Bake Off is back.

There’s no surer sign of the onset of Autumn than the return of Bake Off.

As the evenings get darker and the curtains pulled earlier it just feels like perfect television for this time of year. A little bit of calm amongst the madness of rising gas prices, unnecessary petrol shortages and the many other depressing stories the news is currently full of. Even the unseasonably warm weather in the UK this week couldn’t stop me from sitting down with a cup of tea, a slice of cake and tuning in to the first show of the series last Tuesday. Eager to see which of this weeks bakes I was going to make.

Straight away we were back in the tent with familiar faces, baking challenges varying from straightforward to the ridiculous, and a remarkable camaraderie between the bakers. It’s the latter more than anything which I think sets this show apart. Even on week one, when they can’t have been together for long, there’s a bond and support amongst the bakers which makes you long to be a part of it. Always taking a genuine interest in what their fellow competitors are doing. I have had a couple of goes at applying in the past, neither of which got very far, but this week’s show already has me wondering if I should perhaps have one more go for next time around. Maybe it would be third time lucky.

The opening show was cake week and as always the bakers were presented with three different challenges before one was crowned star baker and another drew the short straw of being the first one sent home.

The opening challenge, or signature bake as it’s called one the show, was to make a batch of decorated mini rolls. If you’re not sure what they are, think of miniature Swiss rolls. For me, it’s a cake that will always conjure memories of Cadbury Chocolate Mini Rolls. A small roll of chocolate sponge, with a vanilla cream filling, the whole thing encased in thin milk chocolate. No childhood birthday party was complete without a plate of these and for me, the aim was always to try and delicately eat the chocolate casing first before moving on to the cake inside.

Next came the technical challenge and this week it was a malt loaf. A traditional fruit loaf that uses malt extract in the recipe, many of the younger bakers on the show hadn’t heard of it and were quite confused as to what it was. I’d never made one but do remember it as something which would often be on the table if I went for tea at my grandparents. 

The generational split on this bake was confirmed when my partner’s mother, watching with us, said a malt loaf was one of her favourites as well. After that it was pretty obvious which bake I’d be doing…and I’m so glad I did.

It may have sounded a bit underwhelming when it came up on the show, the recipe looked a bit straightforward for a technical bake. But let me tell you, the mix of malt extract, muscovado sugar and black treacle gives it a wonderful flavour. Add in the tea-infused fruit and you have a cake to savour. An additional bonus is a gorgeous aroma as the cake slow bakes in the oven.

The show finished, as always, with the show stopper challenge. This is invariably my least favourite section as looks and aesthetics inevitably take precedent over flavour. This week was no exception as the judges were looking for gravity defying cakes. The one in the link is clearly a great achievement, but I can’t help thinking it’s as much a feat of engineering as it is of baking.

So I’m back in the Bake Off groove and already looking forward to biscuit week.