Ilkley Brewery's foray into baking with US-bound cake (From Ilkley Gazette)

Ilkley Brewery's foray into baking with US-bound cake

9:28am Thursday 11th October 2012 in News By Jonathan Redhead

Brewery bosses are hoping a venture with a cake company will prove a hit in the Big Apple.

Last year, Ilkley Brewery joined forces with Leeds-based Exquisite Handmade Cakes to provide a key ingredient for their Exquisitely Rich Fruit Cake, in the shape of the brew Stout Mary.

Now the cake is attracting attention from across the Atlantic, with the six-star deluxe Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, New York, placing an order in time for Christmas.

It is the first overseas order the brewery and food company have received for the cake, described as “bursting with plump vine fruits and finished with dark Belgian chocolate shavings”.

Chris Ives from the brewery and Viv Parry from Exquisite Handmade Cakes met on a small businesses programme late last year, and it has taken just ten months for their product to become a hit.

Interest from New York came after Mrs Parry visited America earlier this year as part of a UK Trade and Investment mission, and resulted in a 120-unit order from The Plaza.

“Viv and I saw a fantastic opportunity to collaborate last year, and it’s hugely exciting to see the partnership pay off in such a grand way,” said Mr Ives, a director at Ilkley Brewery.

“Ilkley beers are gradually gaining international exposure in countries like Sweden and Canada, but to have our brand showcased in one of the world’s most prestigious hotels in this famous city is an incredible coup, one which we’re absolutely thrilled with.”

Anyone wishing to try the Exquisitely Rich Fruit Cake for themselves can order tins direct from Ilkley Brewery and Exquisite Handmade Cakes.

Visit ilkleybrewery.co.uk for further information.