Practical Cake Craft

Entry Requirements

This is a Level 5 course aimed at S5 and S6 students only. Students will have studied Practical Cookery in S4 or will have shown a keen interest in Hospitality in S3.

Aims of the Course

The course aims to develop a range of practical food preparation skills and techniques using appropriate tools and equipment. Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the functional properties of food along with the ability to prepare food safely and hygienically. In addition, they will be able to use personal creativity to design, make and evaluate cake products.

Course Description

The course, which is practical and experiential in nature, develops a range of cake baking and finishing skills in hospitality-related contexts. It enables candidates to develop, consolidate and demonstrate creative techniques in the production of cakes and other baked items. It develops the thinking skills of understanding, analysing, and evaluating, and creating. Aspects of numeracy, employability skills, and the ability to work safely and hygienically are similarly developed.

The candidates develop knowledge of methods of cake production and functional properties of ingredients used in the production of a range of cakes and other baked items. The candidates acquire skills in baking a range of cakes and other baked items, demonstrating specialist skills, techniques and processes safely and hygienically.

The candidates further develop the ability to finish a range of cakes and other baked items safely and hygienically. In the finishing processes candidates apply specialised skills and creative techniques.

Assessment

This course has 3 components:

1. Question paper - 25 marks. The purpose of the question paper is to assess breadth of knowledge from across the course, depth of understanding, and application of this knowledge and understanding to answer appropriately challenging questions. The question paper requires candidates to draw on and apply knowledge and understanding of a sample of all the areas listed in the table below.
2. Assignment - 30 marks. The purpose of the assignment is to assess practical application of knowledge and skills from across the course to design and make a cake for a given brief. It will assess candidates’ skills in designing, implementing and evaluating a product.
3. Practical Activity - 70 marks. The assignment and practical activity are inter-related and will be assessed using one activity. Candidates will carry out one task — designing, planning, making, finishing and evaluating a cake which will provide evidence for both components.

Skills developed

• interpreting a design brief
• carrying out a practical activity to meet the requirements of a design brief
• knowledge of methods of cake baking and finishing
• knowledge of functional properties of ingredients used in production of cakes and other baked items
• skills in baking and finishing in the production of cakes and other baked items
• creatively applying finishing techniques to cakes and other baked items
• working safely and hygienically
• using specialist tools and equipment with dexterity and precision in routine and familiar tasks
• organisational and time management skills
• the ability to evaluate both the product and the process

Career opportunites