Cake Monday 7th of April

We race (electronically) and the loser has to bake a cake to feed the office. 

Why? because we like cake.

Who? everyone in the office. No one gets out of it. When? 1st Monday of the month. The rules: you make the cake yourself, without any help. You can't 'repeat' a cake. Your cake will be judged on presentation, difficulty and taste, and marked out of 10 by each colleague. When you have baked 3 cakes, you are out of the competition for 1 year.

“Pancake Chocolate Chip Cake” by Jamie. Self described by Jamie as “the easiest one he could make,” this Chocolate Chip sponge originally was not intended to feature “Pancake” in the title. After a first attempt that didn't rise, and a second that didn't rise much more, Jamie concluded that it was a combination of lack of ‘air’ and a confusion with the oven temperature that led to his ultimate downfall. The sponge was made of your standard ingredients – eggs, flour, sugar – with some generous helpings of chocolate chips to give that extra bit of pizzazz. Jamie did admit that the cake could have been a bit more substantial if he’d stuck the trial one on top with some icing - but he and his family already ate that last night.

The Verdict: The general consensus within the office was that the cake tasted “alright.” Top scores came from Nils and Louise who especially enjoyed the thick, chocolatey flavouring. The fact that Jamie made a second cake after the first fell through was also duly noted. Criticisms came with confusion about what the cake was actually supposed to taste like. Descriptions of it being a Shortbread-like-sponge were thrown about and Ellie couldn’t finish her piece as the chewy texture “made her jaw hurt.”

Pancake Chocolate Chip Cake Average Score: 5.8

Next time:  Andrew. Andrew’s last Cake Monday was the first cake he had ever made alone. He now faces the dilemma of knowing no other recipes, but as a rule, no cake can be done twice. Andrew’s baking skills really will be put to the test next month.

17 months later, and Smritee has still never lost the drinks dash and been forced to make a cake.