Super festival cooking up for junior baker

TWELVE-year-old Casper Carey-Grieve loves creating a meal, plating up and knowing, “I made this.”

Initially helping his mum, Bec in the kitchen, Casper caught the cooking bug. “I wanted to start doing my own stuff,” he said.

Sharpening his dinner-making skills, lasagne has become a strength for Casper, but cakes have been great fun too.

“I like to mess around with fondant. It’s just thick icing, but it seems like edible clay,” he said. “I find it easier to mould into the shapes I like.”

An entrant in the upcoming Ballan Autumn Festival’s annual Country Women’s Association cake decorating competition, he’s been finessing this fondant and icing work, mindful of BAF’s 2020 superhero theme.

“I’ve been practicing my cake for the festival,” Casper said. “It’s a Spider-Pig cake. I find Spider-Pig quite a funny character and I thought it would be pretty cool to see how that turned out.”

This time around, he’s been looking at the broader Spider-Man universe, but he’s previously been inspired by books and Five Nights at Freddy’s.

Casper is excited to be a first-time baking entrant at BAF.

“I’m hoping people will like my cake, I’m not really trying to compete.”

The popular cake decorating competition is run by the Ballan and District CWA, presenting dazzling edible creations and celebrating the talents of their makers.

The CWA runs high tea experiences so visitors can view the competition entries, enjoy a cuppa and a sweet treat.

BAF will run on Sunday, 15 March, celebrating local superheroes from 9am to 4pm. Thousands of visitors will head to the Ballan where there will also be a pet show, local acts, produce and artisanal crafts.

The traditional country festival is in its 45th year, aiming to present the region’s best to locals and visitors.