Confession of a Grown Woman (Supposedly)

I heart cake. I do, I feel like writing it over the back of my jotter. Sorry, I am now supposed to be a grown up. I still feel like writing it over the back of my recipe book. I Heart Cake. There, I said it. Here's hoping that it's not an unrequited love!

Sticky Toffee and Lime Cake with Salted Caramel Icing - what's not to love?!?

Practice Makes Perfect

When I get ready for the next KitschnBake festival, I will have taken on board all things I've learnt from the events I've done already. For the Ferryport Festival in Tayport, I had just over a week to prepare. It was a steep learning curve and I'm determined to tweak to perfection next time.

I suppose the biggest lesson I've learnt is that it's not just about the Cakey-Bakeage, although that is the most important and fun part. I want to create a kitsch vibe for everyone who stops at the stall too.

When you call by, you'll see Mavis Cakes in many guises, lots of tray bakes, double chocolate brownies, cake bites and cake pops. You'll be tempted by bags of tablet, cheesecake and whole cakes with fresh fruit ...

You'll be so busy choosing, you won't notice all the work that's gone on behind the scenes. As well as researching recipes and baking up our most popular treats, I've been ordering more business cards, making sure there are enough boxes so people can take their Cakey-Bakeage away with them and, after that, I've been pressing clean table cloths and pretty napkins. There are a lot of jobs on my list. Not that you'll know that when you bite into your bun!

If it all goes well maybe next year KitschnBake will have a Cakey Campervan instead of the canvas!! All I need is the Scottish Summer weather to be kind so that the gazebo can cope well enough with the hordes of Kitschnbake fans!

Now, I'm off to complete the 'to do' list before the oven pings!

Four Seasons in One Festival.

A mix of high wind, blazing sunshine and a torrential downpour all in the space of five minutes can only mean one thing in these parts - Tayport's Annual Festival! Fortunately the gazebo held up to allow for the sale of the cakey-bakeage and protect us from the elements in all their forms.

The Ferryport Festival, as it is known, is organised and run by a small committee and what a great job they do. Each year there are stalls, entertainers, competitions, live music and, for the first time ever this year, the KitschnBake Stall. Whilst the organisers cannot predict or control the weather, all eventualities with the exception of frost, were covered and still people smiled on and enjoyed themselves.

It was great to be a part of it this year and apart from a few niggles we really enjoyed it. I feel like this is veering towards an acceptance speech but there are a few people who cannot go unmentioned as without their help the gazebo would have blown into the Tay! So Bruce, Chris and Tony - KitschnBake thanks you for keeping us grounded. And to Jen, my right hand KitschnGal, thank you - it was a great, great day.

Order Order!

The first order for Fordelhill Farm was delivered first thing on Friday morning. Fresh strawberries, local free range eggs and delicious raspberries made it very difficult not to keep them for myself. Thankfully there were a few left over strawbs and rasps for the kitschnchef. It's a privilege is it not?!

I went back up today and am delighted to find that the weekend has not only gone well but I have a repeat order for this Friday! The only problem is how not to buy all the wonderful fresh, local produce they stock - I shall have to run in and straight back out whilst wearing blinkers!

A Midsummer's Night Strawberry Dream

Fresh Strawberries. Enough Said.

The Best Dressed Cakey-Bakeage in Town!

When KitschnBake launched there was a bit of an unseemly scuffle for the job of chief cake tester. Mr KitschnBake nabbed the role - it's not what you know, it's who you know - and a few grown women wept real tears. Back then, it seemed as if baking and eating were the only things that mattered.


The Cakey-Bakeage is still the most important and fun part of it all, of course, but the festivals I enjoyed so much showed me that an eye-catching image is important too. I've realised I need a stall that captures the vanilla essence of what KitschnBake is about. I know cake and kitsch go together like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. But when I want to spread that word to bustling crowds, what's the best way to dress my stall for success?


This is where my wannabe cake testers came into their own. Nicola, my friend with an eye for divine design, has crafted the most beautiful hand-made bunting a kitsch baker could hope for. Chrissie, another gorgeous gal, dreamt up and couriered in a huge KitschnBake canvas, emblazoned with my logo, to sit behind my stall. Now if you're out and about and catch sight of KitschnBake's wooden spoon above a bunting-draped display, you'll have to call by for a cake and a chat, won't you?


Thank you Chrissie and Nicola. There's nothing kitsch about true friendship. You are talented, gorgeous, kindred spirits and your support means the world to me.

Birthday Biscuits

Strawberry, horses, hearts, butterflies and the Number 7 all showered with a little bit too much icing, glitter, sprinkles and icing pens. Not a bad job at all girls. We love a bit of 'more is more' at KitschnBake, especially when celebrating a 7th birthday!

.