Cakes for Macmillan 2020
Every year I host a coffee morning with my fabulous Mum-in-law Marian, as part of Macmillan Cancer Research’s Worlds Biggest Coffee Morning . Now the rules of 2020 mean it’s not be the year for over crowded living rooms, kids picnicing on the lounge floor and munching cake whilst perched on the stairs but cancer doesn’t stop so neither do we!
This year we’re organising cake boxes for collection and I’ve just launched a brand new product range ‘The Macmillan Cancer Support Collection’ on Etsy with money from each sale going to Macmillan.
Why do we do what we do? Well here’s our ten Macmillan Coffee Morning facts to help explain.
Fact 1: It’s All For Mary.
Mary is my Gran-in-law and a very special part of who I am today. A kind, welcoming, family-centred treasure who sadly left us too soon because of The (original) C Word.
Mary loved the theatre, classical music and was an avid Strictly fan. She loved drinking from proper china cups and her baking was the families best.
We hold our Macmillan Coffee Morning every year to raise vital funds for this amazing charity who helped Mary but most of all we hold it as a celebration for her.
Marian even uses Mary’s recipes as our signature bakes!
Fact 2: Why Macmillan Cancer Support?
Macmillan Cancer Support are here to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can and support their families.
When Mary’s health deteriorated Marian moved in to be her full time carer. Macmillan came everyday for bedtime and morning, in addition to giving Marian rest bite twice a week to let her have time to herself. Whether it was to go out or simply catch up on much needed sleep as Mary required round the clock care.
They were more than nurses, they were friends. Although Mary didn’t want nurses she accepted Macmillan. They always had time to chat when they came and took pressure of Marian putting her mum to bed, settling her and getting her up in the morning. Always with a kind words, laughter, making sure that Marian was okay too and reminding her they were only ever a phone call away.
It would have been a lot harder if they weren’t around.
Our fundraising means they can be right there for more people living with cancer and their families.
Fact 3 : Make it or Fake it?
If you didn’t already know, we don’t do things by halves here! Every single scrummy item at the annual cake fest is homemade from scratch.
Planning the treats usually begins in August when our host pack arrives. We look back at all the bakes we’ve made so far, what was popular, what was left behind and we work on that to bring you the best bakes we can imagine, each and every year!
Fact No.4: Plastic Free
Where possible The Ricketty Desk HQ has being going plastic Free in 2019 – yes even the cards have been getting naked! No more plastic wraps here!
From refilling our washing up bottles and hand wash at Happy Earth Place to making sure we’re not using any disposables at the coffee morning and sourcing ingredients without the plastic wrappers. You can be sure we’re doing our bit to help the planet too.
Fact 5: Waste Not, Want Not.
Not a drop goes to waste at the coffee morning. We’d usually ask you to bring a tub so you can take some goodies home to share and what’s left behind after the event goes into offices, gym classes and other venues we attend to help raise even more funds and upping our total even further.
This year we’ll be carefully calculating our bakes and filling our pre-ordered cake boxes for collection to the max so theres not a drop heading for the bin.
Fact 6 : The total so far ….
To date we have hosted 7 Macmillan Coffee Mornings, our 2020 fundraiser is no.8. Over those seven events we have raised a whopping total of £1917.41!!
All this just from baking and cards, who would have thought? Even the smallest of businesses can make a big difference 💛
Fact 7 : Favourite Bakes
It’s no secret that Marian and I love to bake! But ever wondered what our favourite things to bake are?
Well, Marian’s favourites are her infamous custard creams. Not only did her Mum, Mary, make them but Marian’s Gran used to make them before Mary did! A true family classic. Plus, believe it or not, they are easy to make!
Her other favourite bakes are Truffles because Mary always made them and if she didn’t all the family weren’t pleased! The same story applies today – if Marian hasn’t made truffles everyone gets grumpy.
And lastly malteaser slice, because it’s everyone’s favourite and never goes wrong.
My favourite is a bit controversial, because it’s not actually a bake! Every year, since the first coffee morning in 2013, I’ve made edible teacups. They’re a little bit quirky, a lot of fun, perfectly suited to a coffee morning and always go down a treat.
Fact 8 : The Signature Bakes
I told you all about Marian’s custard creams in the Fact No.7 but there’s no doubt that her favourite bake is also her signature. These delights are known far and wide, this year she’s making triple batches!
My signature is apparently the shortbread. Who knew? The mini makers demand it and seeing as it’s been a hit on the menu for the past 7 years there must be something in that? I asked the minis to describe it, crumbly, terrific, melt-in-the mouth, exquisite and amazing! (No I didn’t pay them – well I did but it was in fresh baked shortbread!)
Fact 9 : The Showstopper
The Guinness cake arrived to the banquet in 2015 and immediately jumped in to showstopper position. A Hummingbird Bakery recipe that we get requests for a week in advance! Marian has even worked out the exact smell of when it’s perfectly baked so I know when to bring it out the oven!
Fact No.10: What’s New For 2020?
Lots. Asisde from having to adapt our usual coffee morning for pre-order cake boxes there’s a brand new range of products available on Etsy too!
As always there’s new treats as well as the favourites! From a brownie bites to coffee buns you can be certain this dream team has been baking up a storm!
This is your final reminder to order a box! Click here to order now!
AND if you wondering about the cards just head on over to Etsy for a browse and to pre-order. Limited edition birthday cards, note cards, recipe cards and more. Take a look and treat yourself to some feel good, happy snail mail.
The Ricketty Desk 
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