Kilmarnock baker wins national Jubilee cake competition

Local baker Lindsay Cairns, from Southcraigs, Kilmarnock, has won a national Delicious magazine Jubilee cake competition, hosted by international gourmet ingredient company Nielsen-Massey® Vanillas.  The win is a huge boost to Lindsay, who turned to cake-making when she was made redundant from her job in sales in 2019.  She now runs Cairns Cakes full-time from home.

Nielsen-Massey wanted to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee by replacing the ubiquitous Victoria sponge with an all-new 'Elizabeth' sponge that could be enjoyed to honour the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Nielsen-Massey's Gourmet Vanilla Extract, is a top quality true-to-bean vanilla that intensifies flavours and enhances all sweet bakes, so entrants were tasked with creating and photographing a cake recipe, including vanilla extract. 

Lindsay beat bakers all over the country with her recipe for a coconut sponge fit for a queen, winning prizes and baking goodies worth £500.  She commented: 'I was inspired by the Victoria sponge which is the most simple, but the most popular cake, so I wanted to create something equally simple, but super-tasty, that involves ingredients that you would be likely to have in the cupboard, or that you could buy easily.'

Lindsay added: 'Whatever everyone has planned for the Jubilee, they get to spend time with their loved ones, enjoying some special treats.'

The competition was judged by Delicious magazine editors and Nielsen-Massey representatives, who awarded Lindsay the fantastic prize of a retro-inspired, versatile SMEG stand food mixer worth more than £400, and a Jubilee hamper containing a range of baking equipment, including Nielsen-Massey's favourite vanilla, lemon and orange extracts.

To experience Lindsay's delicious Jubilee Elizabeth cake, follow the recipe:

Lindsay Cairns' Coconut Sponge Elizabeth Cake

This simple, yet delicious cake is sandwiched with vanilla buttercream and raspberry jam.

Ingredients:        

FOR THE SPONGES:
260g margarine at room temperature
260g granulated sugar
4 medium eggs
100ml canned coconut milk
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey premium vanilla extract
25g desiccated coconut
300g self-raising flour
¼ teaspoon of baking powder

FOR THE FILLING AND COATING:
200g butter
400g icing sugar
2 teaspoons gourmet Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract
Seedless raspberry jam
Desiccated coconut to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 155˚c (135˚c fan oven)
Cream the margarine and sugar in a food mixer for five minutes until light and fluffy (scrape around the edge of the bowl half-way through, to make sure everything is incorporated)
Meanwhile, grease two 6”/15cm cake tins (Lindsay wraps her with baking strips and sprays the tins with cake-release)
Break the four eggs into a bowl, then add the coconut milk and Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract and whisk together
Sieve the flour and baking powder in a bowl and add the desiccated coconut
With the margarine and sugar still mixing, add the egg mixture a little at a time
When all the egg is incorporated, take off the mixer and slowly mix the flour, baking powder and coconut by hand until the batter is nice and smooth
Divide the mixture between the two tins and put in the oven
Bake for around 50 minutes (depending on oven).
Once cooked though, take the sponges out of the oven and leave for 15 minutes, then turn out on a rack to cool.
While the cakes are cooling, beat the butter in the mixer for 5-10 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract and icing sugar and mix for a further 2 minutes, until the icing sugar is incorporated and the buttercream is smooth
When the sponges are completely cool, level the tops of them and cut each one in half horizontally, giving 4 layers
Sandwich the layers with a good dollop of buttercream and a big spoonful of jam
Once stacked, coat the entire cake in another layer of buttercream and coat with desiccated coconut

Enjoy!

ENDS

Notes to the editor:

About Nielsen-Massey:

Nielsen-Massey specialises in the production of vanillas. The company's relationships with its growers go back generations to create the best vanilla in the world. The company's expert makers take the time to hand-inspect its vanilla beans for maturity and quality, then treat them with extra care to best preserve their natural flavour.

Nielsen-Massey is a family business committed to sustaining plants, people and the communities that supply its ingredients.

For more recipe inspiration visit: Nielsen-Massey recipes

About Delicious magazine:

delicious. is an award-winning cross-platform food brand, with loyal followings of its magazine, website and social channels. The monthly magazine features fully tested recipes, stunning photography and in-depth features and interviews. Together, the brand is a favourite among experienced and aspiring foodies alike.

Winner's biography:

Lindsay Cairns is a mum of two who lives in Southcraigs, Kilmarnock.  She likes making bespoke, personalised, detailed cakes, with great flavour.

Lindsay worked in sales for 20 years until she was made redundant in 2019.  She planned to train to be a primary teacher, however as this was going to take five years, she decided to look for something else, and as she had always made cakes for friends and family, she decided to start a cake business - #Cairns Cakes.  The business has grown rapidly and Lindsay now runs it full-time, from home.

Facebook handle: CairnsCakes1

Instagram handle: cairns_cakes