How sweet it was…
There was a Salvador Dali-inspired winner, an injured but determined judge and, under the guidance of hostess Mitzi Macintosh, bawdiness aplenty.
But the biggest beneficiary of last Sunday’s Bobby Goldsmith Foundation Bake-Off was the HIV/ AIDS charity itself, as bidders donated nearly $38,000, a record for the annual fundraiser.
About 1,600 people packed the Midnight Shift to bid on confections including the Best Decorated Cake, a spectacular effort from Glen Lewis (Miss 3-D) that combined Salvador Dali-esque images with figures from The Simpsons.
It sold for $3,000, just short of the day’s top bid of $3,100 for a life-sized, chocolate male torso donated by Sweet Rendez-vous patisserie and Sydney Star Observer.
Even judge Claire de Lune’s broken nose -“ sustained two nights earlier following an unfortunate backflip on stage at Arq -“ didn’t take the shine off proceedings, as the showgirl completed panellist duties alongside My Restaurant Rules stars Dicko and Patrick Collins.
Others who lent their talent on the day included singer Shauna Jensen, a pre-auction performer and winner of the Best Preserves category, and a bonanza of Sydney drag talent.