National Cupcake Championship 2011
60 PRO bakers - 18 top judges - 6 brand new categories but only ONE champion...
British Baker magazine launches the search to find Britain's best cupcake baker in the run up to National Cupcake Week 2011.
This year’s event is even bigger and better, with an extended competition to celebrate innovation, taste, presentation and vibrancy across the craft bakery, independent and multiple sectors.
The UK cupcake sector remains in rude health. New figures from Kantar Worldpanel reveal that cupcake consumption of non-homemade cupcakes grew by 11 per cent year on year to 44 million cupcake eating occasions. If you include homemade cupcakes, that escalates to 65 million occasions - up 52% (year to February 28 2011).
Every year there is talk of 'the new cupcake' coming along but no product has yet lived up to the hype. These figures show that there's still a massive, growing interest in cupcakes.
It’s craft bakeries, coffee shops and independent cake decorators that are behind the growth - data shows they are by far outperforming the supermarkets, which struggle to match them on skill and creativity.
The dynamism of the cupcake sector is propelled by an army of emerging professional cake bakers and start-up businesses, fuelled by the boom in home baking and that’s what National Cupcake Week celebrates.
Andrew Williams, Deputy Editor of British Baker magazine
Last year’s Cupcake Champion, David Bennett, who owns the Sunshine Bakery in the Chapel Allerton
area of Leeds, saw business soar as a result of his win.
His number one creation was a highly praised banana and mango cupcake which the judges described as 'a breath of fresh air'.
Since his success, David has substantially extended his bake shop cafe and branched out into supper menus too.
David plans to return to defend his title this year.
Sixty finalists will be short-listed to compete at the grand judging event at the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts) on August 15th 2011.
This year's expert judging panel includes cake emporium owners, decoration divas and celebrated greats - among them are Eric Lanlard, Hummingbird owner Tarek Malouf, Food Network UK's 'icing queen' Abigail Moule, Lily Vanilli and Peggy Porschen.
The new competition categories for National Cupcake Championships 2011 are:
- Best Decorated Cupcake of the Year
- Best Presented Cupcake of the Year
- Best Tasting Cupcake of the Year
- Most Innovative Cupcake of the Year
- Best Cupcake Crafted for Multiple Outlets
- Free-From Cupcake of the Year
- Cupcake Champion - the overall winner
The sponsors of National Cupcake Week 2011 are the UK's leading provider of sugar paste, Renshaw Napier; the Bristol packaging company Chevler; ingredients supplier Puratos; and the food and drink vocational qualifications organisation, FDQ. The official TV media partner of National Cupcake Week 2011 is Food Network UK.
Cupcake Charity Appeal
This year, British Baker has teamed up with the leading children's charity CLIC Sargent who will be asking bakers and cupcake lovers to help raise donations for their beneficiaries during National Cupcake Week itself.
National Cupcake Week 2011 Timeline
- June 17 - National Cupcake Championships 2011 are open for entry to professional cupcake makers and registered businesses only
- July 15 - Competition deadline
- August 15 - Grand judging day and cupcake theatre at the ICA in London when the 2011 winners are announced
- September 12 - 18 - National Cupcake Week 2011
@cupcakeweek www.nationalcupcakeweek.co.uk www.bakeryinfo.co.uk