When Macmillan started their coffee morning campaign a few years back I thought “what a great idea, I’d love to do that” but at the time we lived in a bungalow the size of a postage stamp with hardly any friends around us. So I didn’t. And I bought the cookbook from M&S instead!

But when we moved, I pledged it would be something I would do. I enjoy baking and it would be a good excuse to see family friends that usually I only catch up with on special occasions, and to make friends with the neighbours. 

So last year I decided to bite the bullet. I signed up for the pack and set the date at the end of the summer holidays to give me time to bake.

On the day I was overwhelmed by the number of people who turned up and we raised just over £250.

This year I did it again and raised £306 supported by lots of small businesses on instagram who donated items to sell alongside my cakes (all businesses named at the bottom of this post).

It takes me about six weeks to get ready and make sure I have enough to sell, making the biscuits that freeze well first and then working up to the cakes that I can only make the day before. I try to include nice details on the table to make it really special like tea cups full of gypsophilia or little baskets to display the cakes.  I use paper bags and doilies and brown paper and bakers twine as well as hand stamped luggage tags to package the items and always have spare bags and stickers on hand to package things on the day.  

I sell biscuits individually or by the bag load (eg 8 for £2) and have some cakes out and charge per slice as well as wrapping some up to take away.

Lots of you have asked for recipes, so I have shared a couple here. Let me know how you get on!
FLAPJACK (from Lorraine Pascale’s “Baking made easy”)

I normally make a double batch of these using two shallow square cake tins:

6oz butter

6oz golden syrup

6oz soft brown sugar

12oz porridge oats

Punch of ginger (optional)

Melt the butter in a pan use a pastry brush dipped in the butter to grease the tins, stir in the golden syrup and sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in the oats gradually until covered in the butter mixture.

Press into the tin and cook for about 40 minutes (I check after 30, if they’re brown and slightly crisp at thw edge, they’re done!) At 150 degrees centigrade.

And here’s the recipe for Apple and Cinnamon muffins.

Both of these recipes freeze really well for a good 3 months.

Huge thanks to these businesses for their donations:

http://www.lisavalentinehome.co.uk -gorgeous homewares 

http://www.thecountryshed.co.uk – another lovely homeware site

http://www.annascountryflowers.co.uk – stunning natural flowers

http://www.thoselittlethings.co.uk -lovely personalised gifts

http://www.thebotanicalcandleco.co.uk -the best candles anywhere in my opinion

https://www.facebook.com/Gooseberry-fool-1639278019631835/ – Gooseberry Fool crochet – gorgeous crochet items

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/littlefavourcompany – The Little Favour Company – beautiful personalised gifts and maps

https://www.facebook.com/Perfectpreserve/ -Perfectly Preserved – varied and delicious preserves and stamped cutlery
http://www.ditsybird.com – gorgeous artwork and typography 

http://www.bluebirdsbakehouse.co.uk – gorgeous cakes, the Macmillan ones pictured at the top of this post were from here