A selection from Present Day Cakes on our Mango & Marble Wood Paddle Board
The Great British Bake Off is over for another year, but the nation’s obsession with cake continues. With carbon footprint concerns causing many people to think twice about buying and sending flowers out of season (many are flown in from Africa before they even reach your florist), sending cakes by post is most definitely ‘the next big thing’. Suitable for all occasions, the market is booming, and this Christmas will no doubt see much dough being spent as cakes are couriered all over the country.
But where to start? Whether you are celebrating or commiserating, the choice can be overwhelming. We’ve scoured the internet (and eaten a lot of cake) and come up with our Favourite Five:
1. If you are after a personalised sponge cake, then Baker Days is a good place to start. They offer a ‘letterbox’ service from their Nottinghamshire HQ, which includes a variety of circular sponge cakes that can be personalised with birthday/get well soon-type messages and with various ‘add-ons’ available such as balloons and cuddly toys. The cake is packaged in a tin, which they claim means that it can survive the drop to your doormat!
- 5” Diameter Personalised Cake - £14.99 (serves 2-4 people)
Letterbox Tinned Sponge Cake from Baker Days
2. Present Day Cakes have a different approach – they had the genius idea of individually wrapping different types of cake and presenting them in a chocolate box type format (think of a cake version of a box of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk). Something for everyone (although if you are like me you’ll fight over the flapjacks – I think I might be addicted). The box is despatched from their Oxfordshire bakery, and arrives be-ribboned and with a personalised gift tag. Choose from a mixture of different flapjacks, shortbread, millionnaires, tiffin, brownies, etc.
- Single Layer Box (12 pieces of cake) - £12
- Double Layer Box (20 pieces of cake) - £18
Present Day Cakes Selection
3. The craze for cupcakes shows no signs of slowing down, and if you want to send a box through the post, then try Rachael's Kitchen from Sussex. You can choose a box of cupcakes (including gluten free options), with forty tempting flavours such as Pina Colada, Key Lime Pie or Peanut Butter.
- Sold in boxes of 6 or 12 - £22-£34
Rose Cupcakes from Rachael's Kitchen
4. A slightly more alcoholic twist to a standard Victoria sponge is provided by Boozy Bakers from Hampshire. Definitely catering to the adult market, they offer a selection of cakes filled with Prosecco, Baileys, Gin & Tonic, Espresso Martini, Strawberry Daiquiri and Salted Caramel Liqueur.
- Box of six assorted slices - £20
Boozy cakes from the Boozy Bakers
5. Some bakers prefer to specialise, and one such is Jolly Good Brownies in Oxfordshire, who offer various types of delicious Brownies including black forest and salted caramel (my favourite is the chocolate orange, which is gorgeous!). They also offer gift boxes specifically for New Home, New Baby etc, a gluten-free option, and a subscription service.
- 6 Brownies - £12
- 12 Brownies - £20
- 24 Brownies - £38
'What the Doctor Ordered' Brownie Gift Box from Jolly Good Brownies
Hopefully that's whetted your appetite? I'm now off to see if there's a flapjack addicts support group......
Please note that two of the companies featured here are local to us - but the cakes weren't gifted and our opinions are impartial!