IT WAS baking trays at dawn when chefs from the Redditch campus of Heart of Worcestershire College took part in the Great Chocolate Cake Off! against fellow students from Worcester HOW and Hereward College.
An initial entry of 17 cooks had been whittled down to five to represent the town in what was the first time the college had entered this national competition.
The task was to prepare, bake, fill and ice an individual 8 inch round, chocolate sponge cake to a given recipe using ingredients and equipment provided, then decorate it and finally to give the cake a name that had to appeal to customers wanting to buy the cake in a coffee shop.
It proved a closely fought battle with the Redditch team just missing out on top spot.
Hungry residents can still get a taste of what the students produce on a regular basis by visiting the Halcyon Centre in Herbert Street with all money raised going to charity.
