15/09/2025
Here is a Cherimoya, also known as a custard apple. Spain is the world’s leading producer of this fruit, with cultivation starting in the 1950s and becoming a tradition in regions like Málaga, Granada, and especially the Costa Tropical.
This Spanish apple is my sister’s secret weapon in her Schools European Bake Off. Last year, I helped mentor her on her Greece-themed cake, which won. That cake focused on design — blue and white colours, a Greek flag edible image — but the flavours and ingredients weren’t authentically Greek; it was ultimately a rich chocolate sponge with chocolate mousse and dark chocolate ganache.
This year, we wanted to go further. She’s creating a Spanish-themed cake — a 7-inch, 2-layer masterpiece — and I’ve invested nearly £100 to make it as true to the country as possible. Every element is connected to Spain: flavours like caramel, cinnamon, and citrus; Spanish-based ingredients like the Cherimoya; traditional touches such as homemade churros for decoration; and a custom edible image of Spain, all covered in marbled yellow and red fondant to match the Spanish flag. The goal is to improve her performance, stand out more, and make the cake as authentically Spanish as possible.
While my sister is making the cake herself for the Outwood Academy Hindley European School Bake Off, I’ll be mentoring her through every step. The only elements I’m handling are the caramel (to manage hot sugar) and frying the churros (due to hot oil). She’s doing everything else: baking and soaking the sponges, making the caramel cheesecake filling and dark chocolate ganache, covering and smoothing the fondant, adding the edible image, preparing and decorating the churros. She’s even already made the Spanish Cherimoya gel for the cake.
It’s all her hard work, but I'll be coaching and guiding her through every step of the way.
