There is indeed no greater pleasure than a freshly baked cake standing proudly on a cake stand, proving ones domestic Goddess status and filling the house with the divine smell of home making. This of course should be the case, but if like me, your cakes are more miss than hit, baking can often turn out to be a bit of a domestic disappointment.
Watching my new favourite programme on BBC2 The Great British Bake Off, I am filled with adoration. The weekly challenges to bake the perfect scones, Victoria sandwich cakes, biscuits and several different kinds of bread, involve real skill. Because lets face it anyone can bung a few vegetables in a wok with some ginger and garlic and call it cooking, but baking requires attention to detail, measuring, perfect timing and more than a little bit of science. As I am utterly devoid of any attention to detail, ability to count, or knowledge of science, I am in awe of the almost always perfect results achieved in the last three weeks.
The pressure must be immense, not only are they on TV, they have to impress slightly scary, 1970's domestic science teacher, Mary Berry, and attractive but often harsh, silver fox, Paul Hollywood (I can feel a crush coming on – nice buns!). If you haven't already tuned in, watch tonight – it's all about puddings
You can try out the recipes on the Get Baking website, but be warned, it's not as easy as it looks. Victoria sandwich biscuit anyone?