Make, Bake & Grow

All ages, with special prize for 'Best Decorated Egg by an U16. Qualifying entrants must be 15 or younger on 09/05/2026.

To be displayed in a clear bottle, labelled with the type of fruit and date.

Please use the following recipe:

Swiss Roll with lemon curd and buttercream filling.



Ingredients for the sponge



100g/3½oz caster sugar

100g/3½oz self-raising flour, sifted

4 free-range eggs

2 tbsp caster sugar



For the lemon butter cream

200g/7oz icing sugar, sifted

125g/4½oz softened butter

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

125g/4½oz lemon curd



Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line and butter a 34cm x27cm /13½in x 10¾in baking tray with a small lip.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and caster sugar for 8–10 minutes until light and creamy. The mixture should leave a ribbon trail when you lift the whisk out.

Pour in the sieved flour and delicately fold it in with a spatula. When the flour is fully incorporated, gently pour the mix into a lined baking tray.

Using a palette knife, spread the sponge mix evenly over the buttered paper. Alternatively, you can tip the tray from side to side until the mixture has spread into each of the corners of the tin.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until the sponge is golden and when pressed gently it is springy to the touch.

Meanwhile, place a large sheet of baking parchment, slightly bigger than the baking tray, on a work surface and sprinkle with the caster sugar.

Take the sponge out of the oven and quickly flip it onto the sugared paper. Carefully peel off the layer of baking paper attached to the sponge and allow the sponge to cool for a moment. Then, whilst still warm, roll it up tightly from a short end with the sugared paper still inside. This will prevent the sponge from sticking to itself. Set the roll aside to cool.

To make the icing, put the icing sugar and butter in a bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the lemon curd, lemon zest and juice and beat again.

When the cake is cold, gently unroll but do not flatten it or it may crack. Leaving a margin clear across the top of the roll, spread a thin layer of lemon curd butter cream, leaving a 1cm/½in border. Slowly roll the cake up again, enclosing the filling and carefully peeling away the paper underneath. Sprinkle with extra sugar. Serve.

Please use the following recipe:
Carrot Cake with Buttercream Frosting



Ingredients

225g Self Raising Flour

1 level Tsp Baking Powder

1 level Tsp Cinnamon

Half level Tsp Mixed Spice

150g Brown Sugar

100g Carrots (Washed, Trimmed & Coarsely Grated)

2x Large Eggs

150ml Sunflower Oil



Buttercream (Filling and Topping)

100g Butter (Softened)

200g Icing Sugar (Sifted)

The Zest and Juice of I Orange



Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C / Fan 160°C / Gas Mark 4.

Grease a 20cm, deep cake tin and line with non-stick baking paper.

In a large mixing bowl sift together the dry ingredients and stir in the Sugar. Add the grated Carrots and mix lightly.

Make a well in the centre, add the Eggs and Oil and beat until it is mixed thoroughly.

Pour the mix into the cake tin and place in the preheated oven for around 1 1/4 hours.

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Cream the Butter in a bowl, adding the Orange Zest. Carefully fold in the Icing Sugar and mix well, adding sufficient Orange Juice to achieve a spreading consistency.

Once baked the sponge should be golden brown and shrinking from the sides of the tin. Tip: Using a skewer, insert it in the centre of the cake, if it is thoroughly cooked, the skewer should come out clean. Remove from the tin, remove the baking paper and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Once cool, divide the cake in two horizontally using a sharp knife and sandwich using half of the Butter Cream. Spread the remainder evenly over the top.

Leave to harden slightly in a cool place and then serve!

Please use the following recipe:
Soda Bread

Makes 1 x 500g Loaf



Ingredients

30g Salted Butter (plus more for greasing the tin)

300g Coarse Wholemeal Flour (plus more for lining the tin)

Half tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Fine Sea Salt

1 Egg, lightly beaten

300g Buttermilk



Method



Preheat oven to 200 C fan. Butter and flour a 500g loaf tin. (It is important to have the oven preheated and the tin prepared before starting the recipe as once the dough is mixed it is best baked immediately.)



Melt the 30g butter and leave to cool slightly. Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix so that they are evenly dispersed.



Make a well in the centre, then add the cooled, melted butter, the egg and buttermilk and mix well and quickly with a spoon. (Your mixture should be wet and drop off the spoon)



Working fast, transfer the dough to the tin and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 C and cook for a further 35 minutes.



Allow to cool and remove the bread from the tin. (Once cool, it will stay fresh for longer if wrapped in cling film)





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If not readily available, Buttermilk and Wholemeal Flour can be purchased at larger Supermarkets.   Alternatively, Buttermilk can be made quickly and easily in the kitchen using various recipes according to availability and budget.  Here are two that made no discernable difference to taste or texture of either the buttermilk or the finished loaf.

1. In a well sealed jar place 220g Soured Cream and 80g Water and shake vigorously. 

or

2. Heat 300g Whole Milk until luke warm (not hot) and stir in 5ml Lemon Juice.  Doing this immediately prior to starting the recipe will allow the milk to start to separate by the time it is required

Any type of icing. Decoration only to be judged.
Max size 50cm x 50cm

All ages, with special prize for Best Chilli Plant grown by an U16. Qualifying entrants must be 15 or younger on 09/05/2026.

Maximum size of container 60cm x 60cm or 60cm in diameter.

Maximum size of container 60cm x 60cm or 60cm in diameter.