CAFTA

It’s been a while since the last CAFTA (Cake’s Achievement in Film and Television Arts) award was made but thanks to the CCBF’s (Caked Crusader’s Boyfriend) enthusiastic appreciation of the A-Team we have this delight!

If you are of a certain age, Saturday nights of your childhood meant only one thing – The A-Team. Fact fans will want to know that this cake features in an episode called “Till Death Do Us Part” from Season 1. Shockingly (I say ‘shockingly’ because it forces me to admit I am old) this episode first aired in April 1983.

The award is for “Crime fighting cake” and goes to this enormous cake. Here it is being put into position:


Who baked it? Chef Murdock no less. We know he’s a chef because he has a floppy hat and a drawn on moustache. We might question whether he’s actually a chef when BA reveals the icing on the cake is made from shaving foam. But he is called Howling Mad Murdock so it was only to be expected:


But why would anyone want such a big cake when there’s a perfectly acceptable cake already on the table? (Yes, that is Murdock in a wedding dress)


Perhaps because the smaller cake couldn’t accommodate.....


....who guessed it? BA was in the cake! He bursts free calling the congregation “suckers”. Charming.


The cake is then used as a weapon. Although, if I ever get to pick, this is the way I’d want to go:

It's pure A-Team; all those bullets flying around yet the baddies only get hit with some cake!

CAFTA

It’s been a while since a CAFTA (Cake’s Achievement in Film and Television Arts) award has been bestowed but this nomination by Trashalou was too good to pass up – good work my Dr Who AND cake obsessed friend!

The award is for “Cake almost stealing the scene from everyone’s favourite Timelord” (I admit it’s quite a narrow category) and goes to the pretty little cupcake that Rose gives The Doctor at the end of the episode “Fear Her” (Episode 12, Series 2).

The Doctor has just saved not only the world (again) but also the 2012 Olympics and has returned to find Rose at a street party.

Rose offers him the cake -she seems to be missing her little finger (this is not part of the plot, just an observation of mine):


He not only accepts but tucks in (good man):


The happiness a good cupcake brings (OK, so it’s a totally gratuitous photo but it was too cute not to include, and he is actually looking at the cake which is just out of shot):


This leads to one of The Doctor’s wisest observations yet: “Ballbearings you can eat – masterpiece!”

Please email me (with photos) your CAFTA nominations.

CAFTA

This week’s winner of a CAFTA (Cake’s Achievement in Film and Television Arts) award was nominated by my friend and work colleague Soo. A lot of people love the TV show “The Office” which exists in both UK and US guises. Soo takes this to another level and any reference to the show will be followed by chapter and verse on which episode and series/season it relates to.

The award is for “Cake baked by a work colleague” (if only I was on television my cakes would be winning this award!) and goes to the birthday cake that Neil, David Brent’s arch nemesis, has made for a lady in the office.

Here is the cake being served. Neil has made a fine job of his icing and decorating:

David Brent takes a piece and tries it. His face suggests that he’s prejudged it somewhat (bonus points if you spotted Monkey in the background):


He finds it a bit sweet, although everyone else seems to love it. According to one of the office workers Neil’s lemon drizzle cake is even better !


The moment that I lose all sympathy for David Brent – he says he “prefers a flan”, although there is something in the way he declares this that has me in stitches every time:


If you wish to see this brief, but wonderful scene in full – all 30 seconds of it – here it is:

CAFTA

This week’s winner of a CAFTA (Cake’s Achievement in Film and Television Arts) award was nominated by my friend and work colleague Soo. I see this as payback for making her Monday mornings less traumatic by providing her with a ‘back to work’ cake boost!

The award is for “Cake that heralds the start of something big” and goes to the cake that Hagrid bakes Harry Potter for his 11th birthday, in the film “Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone”.

Harry is, at this point in the story, completely unaware of his destiny and is living with the horrible Dursley’s who comprise of his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and their spoilt son Dudley.

The Dursley’s are trying to keep Harry from receiving the mysterious letters which have been arriving thick and fast at home (informing him of his impending education at Hogwarts). They are hiding on a remote island on a dark and stormy night. Hagrid arrives and among other things presents Harry with his first ever birthday cake.

Hagrid proudly announces that he baked and wrote the cake himself, and confesses he might have sat on it. I like the way that he’s not quite sure...either way, it’s a cake to interest the people at CakeWrecks (I love this site!):

While Hagrid is explaining Hogwarts to Harry, Dudley tucks into the cake.

Hagrid catches him and gives him a pig tail.

The moral of this story, as I see it: if you’re going to eat a cake that isn’t meant for you, make sure the baker hasn’t got any magical powers BEFORE you start tucking in.

Please email me (with photos) your CAFTA nominations.

CAFTA

This week’s winner of a CAFTA (Cake’s Achievement in Film and Television Arts) award was, again, nominated by Courtney who writes the lovely Coco Cooks. Thanks Courtney ...and as for the rest of you, I’m starting to think you’re just not trying....!

The award is for “Animal Cake” and goes to the Armadillo cake in Steel Magnolias. Particularly nice touch is that the cake is a red velvet so it looks like the armadillo’s guts. Actually, I’m not sure that makes it more appealing...

Here is the cake:


For those of you (i.e. me) not familiar with Groom’s cakes this should tell you all you need to know:
A groom's cake is a wedding tradition typically associated with the American South. While a wedding cake may often be decorated in white and light in texture and/or colour, the groom's cake can take a variety of forms, many incorporating chocolate or fruit. Cheesecake sometimes serves as a groom's cake. The decoration of the cake may reflect the favourite hobby or interest of a groom, or be used for humorous effect, as depicted in the film adaptation of Steel Magnolias, in which a red velvet cake was fashioned in the shape of an armadillo. The groom's cake is often served at a separate table from the wedding cake at a wedding reception, though it may be served as a dessert for a rehearsal dinner.

The cake is being sliced and served:



Then, Drum (the man) asks Ouiser (the lady): Can we call a truce long enough for me to get a piece of cake?

This is the piece she slices him:


Just to clarify which part of the anatomy he gets:



He studies it on the plate before observing: Thanks, nothing like a good piece of ass!


Here’s the scene in full:



Please email me (with photos) your CAFTA nominations.

CAFTA

This week’s winner of a CAFTA (Cake’s Achievement in Film and Television Arts) award was nominated by Courtney who runs the (always entertaining) blog Coco Cooks. Thanks Courtney for taking the time to provide so much information!

The award is for “Cake that is so beautiful it is art” and goes to all the stunning Ladurée creations in Marie Antionette. It’s all there – dainty pastries, meringues, cakes and macarons and each in the most exquisite pastel shades. Incidentally, Ladurée invented the double decker macaron (i.e. two macarons sandwiched with buttercream) and still sells 15,000 per day!

In this photo Marie Antoinette is surrounded by the loveliest, girliest looking cakes I’ve seen in a while. I think I’d have a slice of the one nearest the camera, for starters...followed by the two tier lovely on the tall stand in the background.


I love the way the macarons are stacked on their sides – see them, on the right of the photo?


If you wish to see the cake in the flesh (so to speak) and – as any good cake should – being eaten, then this clip will fulfil your wishes:



I think historians have agreed now that Marie Antoinette never actually uttered “let them eat cake” but I’m not listening - sometimes advice is just too good to ignore!

Please email me (with photos) your CAFTA nominations.

CAFTA

Today’s winner of a CAFTA (Cake’s Achievement in Film and Television Arts) award is for most heartbreaking storyline and comes from Office Space. The film had me at its tagline of “work sucks” but then provided a scene to strike fear and heartbreak into any cake lover.

Let’s set the scene. It is Bill’s birthday and, as he’s the boss, he has this rather lovely looking birthday cake:

The cake is cut and passed around to the staff. Milton starts to tuck in...:


.. .and is promptly told off:

Nina (on the right): Now Milton, don't be greedy, let's pass it along and make sure everyone gets a piece.
Milton: Yeah, but last time I didn't receive a piece. And I was told...
Nina: Just pass.

Milton doesn’t want to pass and then utters the line that still has me waking up in terror in the middle of the night:

Milton: The ratio of people to cake is too big.

But he’s made to pass. Eventually everybody but Milton gets a piece:


Poor Milton. I never want to be in a situation where the ratio of people to cake is too big – surely there could be nothing worse?

Final thought: what particularly pleases me about the cake in this scene is that it is cut and eaten. It’s not there for decoration and nothing awful befalls it such as being thrown at someone or abused in some way.

CAFTA needs your help - please email me (with photos) your CAFTA nominations.

CAFTA

Today’s winner of a CAFTA (Cake’s Achievement in Film and Television Arts) award is for outstanding contribution to plot and comes from Napoleon Dynamite - one of my favourite recent films.

Napoleon’s friend Pedro wants to ask the most popular girl in class to the school dance which leads to the following exchange:

Napoleon: [referring to the dance] Who are you gonna ask?
Pedro: That girl over there.

Napoleon: Summer Wheatly? How the heck are you gonna do that?

Pedro: Build her a cake or something

This scene takes place in chapter 9 of the film – the title of this chapter? Date cake. Yes, the cake is the star! Here are our three heroes - Napoleon (left), Pedro (right), and Cake (held by Pedro):


In homage to this scene I now refer to ‘building a cake’. Pedro must be quite a skilled baker as it’s a tall and impressively decorated cake – from the height I’m guessing it has layers.

This shot shows the message iced onto the frosting - Pedro hearts Summer:


Unsurprisingly, from Summer’s nonplussed reaction, Pedro doesn’t get his date. Am I the only one thinking she must be hard to please? If this cake didn't sway it, what would?


Frosted layer cake, built by Pedro to win the girl of his dreams, CAFTA salutes you!

If you know of a cake in film or TV that deserves a CAFTA nod then please email me (email me option is on the right hand side of my site) with a photo proving the cake's achievement.

CAFTA

This is the first in a series I am calling “CAFTA” or, if you prefer it in full: Cake’s Achievement in Film and Television Arts. Do not confuse it with BAFTA – it’s pure coincidence the acronyms share all but their first letter...ahem.

The purpose of CAFTA is to recognise any particularly fine contribution made by a cake in the world of film and television. For too long cake’s achievement in the dramatic arts has gone unrecognised….until now.

The first winner of the CAFTA award for best cake in a supporting role is this rather wonderful slice of chocolate Swiss roll sharing a scene with David Tennant in the BBC drama series Blackpool.


Even David Tennant seems to acknowledge it has stolen the scene:


Sadly, information is lacking as to this slice of cake’s other roles; perhaps it went and tried its luck in Hollywood. I would love to see it attempting some Shakespeare or perhaps a comedy, although on the strength of this photo I suspect its fate may have been something a little more terminal......


If you have seen any cake on TV or film that deserves nomination for an award (and you have a photo to prove it) please let me know.

Incidentally, if you're anything like me and are interested in all things cake and Tennant, you might enjoy this (very brief) clip: