The Brits discover cake clubs

NPR’s The Salt recently revealed that the British have developed quite a passion for baking. In Why Britain Has Gone Mad About Baking, they announced “In the last year alone, some 9 million Britons have taken up baking, according to market research firm Mintel. Indeed, the home-baking market grew a whopping 84 percent between 2007 and 2012, according to Mintel. Increases included sales of all baking-related products, from flour to decorating items, baking tins, mixers, even cake stands.”

Attributable to the financial crisis, which “has encouraged the nation to stay at home, finding low-cost leisure activities,” this passion has found several outlets.  The outlet we found most fascinating was cake clubs. According to NPR, “Over the past three years,  cake clubs like Hill’s have been growing in popularity in the U.K. The concept is similar to a book club – except with cake. Often there’s a theme: new recipes only, international or other mandates. Hill, who created her Clandestine Cake Club in 2011 (there are now 168 chapters in the U.K. alone), likes to build excitement by keeping meeting spots secret until the last possible moment.”

Our congratulations to our friends across the Atlantic who have found a constructive and tasty way to deal with adversity. And you can see the index for the Clandestine Cake Club Cookbook here.  Bake on…