Wannabe star bakers will flock to Eccles town centre for a baking competition today as part of the first ever Eccles Cake Festival.
The Eccles Cake-off is part of a six day celebration dedicated to the town’s world famous Eccles cake, which will end on Sunday.
The festival will culminate in a cake market which will run from 10am to 4pm in the Town Centre, locals have been challenged to grab their aprons and bring their best home-made sponges, fruitcakes and tray bakes so that a judging panel can decide who will be star-baker.
Entries to The Great Eccles Cake Off will be accepted from 10am to 12 noon and prizes will be awarded in three categories including best home-made cake, best cake made by someone aged under 18 and the best Eccles cake.
The family friendly event will also include an Eccles Cake Hunt in the Town Centre whilst the original creator of the Eccles Cake, James Birch, will be returning from the grave for a special appearance, 180 years after his death.
Salford City Council worker Gary Norton, who will be dressing up to play the town’s historical cake baker for the day, will be inviting people to blind taste test to see if residents can taste the different between the Eccles cake or Chorley cake on Church Street.
He said: “I’m tickled pink to be playing James and having a chinwag with the general public about the world’s most famous pastry.”
The Cake off is just one of the many cake themed events in the Festival, which coincides with National Cake Week.
Local residents have been enjoying a range of cake-themed walks, markets, arts and crafts, events, activities and competitions throughout the week including an afternoon tea dance which took place at the newly refurbished Eccles Town Hall on Wednesday.
The Festival organisers say the festival has been going very well and hope the Cake Off will be a great family fun day that will encourage people to come to Eccles and provide a boost for local businesses.
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