Clandestine Cake Club

The things I do for you. Honestly, I am devoted, DEVOTED and relentless in my pursuit to find new and interesting food-related events around Manchester.

Thanks to my intrepid spirit, I am now completely intoxicated by a sugar-high and am going to have to (yet again) incur the wrath of my Weight-Watcher’s leader at my next foodaholic’s anonymous fat fighter meeting.

The Clandestine Cake Club is a new off-shoot of the incredibly popular national supperclub phenomenon. It has been inspired by website administrator Lynn’s  ‘Secret Tea Room’ which she’s been hosting in her Leeds home for the past year.

There are inaugural events planned all over the country over the next few weeks. see if there’s one near you or set up your own. Gwyneth Brock, who runs her own afternoon tea parties in Bowden, Cheshire, is the pioneer who set up the Manchester division. The first event was held at her local cafe The Cake Gallery and future events are planned at all sorts of other venues.

The club is open to both enthusiastic amateurs and professional bakers alike and is non-competitive (officially). All you have to do is bring a home-made cake based around an agreed theme for that event.  Meetings are usually free, but CCC members are encouraged to buy drinks from the venue – unless it’s held in someone’s home.

Manchester’s first event was held on July 4^th, American Independence Day, so we were asked to bake a cake with a USA inspired theme. How great to be given an opportunity to delve into my vast collection of cookbooks and magazines. I spent a lovely afternoon doing research, engrossed in Martha Stewart, Magnolia Bakery, Hummingbird, Fannie Farmer Merritt and Julia Child.

I was also looking for an amazing Glossy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake recipe from one of my very old (sorry, vintage) editions of Good Food Magazine, circa early 1990’s, but I couldn’t find it. In the end I had to settle on something similar by our own Nigella Lawson Despite most of her recipes needing their own health warning for wanton disregard of recommended daily calorie limits, I thought I’d add a cinnamon peanut brittle crumble topping inspired by American excess.  

There were all sorts of wonderful creations there and to be honest, it was frankly a pleasure to be able to stuff myself with cake without having to apologise for being a glutton. I did however manage to just stop short of eating the cakes by using only my face- which is a long held ambition. Yeah, yeah, I know it’s not just me…oh, it is? Well never mind, just enjoy looking at these lovely images of cake.

Just a few things you need to know about the Clandestine Cake Club;

You do not talk about cake club (though excessive blogging is encouraged)

Men are scarce. Are they afraid? *Throws down gauntlet.*

Bring a (large) Tupperware to ‘help’ clear up the left-over’s.