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| Pretty irresistible |
I’d be the first to admit that I’m not usually a cupcake
fan – so often, they look amazing, but it’s a case of style over substance,
with the actual cake itself being dry or tasteless. I’m happy to report,
however, that Didi Cakes in Bath have cracked it, creating absolutely stunning
cupcakes which, incredibly, taste even better than they look.
One of my favourite things about Bath is that it’s always
buzzing with somewhere new to discover. Lately, Didi Cakes has been popping up
all over my Twitter feed, so on a beautiful spring day when I didn’t fancy
spending the afternoon inside, I thought I’d go for a stroll down Walcot St and
find it. Walcot St is always a lovely place for strolling, because it’s one of
Bath’s bastions of independence – you won’t see any chains here, just
interesting little boutiques, bars and artisan workshops. Down at the quieter
end, away from the city centre, is this cheerful little bright blue bakery –
and boy, is it worth finding.
More shop than café, the space is mainly taken up by a
large, curving glass case full of mouth-watering treats, from beautiful
occasion cakes on elegant stands, to delicate French patisserie, to a rainbow
of pretty cupcakes in a huge range of flavours. Although the principal focus is
takeaway, there is also a counter with twirly stools where you can perch and
tuck into a cake, along with tea, coffee or hot chocolate, and you can also
peek into the workspace behind and see where the magic happens – on the day I
visited, cupcakes were being expertly topped with a perfect swirl of frosting
and a drizzle of caramel.
Unable to make a decision, I sought advice from Alex,
behind the counter (who helps run Didi Cakes along with her parents, Daniella
& John, so it’s a proper, old-fashioned family business) and she
recommended the peanut butter. It was utterly delectable – light, fluffy
chocolate cake topped with the most amazing frosting made (I’m told) with a
mixture of peanut butter and ganache, so it was gorgeously creamy. I knew
immediately that I was going to have to buy some more cupcakes to take home, so
after much deliberation I chose a red velvet cupcake decorated with the classic
cream cheese icing, and a banoffee cupcake topped with caramel cream cheese
icing, a drizzle of caramel sauce and a dried banana chip – both were very good
but I think I’d ultimately recommend the banoffee, as I’m just not quite a
convert to the red velvet craze. Luckily, at £2.50 each (or just £1, for the
adorable mini cupcakes!) you can easily afford to try them all…
I was a little worried about getting the cupcakes home,
but of course, these chaps have thought that through with some great little
takeaway boxes that kept everything looking just as perfect as it was in the
shop. They’ve got a wide menu of options when it comes to supplying everything
from parties to corporate events, so if you really want to impress your guests
(or butter up your employees) then visit their website here. Otherwise, feel
free to use this glowing recommendation as an excuse to simply saunter down
there and treat yourself to a cupcake – go on, you deserve it.
Unable to make a decision, I sought advice from Alex,
behind the counter (who helps run Didi Cakes along with her parents, Daniella
& John, so it’s a proper, old-fashioned family business) and she
recommended the peanut butter. It was utterly delectable – light, fluffy
chocolate cake topped with the most amazing frosting made (I’m told) with a
mixture of peanut butter and ganache, so it was gorgeously creamy. I knew
immediately that I was going to have to buy some more cupcakes to take home, so
after much deliberation I chose a red velvet cupcake decorated with the classic
cream cheese icing, and a banoffee cupcake topped with caramel cream cheese
icing, a drizzle of caramel sauce and a dried banana chip – both were very good
but I think I’d ultimately recommend the banoffee, as I’m just not quite a
convert to the red velvet craze. Luckily, at £2.50 each (or just £1, for the
adorable mini cupcakes!) you can easily afford to try them all…