Daventry micro-pub wins healthy cake competition

From left: Event organiser Des Hillier, Overall winner Caroline Langland of Early Doors, Tastiest Cake winner Maria Caldeira of Marias Kitchen, Healthiest cake winner Victoria Gunn of Evergreen Art CafÃ©, Best Presented Cake winner Monty Batooli of CafÃ© Viuna and Highly Commended entrant Tracy Holmes of Berryburst.

The Healthier Heart Cake Bake was organised by Daventry District Council as part of the Eat Out Eat Well scheme.

It attracted more than a dozen entries from caterers around the district, with the cakes rated not only on their taste and appearance, but also on the methods used to make them healthier.

Judging duties were performed by council chairman Cllr Deanna Eddon, senior environmental health officer Des Hillier and senior environmental protection officer Mike Jephcott, who is also a trained chef.

And after some careful deliberation they announced the overall winner as Caroline Langland of Early Doors micro pub in Prince William Walk, off Sheaf Street in Daventry, whose Rooty Fruity cake was loaded with fruit and vegetables including cranberries, carrots, parsnips and beetroot. The sugar content was reduced by half and three large cooked-down apples were used to provide bulk and some natural sugars.

A carrot cake baked by Victoria Gunn of The Evergreen Art Café in Sheaf Street won the Healthiest Cake Award, the Best Presented Cake was awarded to Monty Batooli of Café Viuna, in High Street, and Maria Caldeira of Maria’s Kitchen, also in Sheaf Street, won the Tastiest Cake award.

Following the judging council staff were invited to buy the cakes, raising £78 for the chairman’s charity, Pete Spencer’s Helping Hands Memorial Fund.

Recipes for all of the entries will also be put into a Healthier Heart cook book, which will be made available for free download on the council website so people can try the recipes at home.

Council chairman Deanna Eddon said: “All of the entries were really delicious and it was almost impossible to pick a winner. The bakers came up with some really inventive ways of making their cakes healthier and hopefully it will raise awareness of the little changes people can make to create healthier dishes.

“I would also like to thank all the bakers, whose creations helped raise such a good sum for my chosen charity, the Pete Spencer’s Helping Hands Memorial Fund.”

For more information on the Eat Out Eat Well scheme visit www.daventrydc.gov.uk/EatOutEatWell.