A baker has been overwhelmed with love for a cake she designed based on her hometown of Oban.
Keren Cafferty, of Sorcha Bakery, designed the Oban sunset cake for a client’s baby baptism over the weekend.
Inside the cake is a simple vanilla sponge with chocolate ganache and buttercream frosting, but the outside is what truly caught the attention of guests and social media.
The artistic interpretation of a glorious sunset over Oban harbour features the hills of Cruachan, blending teal, gold and purple colours.
The design was created following a consultation with the client who lives in Oban and is treated to views of the majestic Cruachan hills every day.
Ms Cafferty said: “The mum is a regular customer at the pop-up stand in Oban, so she contacted me through my website and asked if I was free to make a cake for her.
“We usually go back and forth and knock out ideas for themes and colour schemes, and she was really keen to incorporate Oban life.”
Following the initial consultation, the client sent Ms Cafferty a photo of Cruachan hills which inspired her to create the sunset design, which the client loved.
Ms Cafferty delivered the cake to the church on Sunday, with the client eagerly anticipating the big reveal.
She said: “When I took the lid off, everyone was like ‘Oh my god, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life’, and it has received so much love online after I posted it on Facebook.
“It went a bit mad on my socials, which is lovely. I don’t post every cake that I do online but I thought this one was special since it featured Oban.”
Some of those who commented included guests at the baptism, who said not only was it stunning to look at, it was “totally scrumptious”.
As a bakery that supplies wholesale goods, Ms Cafferty says celebration cakes allow her more “artistic freedom”.
Sorcha Bakery was born out of a need for local baked goods
Ms Cafferty started the business during lockdown as her previous venture, The Puffin Bar and Restaurant on Easdale Island, suffered due to a tourism drought.
She said: “The bakery was formed just as the local shop was screaming out for bread, she couldn’t get flour, anything really.
“I think the rural areas suffered a lot with shops clearing out really fast and not getting restocked.”
Ms Cafferty started supplying the shop with bread and cakes, which grew and she was soon supplying many more local businesses.
The bakery is also fully plant-based, with Ms Cafferty saying the biggest compliment is for people to say it tastes the same or better than a normal cake.
She says since starting the business has been “crazy busy” with several wholesale clients and a pop-up shop every fortnight in Oban.
The added demand has required Ms Cafferty to expand her premises.
Therefore, she has decided to create a micro bakery in her back garden to keep up with demand and allow her to work from home.
Once the final few touches are done, Ms Cafferty says the bakery will be up and running by next month.
Conversation