Flash Back Friday

This time last year, the air in my local village was buzzy with excitement and fierce competition, there was going to be a bake off and most important in all, judged by Great British Bake Off’s Paul Hollywood, who had moved in to the area. I remember wracking my brains for a design and flavour. I decided to keep it simple, less is more tactic.. I baked my classic vanilla sponge cake and filled it with my deliciously smooth buttercream and raspberry jam. I spent time making delicate sugar flowers to dry in time to decorate for the occasion. I assembled and crafted my cake, with in mind of maybe getting a Paul Hollywood famous ‘handshake’. Walking down to the local pub with my “prize winning” cake to where the judging was taking place, I was thinking that there wasn’t many people around, walking to the pub, to find out the whole of the village was crammed into this one village pub! It was shoulder to shoulder, everyone shuffling to enter their ‘prize winning’ cakes and bakes too. I must admit feeling very much ‘out done’ by the amazing assortment of cakes. Each with their very unique artist impression. I never knew the people in my village where such amazing artistic bakers! We were all lined up, squished like sardines, all waiting for Mr Hollywood. The room was surrounded by excited chatter and guessing “who’s cake was that?”, when Paul entered the room and the judging started. Each carefully created cake having a slice removed and a single bite, sometimes two.. I felt for Paul as he had over 50 cakes and bakes to sample, how he didn’t feel ill..? My cake was the last to be cut and tasted.. I remember watching his face very carefully to read his thoughts. I got a raised eye brow and a little tiny nod of his head and the hope that just maybe it made the cut… I hasten to add, my cake was NOT picked for the finalist but the raised eye brow and slight nod of the head was enough for me on what was an amazing village community event.