New for October 2020, I can now post a slice of cake to you - and a friend - first class!  They arrive in cute little slice boxes, and make a lovely surprise for those you miss hanging out with.

​Slices are already heading out the door, including some delicious vegan slices. I'm afraid gluten free isn't an option at the moment, but it may be something I can offer in the future. 

Drop me a line and order your lockdown special delivery today! UK addresses only at this time. 

Louise
280 Bakes

Chocolate cake for Henry... Double raspberry tequila cake for my husband's birthday... Mickey Mouse (actually, 3!) for Leo... Chocolate Vanilla for a lady in Henbury... A watermelon cake and matching cupcakes for Matilda... Penguin cupcakes for a Penguin (bar!) lover... Vegan chocolate cake for the Pipal Tree restaurant... A vegan birthday cake for Anna... 

... and I've already got some booked in for October!

See you next month, 

Louise
​280 Bakes

For me, the first cake that springs to memory's mind is lemon drizzle. Those two words will forever be associated with my Grandma Pat, who passed away over ten years ago now.

My memories of her are laden with baking - cherry buns, runny water icing, fruit cake, apple pie - but mainly lemon drizzle. It was never fancy, just a sponge, but she had a name for making a brilliant bake of it. Sure, it's a relatively simple bake, but none can compare to my grandma's! I like to think she'd be very proud of me and my lil' cake business.

The second memory blast I have when thinking about cake is a very festive one. Every year since I've been on this planet my mum has made a showstopping Christmas cake. Sometimes more than one, if a school raffle or church fete needed one. She's even been known to make it for someone's birthday, as it's their favourite. It's all about the cake here, even though the decoration is always perfect; the  dark sponge is always absolutely packed with dried fruit and booze. Mum is a complete foodie, and loves a decent fruit cake, and Christmas wouldn't be the same without a big slice of her boozy Christmas cake. 

Christmas is one thing, but birthdays are even more about cake in my memory. Christmas dominates with so many other foods, activities, traditions over a longer period of time, whereas a birthday is just one day (or two, if you;'re the Queen and you're reading this). So, in terms of percentage of importance, I would argue birthday cakes are even more important that Christmas cakes, being a central feature to one's big day.  After all, 'a party without a cake is just a meeting', or so the famous saying goes. I've been lucky enough to have many cakes baked for me on past birthdays - here was this years! Thank you Max, very much! 

And while we're talking birthdays, banana cake may always remind me of my little one's first birthday. Cake was an important part to the celebrations as a nationwide lockdown hugely restricted what we could do. I made Rox two vegan - she had an egg allergy at the time - banana cakes, one for a cake smash (see here) and one for a sandwich tea in the garden with a handful of family members. Even though I say so myself, it was a bit of a corker - fabulous memories. 

What kind of cakes bring memories to your mind?

​Louise
​280 Bakes

What a glorious 'national week' to celebrate! From 10-16th August it's Afternoon Tea Week and I'm giving away a FREE phone wallpaper to cake lovers!

All you have to do is sign up to the 280 Bakes newsletter (see the bottom of our website homepage) and I'll email it over to you. 

Simple!

Louise
280 Bakes

I did my first cake smash last month, for Baby V as she turned a year old. I took weeks planning it, so excited​... probably a little more excited than my befuddled baby!

Would you brave a cake smash with your little one?

If so, here are my top six tips for a successful cake smash!

1. Get someone else to bake the cake. You'll have enough to do with positioning and encouraging baby, decorating the room and cleaning up!
2. Choose your colours carefully - perhaps match the icing with their outfit colours? 
3. Hang a bedsheet, ideally a white one, to protect the wall and floor, and to show the mess in all it's glory. It also makes it super easy to scoop up all the mess in one go too. 
4. Have your partner or a grandparent over to help - they can take the pics while you encourage baby to smile and smash!
5. Have a few props available. I loved my huge letter R (Baby V's name begins with an R), but a wooden spoon was useful too. You could use a party hat, a crown, a cake stand, balloons, letters spelling out 'One'...
6. Take photos from lots of angles and don't be afraid to take LOADS. You'll have some good ones in there if you keep snapping. 

Let me know how you get on!

Louise
280 Bakes

Choose from all of the cakes available:

  - cupcakes
  - traditional homebakes (e.g. coffee, chocolate, carrot...)
  - buttercream birthday cakes 

​Vegan and gluten free available, as always, on request and at no extra cost. Keep an eye on my Facebook and Twitter to see which Bristol area will be next to save precious pennies on their cake orders!

Thank you for taking a look at my blog this week, it is much appreciated  xxx

Louise
​280 Bakes

It's the first week of December: Mince Pies have become the choice for elevenses, festive ideas for decorating are blooming, and the Christmas music is on while we bake. Here's some of the delicious baked goods our team has been producing for events and customer deliveries in the Bristol and Stroud area.

Christmas cupcakes... Mini and full-size Christmas cakes... Mince pies... Reindeer cookies...

Which would you choose for your Christmas table?

Call us on 07835 882817 or email 280bakes@gmail.com before 10th December to book your order in!

Merry Christmas from the team at 280 Bakes, and thanks so much for your support this year. Here's to another successful year of baking!

Louise
Owner, 280 Bakes

Vegan and gluten free available, all delivered to Stroud, Bristol and Portishead. 
Contact us today!

The Team @ 280 Bakes
​

It can really suck missing out on birthdays and family occasions when you live abroad (speaking from experience), but having a cake delivered really lets your loved knows know they are in your thoughts and you'd be there if you could!

From Australia to the USA, across Europe and India, we are receiving orders from well-wishers with family and friends living in Bristol, Stroud and Portishead. ​

Here's a recent customer - currently living in Spain - with her feedback on our service. 

Of course, we'll also take orders from Brits on holiday too. One lovely lady placed an order in a panic because she was on holiday for her son's birthday, and only remembered when she was lying on a beach! Google saved the day, and found us. We'll always offer services via Whatapp too, to save your foreign phone bill. 

Recent orders include:

   -- Brownies for Diwali, from parents in India
   -- Birthday cake and flowers for a mum from a son in the USA - he came back for a second order for his dad later that year!
   -- A 'thank you' gift for a family in Almondsbury from their friends in France

If I were you, I'd tell all your friends who live abroad about 280 Bakes - you might receive a cake from them from across the oceans for your next celebration!

Louise
Owner, 280 Bakes