I can’t quite believe it.
The Secluded Tea Party will officially be celebrating it’s very First Birthday next week. It’s scary how fast time flies when you are having Tea Party fun! And I have had so much fun meeting new people, trying new recipes, visiting new venues and trying new experiences.
It’s been a year since I visited my very first Underground Restaurant in London, well, an Underground Tea Room to be precise. The lovely ladies hosting that Sunday afternoon event inspired me to skip back off up the M25 to Cambridge that day and dream up my very own version of secret afternoon teas in the Cambridgeshire countryside. And there, The Secluded Tea Party was born.
Offering the best afternoon tea in Cambridge I might add.
Since I started this adventure, firstly with my blog, and then with pop up cake-based events, I have become more confident in both hosting and as a novice, in my baking. I have made some fabulous new friends and partners along the way and I have had the most social year of my life, genuinely.
I’m having a ball.
The Great British Bake Off on BBC has also inspired me, both with last years contestants and this years equally brilliant bakers. Not only has the show been inspiring from a baking point of view, but also, this year, has most certainly offered a more social element to this through the medium of Twitter. Seeing the contestants, including The Buff Baker (Yes, he went early, but he and his lovely wife are fab to follow on Twitter!) and our favourite winners, Edd Kimber (From last year) and the lovely Joanne Wheatley from this summer. They have really got people talking about baking, and it’s great to have such a boost in this area as it gives everybody something in common around the tea party table.
To celebrate the birthday of my alter ego, I have decided to host my own virtual version of the bake off… in the form of The Great British Cake off.
This is open to everybody who wants and likes to bake, no matter where or who you are in the world.
All you need to do is bake a cake worthy of Miss Sue Flays’ Birthday celebrations and take a photo.
Although an extra brownie point does go to anybody who shares the cake with me to taste it hehe… It doesn’t need to be flashy or showy in anyway, sometimes a good plain and simple cake tastes just as good with a cup of tea than a big chunk of filled layer cake… Check out my blog or drop me a line for a quick scour through my likes and dislikes… I will happily chat cakes with you.
You can eat it afterwards! – A photo will suffice. Honestly.
I will judge your cake on overall appearance, finishing touches and the thought put into your entry. Think of me as a younger and better cake-eating version of Mary Berry ; )
Perhaps I can persuade some of the judges and contestants of The Great British Bake Off to join in the fun and make me a birthday cake and send a photo… Now there is a challenge!
The winner will be sent a surprise birthday present, ribbon and wrapping paper and all!…. The contents are a surprise, but will be worth your while.
THE RULES:
1) You must bake a cake, decorate & fill it how you want, no rules there!
(Other than ingredients I dislike will go to the bottom of the judging panel – so do your research or ask me for extra brownie points ; )
2) This competition is open to anybody, anywhere in the world.
3) You must email the photo to Miss Sue Flay at cake@secludedteaparty.com before Midnight on Friday 2nd December 2011. Any entries after this time will not count.
4) You must send a clear photo of your cake and be happy for this to be shown on my blog.
5) You must provide your full name, email address, and if on Twitter & Facebook, please do follow us so we can link you and give you another point per follow your entry.
6) If you are a blogger, please blog your entry and link back to this blog post for an extra point, and please do share the recipe should you wish to do so.
7) The more brownie points you gain, the more chance you have of winning the Great British Cake Off prize.
I will do a round up of all entries after the closing date and post them all after this, which will hopefully give us a varied cake base : )
Happy baking and Happy Birthday to Me!
(Hehe!)
Miss Sue Flay
x