Reece Hignell - Cakeboi: A Collection of Classic Bakes

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This book is wholeheartedly dedicated to my nan, Heather Bates. Writing this book has filled me with joy, remembering the baking fairy tale of my childhood.

Admittedly, it took me a long time to truly appreciate your baking as much as I do now, sadly a little too late. But with these recipes your memory will live on forever.

When it comes to being part of MasterChef Australia history, Reece Hignell knows that sensation better than I do; hes been a beloved part of it since season 10! When we met a few years laterI in my first season as judge and he returning as a contestant on Back to Winwe talked about what had changed in the time hed been away from the show. He said that his first time was fun, but he didnt then feel truly comfortable being all of himself in that kitchen and in front of the worldand who can blame him?

He returned, though, with a discernible change in perspective. There was a clear sense of owning himself unapologetically and celebrating his own unique and truly special sense of identity. That realness (and, frankly, often silliness!) is something I valued in Reece from the second we met: There really is something to be said for being around a person who accepts himself in all his inspiring, beautiful work-in-progress glory.

Perhaps one of the most real things about Reece is his love of properly good, old-school (and therefore wonderful) cake. The retro nostalgia is strong with this human, and I bloody love him for it! From his nans passionfruit sponge to classic tarts, biscuits and other recipes filled with shared memory, warmth and approachable skill, this book is all about an amped-up sense of feel-good factor. And yes, it even contains Reeces very fabulous lemon tartand the babas that made Katy Perry fold a napkin into boobs and call Reece the tits. Its a moment Ill never forget, and I suspect that it will live rent free in the hearts and minds of MC fans for the rest of time.

Pastry can be difficult, but it can also be comforting, creative and, as Reece likes to say, cute. So when youre looking for things to make that are the culinary equivalent of a hug, a wave or a little soothing balm for the woes of the world, you could do worse than to start right here.

Call him Cakeboi, Doll or the retro cake specialist, to meand Katy PerryReece and his sweet creations will always be the tits.

Melissa Leong

MasterChef Australia Judge, Food Writer

Hey guys, Im Reece.

Once upon a time, I auditioned for the worlds most popular reality cooking show, MasterChef. I was always a fan of the show, and finally I decided to be a real whisk taker and audition, batter late than never! I was just a self-taught home baker with a passion for cooking, and suddenly I was on TV battling the odds against 50 contestants. Spoiler alert, I didnt win, but top 6 was still a huge achievement. After that season, I left my office job and followed my passion. I started working in the food industry and developed my interest in baking. My motto is Life is what you bake of it.

In 2020, I was back, back, back again to win! This time, I was asked to return for an all-stars version. I competed against MasterChef Australias finest and I finished as a lovely fifth alternate.

After leaving the show, by the power vested in meby meI decided to start my own business known as Cakeboi. In a fast-paced culinary world where everyone is looking to be innovative, creative and unique, I decided to take a step back; I took inspiration from my nans recipes and created an old-school cake shop. When I was growing up, she had a weekly market stall jam-packed full of cakes. She was the Marie Antoinette of Warners Bays, New South Wales, Australia, who provided the goods and let them eat cake. She sold an abundance of cakes, including her amazing passionfruit sponge, the humble carrot cake and those showstopping scones. Many of her recipes are found in this book and used at my shop, and now you too will be able to make them.

Classic Aussie bakes have stolen my heart and are the essence of Cakeboi. Now its time to pass on Nans legacy, from her, to me, to you. So grab your bowl and whisk, because all youll need is this book to create some old-school beautiful bakes.

Happy baking!

Eggs are so important for baking. They add richness in flavor and levelling in rise, and they help the stability of your baked goods, so selecting the right egg is essential.

First and foremost, when baking a cake, always use a fresh free-range egg. This is especially important when whipping the egg, as fresh eggs aerate better. Of course free range is crucial, as the quality of the egg is so much better when the chickenthe chook, as Nan would sayis provided with a better-quality life.

If you are very particular about the size of your egg, an average large egg weighs about 50 grams without the shell, of which approximately 20 grams is yolk and 30 grams white. So if the recipe asks for 2 eggs, then you will need 100 grams of egg.

Finally, most recipes will call for room-temperature eggs. Adding a cold egg would risk seizing any emulsified mixtures.

Butter is also central to baking, and selecting the correct butter is very important. Butter ranges from salted to unsalted and from low to high water content. So what determines the correct one?

In the debate between salted and unsalted butter, my preference always goes to salted. The amount of salt in the butter is purely to add flavor. I dont believe that it affects the end result of a cake. I know Ive never noticed an overly salty cake due to using salted butter.

I would always recommend the use of a premium-grade butter, particularly when making pastry. The steam from its higher water content will help create an even more flaky result in your rough puff. The flavor of a premium butter is also very helpful when making buttercreams. It adds a beautiful richness. If you do wish to use a lower-grade butter, I would recommend using it whilst baking the actual cake.