Q&A with Kirsty

Have you ever wondered where The Sweet Taste Bakery got its name? Or maybe some of my likes and dislikes? I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you guys a little bit more about me…

1. What do you love most about baking?

I love sharing my love of baking with my friends and family. I baked so much while I was on furlough, but it was really frustrating not having anyone to share it with. Food brings people together – it’s a great shared experience and I love to bring a smile to other people’s faces. 

2. What’s my favourite flavoured cake or cupcake?

Chocolate, hands down. Closely followed by Lotus Biscoff. I only tried biscoff spread earlier this year and now I’m a little bit obsessed. 

3. What’s your favourite treat to make?

Unsurprisingly it’s chocolate cupcakes, my ultimate chocolate cake or chocolate brownies. Big ol’ chocoholic over here. 

4. Where did the name ‘The Sweet Taste Bakery’ come from?

Years ago I had a couple of old-fashioned cupcake prints in my kitchen, and one of them said something along the lines of “the sweet taste of strawberries”. It stuck in my head and eventually I decided it was the perfect name for my bakery. 

5. Do I get nervous baking for other people?

It totally depends on the type of cake I’m asked to make, but I do get nervous when I’m baking. Wedding cakes and cupcakes make me super nervous because I want to make them absolutely perfect, but I also get nervous when I’m baking something new or really challenging. But the more I practice, the more confident I get. Practice really does make perfect. 

6. If I could bake with anyone in the world, who would it be?

If she was still with us, I’d bake with my grandma. Sadly, she passed away in 2010, so I didn’t get to share this passion with her, but she loved baking. She even had a hand-written recipe book which she started in her early twenties. I wrote a blog all about her, if you want to have a read. 

7. Are there any recipes you know off by heart?

I would be lying if I said I knew all of the recipes on my website off by heart, but I do know most of them. But the main two are my brownie and victoria sponge cake recipes. Top tip for victoria sponge – weigh your flour, butter and sugar against your eggs and you’ll get a great cake every time.

8. What has been the highlight of your baking journey?

Baking my first wedding cake. It was my first tiered cake and first naked cake as well. I was terrified, especially after my test bake went completely wrong. But on the day everything went well and the bride and groom loved it.

9. Are there any foods that you really hate?

I’m a self-confessed fussy eater. I was much worse when I was a kid, but there are still plenty of foods that I avoid. Nuts, beans, eggs, seafood, olives, mushrooms, licorice, brussel sprouts – a bit of a random list, but you get the picture!

10. What’s one key ingredient you will always invest in?

I would definitely recommend investing in good quality vanilla extract. Yes, it’s more expensive, but it really is worth it. Cheaper vanilla flavourings often contain artificial chemicals or even ethanol, and they don’t compare to the real thing. I recommend Dr Oetker’s Madagascan Vanilla Bean Paste.

Want to find out more about yours truly? Head to my about section, or check out my blog post all about my baking journey. 

Don’t forget to say hi in the comments below!