We know summer heat can, at times, put a bit of a damper on cake sales - nobody wants a melty mess on their counter! But with a few smart tweaks, you can keep your cake offering looking (and tasting) fabulous, even on the hottest days.
Here are our top tips to help you keep your bakes in great shape and your customers coming back for more:
Chill What You Can
Brownies, flapjacks, and chocolate-topped traybakes (like Billionaire’s Shortbread) are best kept in the fridge once defrosted. This keeps them firm, fresh, and delicious.
Heavily iced products can get a bit too soft and sticky in the heat, making them hard to handle! Only bring out what you need, and keep the rest frozen until your stock runs low. They'll defrost quickly, and that way you'll have fresh treats at all times.
Introducing Your Summer Superstars
Most of our sponge-based traycakes (think Queen Vic and Lemon Drizzle), muffins and pastries are surprisingly resilient in warm weather. They hold their shape well and still look great on display. Plus, they’re light and summery and perfect for a sunny lunchtime treat.
Our Hot Weather Faves:
Queen Vic - Serving up Wimbledon style, pair with an iced tea or a Pimms and some extra strawbs!
Sticky Buns - We love these warmed up anyway, so a hot day will only make them more squishy and delicious!
Burnt Basque - But make it a delicious dessert with a dollop of sorbet
Handle With Care
Try to do the majority of handling whilst your cakes are still frozen - this makes them easier to move and less likely to get damaged. Once defrosted, handle them as little as you can to keep them looking neat and fresh.
Avoid stacking cakes! We usually love a leaning tower of blondies, but when it's this hot, it's best to keep things on a single level. Especially those with icing or chocolate toppings, as they can stick together or lose their finish in the heat.
Parchment Paper - The Unsung Hero!
Use our handy parchment papers between slices to make handling easier and more hygienic, and avoid leaving a mess behind on the tray.
Whilst we recommend wrapping your slices all year round, we implore you to do this over the summer. Not only does it make serving slices an absolute breeze, but these handy papers are also great for locking in all that delicious moisture, whether you're rocking an outside set-up, have cleverly angled fans or a lovely breeze wafting over your counter. There will be no dry slices served on our watch!
Shop
parchment papers here!
Pro Tip:
Keep your display area out of direct sunlight if possible and rotate your stock regularly to keep everything looking its best.
With a little planning and the right selection, your cake counter can still shine - even when the sun’s blazing.
