I have hosted many a Macmillan Coffee Morning over the years, so September always makes me think about cakes, coffee, friends, fundraising and, of course, Macmillan. This year I’m not hosting one myself, but I will still try to get involved.
In fact, I have just donated all my Coffee Morning tablecloths and banners from previous years to our local church, as they are hosting one this year. My intention is to bake something for them – if I can fit it in with everything else (there a lot of September birthdays – I have three this week)!
Why Macmillan is important to me
Macmillan is a charity that is particularly close to my heart as, many of you reading may know, my Mum passed away from cancer a few years ago. Over the years prior to this, Mum had attended (and baked for) several of my coffee mornings – having lost her father and brother to cancer. So we have raised quite a bit of money through Coffee Mornings and other fundraising for Macmillan, and although I am not hosting my own event this year, I will still contribute in some way.
There is something lovely about a Coffee Morning. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish. Put the kettle on, bake something – or even buy something if that is easier for you, invite some friends along and enjoy a nice relaxed get together. If this raises money for Macmillan at the same time, even better.
My favourite Coffee Morning bakes
There are several great recipes here on Life Diet Health which are totally suitable for sharing! So, if you are hosting a Coffee Morning yourself, or you have been asked to bring something along, hopefully you will find something which appeals to you.
St Clements Cake
This one has an extra special place in my heart as it was my mum’s favourite. My vegan St Clements Cake is light, citrusy and full of lovely orange and lemon flavour. It’s the sort of cake that works particularly well on a sharing table because you can cut it into slices and let everyone help themselves.
Coffee Cake
Coffee cake is my personal favourite, so naturally it has to make the list! If you watched the first episode of the new series of Great British Bake Off last night, you will know they made a coffee & walnut sponge – this cake is happily just coffee (with a few nuts for decoration). If you are putting together a Coffee Morning menu, a coffee-flavoured cake seems particularly appropriate. This is about the only cake I would happily choose from the cake table myself, especially with a cup of coffee alongside it.
Brownies
Sometimes you need something chocolatey, and these brownies always go down well. They’ ae great for a Coffee Morning because you can cut them into smaller squares, giving people the opportunity to try a few different things from the table rather than committing to one enormous slice of cake. The great thing with brownies is you can easily add to them – make biscoff brownies, oreo brownies, add nuts, add a hidden layer of chocolate in the centre. Switch it up each time.
Cheese Scones
Of course, a coffee moring is not all about cake! A good Coffee Morning needs some savoury options too, and these cheese scones are perfect for that. They are also a useful option if you are catering for people who do not have a particularly sweet tooth – or to cut through the sweetness of all the cake!
Sausage Rolls
Another savoury favourite and easier to make them you might think! These sausage rolls are ideal for a buffet-style Coffee Morning and can be made ahead of time. These are the sort of food that tends to disappear rather quickly from a sharing table, so you might want to make more than you think you will need (or hide some away for later)!
What should you bake for a Coffee Morning?
If you are hosting your own Coffee Morning, I would suggest having a mixture of sweet and savoury things rather than filling the table entirely with cakes.
A couple of different cakes, some smaller bakes such as brownies, and one or two savoury choices gives people plenty to choose from. Biscuits always go down well, and you can add some nice crisps, small fresh fruits or handheld savouries such as falafel, mini samosas or spring rolls. Of course, you do not need to make everything yourself either. Ask friends, family or colleagues to bring something along (check who is bringing what though othewise you might end up with ten packs of oreos)! and you will soon have a table full of a variety of foods.
Coffee Mornings are about people coming together, having a cuppa, eating something nice and raising money for an important cause. Do not get too stressed about everything looking perfect.
Will you be hosting a Coffee Morning?
As I said, I have chosen not to host a coffee morning this year for Macmillan, but I will try to bake something to take along to our local church’s event on Saturday. I am already booked for something on Saturday morning, but I still might maange to pop along towards the end.
If you are hosting a Coffee Morning this year, I hope you have a wonderful time and raise lots of money for Macmillan. If you are attending someone elses’s, or you see one on your travels (our local bank used to host one), donate some money of you can, buy a slice of cake and enjoy the morning. Every little bit helps.
What do I need?
Hopefully you already have everything you need to create some great cakes and bakes for a coffee morning, but in case you’re new to baking and cooking, or just want a refresh, here are a few items you might like.
These links will take you straight to Amazon where you can then search as usual for anything you need. If you follow these links, Amazon might pay us a small commission, which goes towards paying the website hosting fees. We’d be very grateful if you do, thank you! Have a look at these: mixing bowls cake tins, baking trays, cake stands, cake plates, and find our favourite items in our NEW Life Diet Health Amazon shop. Much appreciated!
Serving & Storing
Serve your coffee morning bakes with a range of coffees, teas, or juices. Gather lots of friends or family and serve with smiles! Give out any leftovers as take-away bags, or slice and wrap, then label and freeze (yes, cake freezes really well)!
Sharing
If you are hosting a coffee monrning, or make any of these recipes, I’d love to see your photos! Share your creations and tag me @LifeDietHealth on social media so I can see it too. You can also use #LifeDietHealth on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or X.
Leave me a comment below… I love to chat!
I hope to speak with you soon,
Laurena x
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