Home baking preferred by Scots

Home baking is preferred by 68% of people in Scotland than shop bought or processed food, according to a survey of 2500 people across the UK.

The survey, undertaken by Scottish Home Baking Awards (SHBA), found that the Scots relished home baking more than the English and the Welsh.

The survey is released ahead of the third annual Scottish Home Baking Awards on 21 September.

The Scots were more likely to eat in a café or a restaurant if it promised good home baking over the English and Welsh. The English were put off by the idea of home baking when eating out, but the Welsh were split 50/50 on the issue. Yet 78% of all nationalities said they would be more likely to eat in a food establishment that offered home baking if it was also award winning.

However, all nationalities unanimously said they preferred home make cakes to cakes bought in tins or packets, citing freshness and natural ingredients and fewer or no preservatives.

The Scots prefer a home made carrot and walnut cake to any other cakes, although 10% said they’d tried a courgette cake and wanted to have it again.

English women were more likely to trust their husbands and male partners to make a good home made cake, with 54% believing their menfolk could whip up a mean Victoria Sponge if asked. Only 43% of Scottish women and 37% of Welsh women thought the same of their menfolk.

Interestingly, the Scots preferred their grans cooking to their wives, while the English opted for their mums, with wives second and grans last, but the Welsh thought their grans tied with their wives for best cooking.

Melanie Andrews, founder of SHBA, said: “The results of the survey aren’t a surprise as Scottish home baking already has very high standards. The Scots have taken a battering when it comes to the perception of their food, but this survey shows that they take home baking very seriously indeed.”

“But what this survey shows is that the Scottish Home Baking Awards are needed more than ever.  It’s essential that we reward outstanding home baking in cafes, pubs and restaurants to ensure standards remain high and tourists and locals know where they can savour the very best home baking in Scotland,” she said.

“Scottish Home Baking Awards aims to raise the home baking standard in Scotland and create a healthy competition, which can only be a good thing for the customers.”