LAST WEEK was National Baking Week, and according to a poll of 1000 people, 16 – 24 year olds are the real driving force behind the latest baking renaissance – and Apple Pie is the dish that Brits most like to bake in their kitchens.

The poll revealed older generations bake less regularly with nearly one fifth baking no more than once a month and only 1% of the over 55′s baking every day.

Responding to shows such as The Great British Bake Off, a third of people take their inspiration from TV resulting in 43% of families baking at least once every fortnight.

The widespread popularity of baking has resulted in 77% of Britons now creating both sweet and savoury delights in the comfort of their own kitchen, and six out of 10 people agreed that if they make the effort to create something from scratch at home, it tastes much better than bought food.

The young may be leading the way in the kitchen, but Brits are proving suckers for tradition, with classic recipes topping the list of Brits’ favourite dishes to bake. Apple Pie was the overall winner as Britain’s top baking recipe but it was Chocolate Brownies and Flap Jack that appealed almost equally to both men and women.

Top five baking creations:

Apple Pie
Victoria Sponge
Fairy Cakes / Cupcakes
Chocolate Brownies
Cheesecake

People from Wales are the best in the kitchen, with over half of those surveyed in the region claiming they are equally as good at cooking as they are at baking. The highest number of people claiming never to have baked are from London and the highest number claiming never to never cook or bake come from the North West of England, but it was people from Scotland who admit to being terrible at both.

Top five baking regions in the UK:

North East
Northern Ireland
Wales
Midlands
South West
Researchers also found that another tradition to stand the test of time, is that baking remains a firm female led activity, and nearly half admitted that they are equally as good at cooking and baking. When men were asked to choose between baking or cooking, over one third preferred cooking to baking compared with only one quarter of women.

A spokesperson for Leisure Range Cookers, who carried out the poll, said:

“On the surface it may seem like a surprising development that baking is enjoying such a revival amongst the younger generation, but there are a number of key trends that support these findings.

“The younger generation has grown up watching a host of TV chefs; they are on first name terms with the likes of Gordon, Jamie and Nigella. In fact, a third of people take their inspiration from TV cookery shows. Then there is the popularity of shows like ‘The Great British Bake Off’, which has been a clear ratings winner.

“Homemade can also mean more economical, and we often see consumers going back to basics during a recession.
In tough times we also return to the more traditional practices of our parents and grandparents.

“All these factors combined have fuelled a generation of food lovers, interested in doing it for themselves as part of their everyday life.”

Range cooker specialist, Leisure, has enlisted the assistance of TV Chef Jo Pratt to create seven simple yet delicious recipes to help inspire more people to try out baking recipes at home. With just under half of those surveyed admitting that a range cooker would be their ‘dream cooker’, the recipes have been designed to take advantage of all the additional features that such cookers have to offer.

Something that Jo readily agrees with: “You can’t beat homemade baking. Not only do homemade cakes and other home made goods taste better but you also know exactly where all the ingredients has come from and what’s in the food you are giving to your family. They are also always going to be fresher than store bought products.

“One of the big benefits of baking is the creative and experimental aspect, you can tweak recipes to suit the tastes of your family and you can create unique dishes that might become firm family favourites and be passed down through the generations – you don’t get that excitement or enjoyment from a shop bought cake.”

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