Popular baker Lizzie Acker, who rose to fame on Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off, is appearing in The Great Malvern Cake Off at Malvern Autumn Show this September 2024.
The amateur baker who reached the quarter-finals is open about navigating life with ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia and is keen to share the ways getting in the kitchen has massively boosted her wellbeing.
Ahead of her appearance at Malvern Autumn Show, she gives SoGlos an insight into five ways baking can boost your wellbeing.
Cooking up confidence
I really struggled with confidence at school as I never really received any academic praise, in fact it was the complete opposite. When I started baking and taking cakes into school, people's attitudes towards me completely changed, they would tell me how good they were and how much they enjoyed them.
It gave me a boost that I’d never had before and I felt like I was good at something. I think that confidence boost is universal because if someone tells you they like something you have made, it makes you happy.
Boosting brain clarity
My brain often has so many thoughts at one time that I become overwhelmed and often don’t know where to start. But I find it helps if I spend some time in the kitchen and it could be as simple as making pancakes.
That simple task, that I’ve done hundreds of times, gives my brain a chance to have a little break.
Bringing the sweet taste of joy
Spreading joy to my friends and family when I drop off cakes and bakes is contagious and it makes me feel good.
It is always a surprise and at random times (because I get distracted so much) but giving them a foodie gift always makes them smile, which in return makes me smile.
Getting into a growth mindset
There is so much to learn — there are so many bakes out there! Baking can really expand your mindset and teach you about other cultures and flavours from places that you might never have been.
Every bake also has its own history behind how it was created and rose to popularity. Did you know the rights to the original chocolate chip cookie recipe were sold for just one dollar?
Putting the creative cream on the cake
As a ‘grown up’ there are less opportunities to be creative and have fun. Baking and trialling weird recipes that pop into my head has given me a chance to keep being as creative as I can.
It’s also leaked into different areas of my life now like the interior of my house that is now a weird version of the wacky warehouse. My kitchen looks like a candy bag of chaos with its striped pink celling, yellow walls and pink cabinets!
