The Vanilla Pod Bakery: Events

15 Days To Freedom Blog Challenge

15 Days to Freedom Blog Challenge - Day 5 - Hyde Barn WeddingInspiration Day

14:43

Events

#NationalRealVanillaDay - 17th October 2014

01:34

Events

Calling All Bakers! Oxjam Chelt'n'Jam Bake Off!

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Cheltenham is getting into the baking spirit as as extra special Oxjam take over and hosts its own fabulous bake off at Manor by the Lake this Saturday, 17th August in aid of raising funds for the worthy cause Oxjam.

The Vanilla Pod Bakery are very excited to be sponsoring the event along with Kitchen Garden Preserves and will be encouraging all budding bakers to enter their masterpieces to be judged by a panel of experts including Xavier Pelloux, former Harrods wedding cake designer.

Categories for entries are ‘cakes’, ‘cupcakes’, ‘cookies’, ‘tray bakes’ ‘scones’ and ‘iced cakes’. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place in each category. First placed entrants will also go on to battle it out for the award of ‘best in show’, with the winner receiving a day’s baking at a local artisan bakery.

The event starts at 2pm and the afternoon will be filled with lots of activities for families including a magician, juggler, a bouncy castle and face painting, plus a fully stocked bar for all the dads who are attending. There will also be the tea room, where cakes can be purchased to enjoy with a pot of tea in the beautiful grounds of Manor by the Lake.

Fiona Stephens, Event Manager for Oxjam says ‘This is the second fundraising event for the Cheltenham team and we hope to add more money to the £10,500 raised at the Auction of Promises. We have one more fundraising event in September, the Oxfeast at Cheltenham Ladies College, with the final takeover on Saturday 18 October at various venues across Cheltenham.’

To enter your creation to the Chelt’n’Jam Bake Off, visit the website www.oxjamcheltenham.com and fill in the entry form.

There is a judging fee of £5 for adults and £3 for children, you can enter as many items and categories for this fee. Payment can be completed online or cash brought along on the day.

For more information on the event visit the website www.oxjamcheltenham.com or follow us on Twitter @oxjamchelts or www.facebook.com/oxjam.cheltenham.takeover

Oxjam Cheltenham Takeover is running a series of fundraising events before the main takeover in October in order to raise awareness and vital funds for Oxfam. All Oxjam events are organised by people who know and love their music scene

business

Cotswold Life Food & Drink Awards 2014

17:20

Events

'Inspirations' Wedding Fair at Hyde Barn

10:59

Events

Cheltenham's First Secret Cake Club!

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Last week I attended Cheltenham's first Clandestine Cake Club which was organised by Eve Middleton.

As the day neared I become more and more excited about what type of cake I should bake, now I know I bake cakes for a living and I throughly enjoy every aspect of creating Vanilla Pod Bakery cakes for our wonderful clients. But this time when I baked it had a different feeling, this cake was truly for me to enjoy and share with other cake passionate people.

As the sun was shining I decided to make a three layer Lemon Drizzle and Raspberry cake, two of my favourite flavours combined into a delicious fluffy cake drizzled with tangy lemon icing and topped with fresh raspberries. I am ever so sorry I for got to take a picture of it!

I attended the event with my friend Hetty, who is also a professional baker and runs a stall at the Gloucester Quays Food & Drink Market called Hetty's Tea Party.

As the event was secret we were't told where the location was until a couple of days before. The cafe we all descended on couldn't have been more perfect for our first meeting, it was the newly opened Green Coffee Cafe opposite the Cheltenham Spa train station.

On arriving I was delighted to spy lots of yummy looking cakes, and even better we got to taste them all! My favourite was a delicious Almond and Cherry cake. We had a fantastic evening chatting about all things cake, sharing top tips and making friends. I am looking forward to the next event already!

So what is a Clandestine Cake Club, well it is a secret cake club that brings people together over the joys of tea and cake. Founded by Lynn Hill in the summer of 2010 the first Clandestine Cake Club was launched on December 11th 2010 in Leeds.

"It had nothing to do with a resurgence in baking, neither was it because of any popularity in baking programs, it was purely a need in getting more people together over Tea and Cake, without having to do all the baking myself. The people can do the baking and they can invite a guest. It was that simple” Lynn Hill

There are now over 170 clubs world wide, a fantastic website and a cookery book.

Bake, eat and talk about Cake. Gather in secret locations, UK & overseas. Arrive as strangers, leave as friends. It’s all about CAKE.

Hopefully see you at the next Cheltenham Clandestine Cake Club!