer Brits the ultimate bake-off experience. Suitable for a range of occasions, from Tinder dates, to birthday parties, The Big Bakes takes place inside a marquee with individual bake stations and a team of experts.
Each baker is given all the essential ingredients and tools needed to create the ultimate bake. The Big London Bake runs seven days a week, while The Big Birmingham Bake runs every day expect Monday and Tuesday. Tickets start from £39.50 and right now, The Big Bakes is inviting keen cooks to bring a friend for free.
