From millennial hipster bakeries in London serving up litchi flower croissants to Parisian boulangeries offering the signature ‘le crookie’ to Gen Z patrons, baking is experiencing a renaissance, particularly as an artisanal craft among younger consumers.
At the heart of this trend is the humble egg, which remains a vital ingredient in even the most inventive cakes and bakes.
The Artisan Bakery Boom
While young bakers are leading the way in pushing creative boundaries, research indicates a growing demand for baked goods made with traditional methods across a wider demographic.
The artisan bakery market, valued at $33.7 billion in 2023, is projected to grow to $47.9 billion by 2030, reflecting the increased appetite for quality, handcrafted goods.
Bakers are continuously raising the bar, developing fresh recipes and innovative uses for eggs to create mouthwatering pastries, cakes, and bite-sized desserts. Classics like petit fours, cream cakes, scones, and vanilla sponges are making a comeback as high tea becomes increasingly popular worldwide.
High Tea’s Comeback
In 2022, Pinterest declared that high tea was the new happy hour, with searches for “tea party aesthetic” and “baking recipes” soaring on the platform. Last year alone, searches for “afternoon tea party ideas” increased by 165%.
For 2025, the traditional high-society English tea party, inspired by Bridgerton, tops the list of tea party themes, with truffled egg salad and baked egg custard treats leading the menu.
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Why Eggs Are Essential in Baking
Eggs are far from just a decorative element in the kitchen – they’re fundamental to the structure and flavour of baked goods. Renowned pastry chef Cédric Grolet explains that eggs act as emulsifiers, helping fats and liquids combine smoothly while contributing to the overall structure of baked items.
He frequently uses egg wash, which gives pastries their golden-brown crust.
Award-winning French pastry chef Dominique Ansel, famed for creating the Cronut, also swears by eggs for their versatility.
Whole eggs serve as binders, increasing the viscosity of batters and doughs, while yolks add richness and moisture.
Whipped egg whites, he notes, are key to achieving a light, airy texture. His famous Buche de Noël features both whipped egg whites and yolks, demonstrating how different parts of the egg create distinct textures.
This Season’s Trending Bakes
This season, we’re celebrating artisanal bakers with a Polenta Cake and embracing trendy high tea with a Crispy Meringue Cake. Stock up on eggs and try your hand at these exciting new bakes!
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POLENTA CAKE
Serves 12
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Cost per recipe: Serves 12 for under R150
INGREDIENTS
For the polenta cake
- 200g baking margarine, softened
- 250ml (1 cup) castor sugar
- 7.5ml (½ tablespoon) vanilla essence
- zest of 2 lemons
- 4 eggs
- 330ml (1⅓ cups) fine polenta
- 7.5ml (½ tablespoon) baking powder
- 2.5ml (½ teaspoon) salt
For the stewed fruit
- 200g packet dried fruit mix
- 125ml (½ cup) castor sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 875ml (3½ cups) brewed Rooibos tea
METHOD
For the cake, preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the vanilla, zest and eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
Combine the polenta, baking powder and salt. Fold through the wet ingredients. Spoon into the prepared tin and level the top.
Bake for about 55 minutes or until a testing skewer comes out clean. Cover with foil if it browns too much.
Meanwhile, for the stewed fruit, heat all the ingredients on medium heat in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the fruit starts to soften and a slightly thickened sugar syrup forms. Discard the teabag.
Slowly drizzle the hot syrup (from the fruit) over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven to soak into the cake. Cool to room temperature.
Turn the cake over onto a serving dish and serve it topped with the stewed fruit.
TIPS:
- If you can’t find fine polenta, blitz polenta in a food processor until a flour consistency. Sift.
- Serve with sour cream, if you like. Make your own by mixing 250 g tub cream with 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice. Set aside for a few minutes to thicken slightly.
CRISPY MERINGUE CAKE
Serves 12
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Cost per recipe: Serves 12 for under R70
INGREDIENTS
For the cake
- 125ml (½ cup) softened baking margarine
- 180ml (¾ cup) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence
- 60ml (¼ cup) plain yoghurt
- 250 ml (1 cup) self-raising flour
- 2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt
For the meringue
- 3 egg whites
- 2.5ml (½ tsp) cream of tartar
- 180ml (¾ cup) castor sugar
- icing sugar, for dusting
METHOD
- For the cake, preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a deep 19cm springform cake tin with baking paper.
- Beat together the margarine and sugar until creamy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla and yoghurt until combined. Fold in the flour and salt until smooth.
- Spread into the prepared tin. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cake is puffed up and slightly golden.
- Meanwhile, for the meringue, beat the egg whites until foamy. Beat in the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Slowly add the castor sugar while beating until glossy with medium peaks.
- Working quickly, carefully spread the meringue evenly over the top of the cake. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the meringue is crisp. Cool. Turn out onto a cake stand and dust with icing sugar.
Essential Flavours