The Great British Fake Off – Brits confess to baking blunders despite desire to ‘bake well.’
Over a quarter of Brits (27%) have pretended to bake something that they’d bought previously from a shop.
That’s the shocking revelation in a new study* by independent convenience retailer Nisa, which also found that for a quarter of adults (26%) the last time they had pulled on an apron and baked something was in home economics class at school.
Over a third (39%) said they would go and buy readymade baked goods such as bread, buns and cakes rather than ever attempting to make them from scratch.
Over half (55%) of budding bakers confessed that despite their love for baking they never have the time to do it with a further 40% only willing to get out their rolling pins for special occasions and a third (34%) admitting to defeat by being a baking failure, despite their best intentions.
But it’s not all baking bad news, two thirds (67%) get a great deal of satisfaction from baking for friends and family, and well over half think baking is a great way to wow a potential partner – 57% believing that baking can help romance blossom.
A passionate 49% said that baking with their partner is their perfect idea of a date.
And although two-thirds (65%) find baking enjoyable and relaxing (46%), a further 32% see it as messy and boring (10%). A third of adults (30%) don’t let their children bake as it creates too much mess and havoc in the kitchen – this despite 62% of adults having fond childhood memories of baking with an adult relative. Nearly half (49%) of adults confessed that they like to spend more time baking with children as it was something they had particularly enjoyed themselves as a child.
And it’s hurray for Hollywood and co as half (51%) said they had felt inspired to bake after watching TV programmes such as the Great British Bake Off although a secretive 28% of Brits confessed to being closet bakery buffs by regularly watching the hit TV show but never admitting to it! A third (34%) have tried their hand at whipping up some of the showstoppers and technical marvels featured on the programme.
For 67% of folk the aroma of freshly baked bread and cakes is their favourite smell.
Commenting on the research Alex Rimmer of Nisa said: “Our research highlights that Brits love their baking but might cheat a bit to get to the end result! It’s fantastic that Great British Bake Off is inspiring would be bakers to try their hand at cakes, buns and pastries but it seems we could do much more as a nation to ensure kids get the baking bug. It’s a delightful past time to enjoy as a family – most of us have lovely memories of baking in our childhoods.”
The UK and Ireland’s favourite items to bake at home:
1) Buns/cakes
2) Biscuits
3) Bread
4) Puddings
5) Pies
6) Pastries
7) Sausage rolls
8) Pasties
9) Pizza
10) Other items
The survey coincides with National Baking Week (16-22 Oct).
*research carried out in September 2017 by independent consumer research specialists The Leadership Factor amongst a nationally representative sample of 1,000 UK adults.