Artisan bakery staff are in festive mood and soaking-up the wonderful aroma created by the 20,000 Christmas cakes and fancy bakes they handmake every day!

The heat is on at The Original Cake Company in Lincoln, where a 35-strong team is kept on its toes between the hours of 2am and 10pm. Staff weigh out and combine tonnes of ingredients, mixing cakes ready to be loaded into hot ovens which are in action for 20 hours daily.

Managing Director Simon Woodiwiss said:

“It’s an extremely busy time of year, when we offer people a range of 120 different festive lines, in addition to our non-seasonal fare. Everything is handmade and individually finished.

“We actually start making our traditional Christmas cakes in March to ensure they are matured to absolute perfection and beautifully finished ready for the festive tea table. Then we start to build-up our team of seasonal workers from September to make sure we are well equipped to deal with the anticipated flood of orders.

“This year we are using about 25 tonnes of ingredients every week, including flour, sugar, dried fruits, pasteurised egg, marzipan and sugar paste. Every ounce of these essential ingredients will get used.

“I’m really proud to say that our sales have risen by around 30 per cent year-on-year and we are also confident of achieving further growth in the months ahead,”

The Original Cake Company’s take on Christmas fare means it produces everything from traditional fruit-packed Christmas cakes, to individually decorated mini festive cakes, attractively decorated sponges and even special seasonal muffins, so there’s something to suit every taste.

Eagerly awaiting the Pioneer Way firm’s deliveries are an impressive list of wholesale buyers, high-end stores and loyal personal customers who repeatedly visit the bakery’s website. The company’s client list even includes a Royal estate!

“This year we are supplying cakes to the Queen’s Sandringham Estate, where they can be bought by visitors to the estate’s shop, giving them a taste of Lincolnshire to take home,”

“Other cakes are being delivered to the Houses of Parliament, St James’ Palace, sold through top department stores and supplied to supermarkets, garden centres and farm shops within the county and further field.”

People can order their favourites by visiting the company’s website and Not On The High Street. Simon’s decision to promote and sell cakes over the television shopping channel QVC has also proved successful in boosting sales at home and abroad.

Anyone who wants to know what all the fuss is about, needs to know that the last date for cakes to be delivered is December 16.