How Lisa got into producing Westmorland Pepper Cake why she chose this particular product:
Lisa started making cakes for local farmers markets from her home kitchen, and developed her passion for baking. She established her bakery in 2006 and has expanded rapidly since then, with a wide variety of cakes and other delectable treats in her catalogue and ever increasing demand as her reputation grows. Nevertheless, she focuses on using local and high quality ingredients such as free-range eggs from her local area. All of her products are hand-made with a unique flair and high degree of professionalism, and several of her cakes have even won Great Taste Awards.
She has a strong interest in culinary history and wanted to create a cake that had a cultural and historical tie to her local region. She heard tell of the Westmorland Pepper Cake from the elder generation of locals who had fond memories of it from their childhoods, and dug deep into the cook book archives at the local library and found several recipes. After experimenting with quantities, she believes she has hit upon a recipe that is an authentic recreation of the original.
Reflecting Britain’s colonial history of trade, this cake is closely linked to the Cumbrian region. Using spices such as black pepper and ginger which were brought in by traders in bygone centuries, the cake was a very exotic offering for its time. The crushed black pepper and ginger within the mixture lends the cake a sharp yet warm taste, which is counterbalanced by the rich sweetness of the black treacle.
She also uses another of the Forgotten Foods, the Lyth Valley Damsons, as an ingredient in a Brandy Damson Fruit Cake and also Chocolate Damson Brownies. This sweet, local fruit makes for very rich and flavoursome recipes.
Products that Lisa is offering:
Ginger Bakers has a huge range of unique cakes and sweet treats on offer, including a Carrot, Orange and Passion Fruit Cake, a Ginger and Lemon Grass Cake, and a Sour Cherry and Chocolate Cake. Lisa also caters for those with special dietary requirements with a wide selection of gluten free products such as a bite-sized Almondie. Take caution though, her cakes should come with a “highly addictive” warning.
Lisa’s favourite Westmorland Pepper Cake recipe:
An interesting way to serve this cake is with a nice tangy cheese.
Contact details:
Address: Unit 6, Dockray Hall Mill, Kendal, LA9 4RU
Email: info@gingerbakers.co.uk
Phone: 07990 541 982
