Bake Off is back! And it's more Victorian than you'd think.

Spectacular bakes are nothing new - the Victorians had showstoppers down to a fine art.

The records of the Great Exhibition of 1851 show that among thousands of cakes, buns and biscuits served to visitors was the humble macaroon, perhaps the most prolific of Bake Off staples:

 

And yet Mary and Paul can’t even begin to compete with the Victorians, who managed to consume an impressive 1500 lbs (around 680 kg) of macaroons at the Great Exhibition.

If you assume that one weighs approximately 20g, I think this means they got through around 34,000 macaroons. Blimey. I wonder if you could fit them all into the Bake Off tent?!

 

Many of the images included in Mrs Beeton’s 1861 Book of Household Management look worthy of a Bake Off showstopper. I’d like to see this year’s contestants attempt this glorious trifle, for example. Wouldn't it be wonderful if those were little macaroons around the side?

 

The Victorians were also crazy about wedding cakes, which were of course the technical challenge in Bake Off's series 4 final. While Frances’ winning cake was certainly impressive, it pales in comparison to the intricate majesty of this Victorian wedding cake. The groom - Admiral Markham - designed it himself! I wonder what his new wife thought of it. Yes, it was beautifully intricate, but it was also 5-foot high...

 

If you know of any other culinary Victorian masterpieces, why not share them in the comments below?

 

Happy Baking!
The Secret Victorian