Karen Meets the Hairy Bakers

‘The Hairy Bikers’ (Dave & Si)
Now known as ‘The Hairy Bakers’ visit Karen Davies for their wedding cake top.

What an experience!

It started in July when I had a phone call from Julie Askew (editor of Cake Craft & Decoration magazine www.cake-craft.com) asking if I would like to do something for the BBC. They where looking for someone in my area to make the top for a wedding cake that the ‘Hairy Bikers’ Dave Myers and Si King where baking in their new series ‘The Hairy Bakers’. I immediately said yes – Only the other day we’d been watching them on the TV in Argentina and Morocco – and now they wanted to come to my house!

Though they are not trained chefs, their love of cooking, eating and travel really shines through as they bike their way through the exotic countries of the world, shopping for food, cooking and eating with the local people they meet. Their sense of humour and the obvious fun they have through their programmes, really make the shows stand out for me – they seem just like blokes next door!

After a phone call from Jean at the BBC filming was arranged for the following week and Nicky Taylor, the director, came to see me to make final arrangements. That’s when it really struck me - They where actually coming to my house to film!  It’s lucky I didn’t get too much notice or I would have had Barry re-decorating!

I was asked to make a Volkswagen Camper Van for the top of the wedding cake and was sent photos of the van, bride and groom to work from. Normally this is an easy task – but with the pressure of filming looming – not so. The nerves were really setting in at this point and the first one I made looked like a milk float with the bride and groom leaning out of the sides. On the next one, the windows were too narrow – you begin to get the idea….

Stress set in; I was hot, shaky, tearful, and kept wondering ‘Why am I putting myself through this?’ as I narrowly avoided a nervous breakdown. But then things started to improve and I began to get a grip – ‘ what is there to worry about ? – I can do this!’

Once I was happy with the campervan, and having a little time left before filming, I decided to make a novelty cake of Dave and Si decorating their wedding cake. The Saturday before, I had recorded them on ‘Saturday Kitchen’ and kept watching sections as I made the cake. Using a madeira cake base for the counter they stood behind, I then modelled their figures copying the clothes they were wearing on the programme. My new medium sized head moulds where used for the heads and I made a small wedding cake and piping bags, sugar shakers etc. to put on the worktop. My favourite bits are the broken eggs on the floor (a small ball of yellow paste covered in piping gel) - though I still think it looks quite tidy compared to when I work!

On Friday afternoon the cameraman Chris arrived with his assistant to film me making the campervan – I’m not sure, as I write this, how much of this footage will be included in the programme, but there was far too much for it all to be used, so I think most of it will end up on the cutting room floor – as they say!

Saturday morning arrived and the crew turned up - director, assistant, camera and sound men. Fifteen minutes later Dave and Si arrived on their motorbikes. Once everyone was in the house my daughters Amy and Alice made tea and coffee and we all discussed what was going to happen. Nicky was keen to show Dave and Si parking their bikes on to our path and entering the house through the garage - My husband Barry races motorbikes and it was felt the garage would make them feel right at home and fit in nicely with the programme!

Once this was agreed, they went back outside and attached wicker baskets to the backs of their bikes. Helmets were donned, and they rode off down the road to be filmed arriving. Entering through the garage, they briefly chatted to Barry (the third hairy biker!), who then pointed them in the direction of my workroom.

Hello’s were exchanged and I presented them with the finished campervan. I had used a Madeira sponge as the base, deciding against making the whole model out of sugarpaste as this would have added greatly to the weight. They were really pleased with the result and couldn’t believe how the bride and groom looked so like the actual couple. I explained how I used my moulds to help make the faces and then gave them the surprise cake of themselves to help illustrate the point! They were delighted with it, and as I took photographs they where even trying to pull faces to look like the marzipan ones! (Dave even had the same shirt on).

Once filming was finished at the house, we were to follow them to the wedding reception in Cheadle, Manchester were I could help them with placing and attaching the campervan to the top of the cake (I also had a spare one in case of any disasters – better to be safe than sorry!). When we arrived they showed us their masterpiece 5 tier cake. Dave and Si had been to Slattery’s in Manchester for cake decorating lessons and had made a lovely job of it. Each tier was decorated differently with daisies, love heart sweets and edible ribbon with campervans and filigree added on the top tier – they were understandably proud of what they had achieved. Filming started again and the finishing touches were added as instructed by Slattery’s. Once the cake was up and assembled in the room housing the reception, a relieved Si said “That was more nerve wracking than being at the births of my children!”. A screen was put up to hide the finished cake from the bride, groom and guests as they entered until the grand unveiling.

Finally the screens where removed for Si and Dave to reveal the cake to the couple’s evident delight - as you will see on the programme. I could not believe afterwards that, in all the excitement, I had forgotten to take any close up photos of the campervan on top of the cake!

Dave & Si both said they could not believe how much they had enjoyed decorating the cakes and I commenting on how well they’d both done for complete novices to cake decorating!

By the time you read this, the series will have been on BBC 2 in September, but you can also look out for it on UKTV Food. Their programmes are very popular (4 million viewers) and so are shown regularly. This series of four programmes covers all aspects of baking, from bread, pies, cakes etc., and I have heard that the programme where they visit the W.I. is hilarious!
I had a brilliant time and really enjoyed the whole experience. They are lovely guys with a great sense of humour and no airs and graces - What you see is what you get!