Wellcome Collection Inspired Cake Shines At Charity Staff Bake-Off

Staff at the University of Leicester participated in a charity bake-off showcasing their culinary talents

 Cake. The perfect all-around food for an occasion. We all have a memorable cake, a favourite cake even - carrot, sponge and lemon - just to name a few. This is the story of how mass spectometrist and baking enthusiast, Rebekah Juke-Jones went above and beyond to create a science-inspired cake.

Rebekah Juke-Jones began her hobby as a baker over 20 years ago with a good friend which then fluctuated into a business: “Together we started participating in bake sales and then we started testing our cakes on our families.” With a determination to improve her baking skills, Rebekah began experimenting with different cake flavours and was exposed to a range of baking techniques because of the internet: “Youtube and searching up websites have been very helpful in the process.” She was able to research different cake shapes and fondant colours, which came in extremely useful when needing to decorate.

Rebekah grasped the opportunity to participate in a charity bake sale for Macmillian Cancer Support and decided to create a science-inspired cake by contacting ‘Wellcome Collection,’ a science museum named after Henry Wellcome who was a prominent figure in the pharmaceuticals industry and becoming one the first pharmacists to bring tablets to healthcare.

She got into contact with one of the representatives of the Wellcome Collection as she was intrigued by the extensive amount of artefacts left behind by Wellcome and wished to gain some inspiration for her cake. The first few artefacts she was told about included sacred sculptures of toes, which did not sound very appetising, and a translucent statue which would be quite difficult to replicate through the cake as it's quite dense.

After going through some more artefacts via a phone call, Shackleton’s medicine chest sparked Rebekah’s imagination and presented interesting history. Henry Wellcome’s company, Burrough’s Wellcome and Co, which he started with his colleague, Silas Burrough in 1880, provided Antarctic explorer, Ernest Shakelton with a medicine chest for himself and his crew to protect themselves in such harsh weather conditions.

The process of creating the cake included baking, shaping, tempering the fondant, and the final assembly. The cake flavour was a black forest cake with tart cherry jam and a striking silver-coloured fondant with dark detailing for the front of the chest. The final product was amazing and well-received by the judges and the staff, which ultimately led Rebekah to victory, bagging herself the ‘Best Decorated Cake Award.’

Reflecting on the experience, Rebekah stated: “The hardest part is making sure the cake is to scale - getting it lined up so it doesn’t stick to anything and lastly the transportation of the cake, making sure it doesn’t crack or break on the way.”