Bolton Clandestine Cake Club - One

A year ago today I was still pumped full of a heady mixture of sugar and adrenaline from the success of our very first Bolton Clandestine Cake Club. On Saturday our little club celebrated a whole year of baking, talking and eating cake together. Over 12 months we have devoured 263 cakes, gathered 102 members, had two babies, hosted visits from four different clubs, brought custom to seven new venues and had one 'virtual' club when we were hit with snow. Our members even helped Dawn and I with two local events, raising around £2500 for Bolton Neo-Natal Unit. Not bad eh?

I consider myself to be one lucky lady. I've met many new friends through our club, some of whom I would never have come into contact with any other way. I have had four of my recipes published in the Clandestine Cake Club Cookbook, learned new skills and have encouraged lots of local people to start a new hobby. We even have a regular 'Meat Up' where we just go out for burgers and cocktails...

Our theme for Saturday's meeting was 'One'. I asked our bakers to bake the one thing that they love, which is worthy of a celebration. By popular demand, the Bolton Clandestine Cake Club went home to Thyme Deli in Horwich. Amanda (Thyme's owner) has been hugely supportive of our club from day one. She has welcomed us with open arms whenever we have asked. She hosted our very first meeting,  brought us in from the snow when Horwich was under about a foot of the stuff, tolerated our crumbs and cake dramas and didn't seem to mind when we gave her children enough cake to keep them on the ceiling for a month. To say thank you for all her support, our club presented Amanda with her own copy of the Clandestine Cake Club Cookbook. I cannot thank her enough!

The room was bedecked with streamers, helium balloons, banners and party poppers. Our bakers had really gone to town on the theme this month, all with their own little interpretation. The cakes included:

• Cherryade Bundt Cake 
• Strawberry Lollypop Cake
• 'Pineapple and Cheese on Sticks' Cake
• Chocca Mocha Hedgehog Cake 
• Blueberry, Honey and Strawberry Cake with whipped cream
• Princess Cake
• Iced Raisin Loaf
• Sweet Potato and Bourbon Cake
• Orange and Cardamom Cake
• One Way or Another Orange and Lemon Cake
• Dandelion and Burdock Cake
• Oreo Cake
• Rainbow Birthday Cake
• All in One Lemon Cake
• Blueberry Layer Cake 

Our next meeting is on 16th March and our theme is 'Pump up the Jam'. Please pop me an email if you would like to join us! A few of our bakers bought their jam from Thyme ready for next month! Clever little bakers...

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