I don’t need an excuse to bake, but I do love a theme. I have tried to create the ultimate guide to all of the important dates and days in the 2015 UK baking calendar. Pancake day to Hogmanay, Chocolate Cake day to National Honey Week. If you know of any tasty dates that I haven’t included - please let me know, and I will include them.
Calendar dates in January
English Toffee Day - January 8th 8th January is English Toffee Day. Whilst no-one is sure when toffee was first made in England, it is thought to have become popular in the latter part of the 1800's. January 8th is a great excuse to bake with the sublime flavours of great English Toffee.
Burns Night - January 25th Great Baking Calendar - Chocolate Cake day 27th January A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns. Burns suppers are most common in Scotland and Northern Ireland and typically Scottish fare is eaten. Cranachan to Dundee cake, it’s the perfect opportunity to bake Scottish treats!
Chocolate Cake Day - January 27th From chocolate fudge cake to rich chocolate brownies, chocolate can transform the texture and flavour of any cake. Creating a moreish delight for the taste buds.
Calendar dates in February
British Yorkshire Pudding Day - 1st Sunday in February The first Sunday of February is designated British Yorkshire Pudding Day - traditionally eaten with roast beef. Yorkshire Puddings can be eaten at any time and make the base for a gorgeous dessert.
National Carrot Cake Day - February 3rd Carrot Cake has been around since the middle ages. At that time, sugar and other sweeteners were rare and very expensive, so people used sweet vegetables to flavour their puddings. Carrot cakes have come a long way since then, they now contain ingredients that would not have been available back then e.g. pecan nuts and coconut. Carrot Cake is a Moo Moo Cakes favourite! Check out my Carrot Cake Pancakes
Bramley Apple Week – (Early Feb) A week of celebration for the best cooking Apple grown in Britain!
Valentine’s Day – February 14th Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show your love for someone with a gorgeous cake... or, you can eat the cake you love all to yourself ;-)
Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day - February 17th Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day as it is known to many, is a day for indulgence. Pancakes can be topped or contain almost anything, so this is a fantastic opportunity for you to get creative with your menu. Check out my Chocolate and Cherry Pancakes
Chinese New year – February 19th Traditionally baked on Chinese New Year is ‘Nian Gao’ or Chinese New Year Cake. However, it’s a great excuse to experiment with spice and bake all manor of Chinese sweets and savouries!
Fairtrade fortnight – February 23rd to March 8th We all love and use sugar, coffee and a whole host of ingredients that originate from poorer countries. This fortnight ensure's we share the love and help farmers get a fair price for the products they work hard to produce.
Calendar dates in March
National Flour Month March is the month for flour, all flours and a great time to experiment with lots of different types of flour! Why not try buckwheat flour or rye flour in your bakes? Or perhaps something more unusual like tapioca or brown rice flour.
St Davids Day - 1st March St David is the Patron saint of Wales and this gives us the opportunity to cook all sorts of treats from this most generous region. Traditional Welsh Cakes or Bara Brith Tea Bread.
British Pie Week - 2nd to 8th March The week that celebrates the Great British Pie in all its guises! Steak Pie, Chicken and Mushroom.. Vegetarian!? The week for pie lovers everywhere.
Mother’s Day – 15th March Mothers day/ Mothering Sunday, is a big day in the baking calendar! Make sure you treat your mother with something special and delicious! St Patricks day bakes Guinness cake - Great baking Calendar Order Guinness Cake from Moo Moo Cakes
St Patricks Day – 17th March St Patrick’s Day is the day to embrace all things Irish. I love to cook my organic chocolate Guinness cake and have a fresh loaf of soda bread to hand. There are so many great recipes from the emerald isle, so plenty of reasons to get baking!
Calendar dates in April
April fool’s Day – 1st April April fool’s Day may not be recognised as a day for baking, but there are lots of opportunities to get creative with baking. Trick the eye and create a cake that has a hidden surprise inside - a 'Peek-A-Boo Cake' Have some baking fun this April fool’s.
International Carrot Day – 4th April The International Carrot Day or the Carrot Day, is celebrated every year on April 4th and is the pinnacle for carrot lovers all around the world. It is the day when the carrot is celebrated through carrot parties and other carrot related festivities. Another excellent excuse to make that gorgeous carrot cake.
Easter – 5th April From Easter bunny themed bakes to chocolate eggs, there are plenty of possibilities for your menu. Simnel cake to hot cross buns, chocolate nests for the kids or elaborately decorated Easter cakes. Easter is a busy time for a baker, particularly preparing for all of those visitors!!
National Bread week - 16th to 22nd April This year it will take place between 16-22 April. The purpose of the event is to celebrate the 'roll' that bread plays in our daily diet. The week helps to promote the nutritional benefits of bread and raise awareness of its part in a healthy balanced diet. Fancy a ‘slice’ of the action? Then use your ‘loaf’ this April… Sorry ;-)
National Allergy Week – 20th to 26th April National Allergy week, to raise awareness of all allergies. As a baker, it is extremely important to be knowledgeable of all allergens and produce delicious baked treats to cater for all diets - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Sugar Free & Nut Free recipes.
St Georges day – 23rd April The English patron saints day is a particularly good baking day, giving the baker the opportunity to bake the classic English recipes and flirt with the retro; Scones, Lardy Cake, Victoria Sponge, Chelsea Buns or the colourful Battenburg.
Calendar dates in May
National Celiac Awareness Month Gluten Free May for National Celiac awareness month.
Great Baking Calendar - Cappuccino cake National Coffee week Order Cappuccino Cakes from Moo Moo Cakes National Coffee Week – 4th to 10th May UK Coffee Week is a nationwide fundraising initiative where the coffee industry joins together to celebrate British coffee culture whilst raising money for the communities which grow our coffee. It's a great time to experiment with coffee in your bakes - Cappuccino cake with coffee infused mascarpone perhaps?
Doughnut Week 10th-17th May Yes, there really is a week for doughnuts!! National Doughnut Week was created by the Children’s Trust. Charities aside, we don’t need an excuse to celebrate these deep fried treats. Doughnuts have a soft, airy texture and can be paired with delicious sweet glazes or fillings, makes them a treat to really get excited about.
National Sandwich Week – 11th to 17th May What a taken for granted lunchtime treat. Make your own beautiful breads and try creative and umptious fillings. How about a whole loaf of bread, baked with the filling already inside? Totally yummy, no need for boring a sarnie.
World Baking Day 17th May What could be a more important day in the baking calendar than a day dedicated to the art of baking itself?
National Vegetarian Week – 18th to 24th May Lots of yummy bakes and treats can be made during National Vegetarian Week. But how about using more vegetables in your sweet bakes? A great way to get veggies into children. Chocolate Beetroot cake, Spiced Parsnip cake and Lemon and Courgette Cake. Totally yum!
British Cheese week – 26th May to June 1st British Cheese Week is a nation wide campaign designed to raise the profile of British cheese and celebrate the British Cheese. Drop into your local cheese shop this week and pick up some great local cheese and bake with it! Two delicious words for you - Cheese Scones.
Calendar dates in June
Father’s Day 21st June Make or bake something great for your Dad this Fathers day. From cookies to an organic chocolate Guinness cake?
Wimbledon 29th June – 12th July The time of year when the nation goes tennis mad, and the ideal time to take advantage of fresh strawberry flavours. Have you tried gluten free strawberry and polenta mini cakes?
Calendar dates in July
National Ice Cream Month With July being one of the hottest months of the year, it’s only right to celebrate all things ice cream. Ice cream can be enjoyed in almost any flavour from the classics such as vanilla and chocolate, to more contemporary ones like pistachio or Lavender. Arctic Roll anyone?
Independence Day - July 4th Independence Day is all about American recipes and most importantly baking! Many of the dishes on your menu will be inspired by American classics and now is a great time to celebrate them. How about cooking Whoopie Pies, Cola cake, Pecan Pie or Marshmallow Brownies.
Calendar dates in August
National Burger Day August 27th August the 27th is National Burger day. Burgers have moved on from their junk food reputation and now grace the best pubs and street food sellers in the form of gourmet burgers. Make your own bread, consider what you put into your patty. Totally great, totally delicious and in August, built for the BBQ!
Calendar dates in September
Afternoon Tea Week 11th – 17th September A civilised chance to celebrate a great British institution.. And eat bite size treats! So get the kettle on, get the friends around and bake! scones, macaroons - mouth wateringly good!
National Cupcake Week - Great Baking Calendar Order Chocolate Beetroot Cupcakes from Moo Moo Cakes National Cupcake Week 16th – 22nd September National Cupcake Week is the time for bakers to whip up some of their best and most creative cupcakes. If you are feeling competitive - get involved! Got to love a cupcake. Buttercream heaven!
British Food Fortnight – 19th September to 4th October Held in the autumn at the same time as harvest festival, British Food Fortnight is the biggest annual, national celebration of British food and drink. Timed perfectly to coincide with the harvest, the time of the year when there is no excuse for not eating Great British Food.
Calendar dates in October
National Chocolate Week - October 12th to 18th The biggy for chocoholics! Chocolate Week aims to promote fine flavour chocolate, the independent artisan chocolatiers and the chocolate companies who work in direct partnership with cocoa farmers, encouraging consumers to pay a fairer price for their chocolate and for us to eat more… Not a problem in my book.
World Food Day - October 16th World Food Day is annually held on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the United Nations' (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Each year has a different theme.
National Honey Week – 25th to 31st October Created by the British Beekeepers Association National Honey week celebrates the end of the honey season as the honeybee goes into overwinter where they will survive the winter months on the honey stored in preparation for the winter ahead. There are so many things you can do with this wonderful, and healthy, ingredient!
Halloween – 31st October Love baking at Halloween!! There’s so many haunting bakes to make.. Scary spider web chocolate fudge muffins, eyeball cake pops or pumpkin shape cookies. So much fun to make and great for a spooky Halloween party.
Calendar dates in November
World Vegan Day – November 1st No Eggs, No Dairy, No Butter, no problem. World Vegan day gets you to test your baking skills and brings out your experimental side using ingredients in a different way... Oh, and it’s really good for you too! Bonus.
Guy Fawkes Night – 5th November Love fireworks night, love baking for it. This night in the calendar usually means preparing ahead and baking comfort food; warm sausage rolls, hot soup and toffee apples. There’s loads more you can do around this theme. How about, marshmallow bonfire cupcakes, toffee apple tray bake and firework chocolate & chilli cake with popping candy.
Homemade Bread Day - 17th November Bread is a classic staple food and a labour of love for many bakers, I love baking bread, I admit that I have only recently . There is nothing more satisfying than baking and eating your own loaf... Still warm, with butter. Try and bake at least one loaf on Homemade Bread Day!
Thanksgiving – 26th November Thanksgiving is another excuse to create American recipes. For me Thanksgiving is all about the pies; spicy pumpkin, classic apple, sweet potato and rich pecan pie! Yummy.
St Andrews Day – 30th November St Andrews day is another great opportunity to enjoy Scottish cakes and bakes. How about an orange sponge with drambuie cream, buttery shortbread or a blackberry cranachan inspired cupcake.
Calendar dates in December
National Pastry Day 9th Choux, shortcrust, puff, filo, and the list could go on. Pastry comes in many different forms and textures that can create the perfect base for many bakes - sweet or savoury. Having a day just for pastry - bonus ;-) That reminds me.. Chocolate Eclairs.. Yum!
Christmas Christmas may be the most important event on this list and for bakers, it is a month long celebration for creating the classics that can only be enjoyed at the festive time of year. With most of the country enjoying time off, this means there is even more time for baking and eating! Check out my Christmas Cakes
Hogmanay and New Years Eve – 31st December The last chance to get some fantastic cakes and bakes into you before the new years resolutions kick in!
I know you may not have the time to bake for every foodie day of the year. That's why Moo Moo Cakes is here with 'deliciously moreish cakes' from Moo Moo Cakes
All the cake & bake dates you'll need to know in one Great Baking Calendar!