Food & Drink Festival cake competition

Sue Hanson (left) winner of last year’s cake competition, with runner up Maria Suharwardy

Have you got what it takes to bake a showstopper worthy of being crowned the best cake? Rochdale Food & Drink Festival will be hosting a ‘Natural History Adventure’ themed cake competition when the event returns to the town hall on Saturday 16 March – and everyone’s invited to enter.

With the world famous Dippy the Dinosaur visiting Rochdale next year, festival organisers want you to come up with an idea for a tasty cake designed around the ‘Dippy on tour – a natural history adventure’ theme.

There will be two categories: adults and under 13s, with both being judged by top chef Andrew Nutter and local cake guru Natasha Brown from Brown’s Cakes.  The entries will be judged on taste, presentation and creativity.  There’ll be prizes for the winners and runners-up.

Natasha Brown is encouraging the borough’s home bakers to enter: “Last year we had lots of superb entries and we are hoping for even more this time around. Andrew and I are looking forward to meeting the region’s baking enthusiasts and it will really give you a chance to show off your skills. It will be great fun!”

To enter, you must deliver your cake to the cake competition stand upstairs in the Great Hall at Rochdale Town Hall on Saturday 16 March. Present it on a disposable cake board, clearly labelled with your name and entry category. The winners will be announced on the Family Stage at 4.30pm during the festival.

Sue Hanson was the winner of last year’s cake competition. Runner-up was Maria Suharwardy. All entries in the under 13s category were awarded first prize, with judges being unable to select a winner due to the quality of cakes on show.