IT’S a tricky business to bake a sponge just right, a skill which medical imaging assistant, Dave McCabe from Branxholme has refined over the years.

 Mr McCabe recently won several places in the sponge baking sections at the Royal Melbourne Show (RMS) including first place for his chocolate sponge, a delicious creation containing several ingredients including duck eggs (from his own ducks), cornflower and most importantly – technique.

“It doesn’t matter what recipe you use – if you use the right technique it’ll be good.”

He was also awarded second place for both his ginger fluff and plain sponge in the novice section and a highly commended for his brown sugar sponge.

Mr McCabe said when entering sponge cakes, entrants hand in the sponge cake sandwich without any cream or toppings so it doesn’t spoil and, “so they’re just judging the cake.”

“I always liked sponges when I went to functions as a kid,” Mr McCabe said.

“I always wanted to be able to make them well myself.”

Making sponges has been a hobby of Mr McCabe’s for many years, “but I couldn’t get the sponges (quite right),” he said.

“It’s taken ages and a lot of advice from a lot of different people here and there, then (about five years ago) one lady really put me on the right track, and it just started working.”

Mr McCabe said he originally hadn’t planned on entering any shows but was urged to by his wife’s friend and also, “a beautiful, old lady who kept pestering me about it and so I entered a couple of shows.

“I said once I won a blue one, (first place ribbon) I wouldn’t enter (any sponges) anymore.”

Since then, Mr McCabe was informed that he was one sponge cake award off winning an overall prize at the RMS.

“So apparently I’ve got to go back and do that next year,” he said.

In his spare time, Mr McCabe also enjoys smoking meats, making cheese (a day long process) such as camembert and homemade cream cheese which he then adds to his homemade cheesecakes.

He also enjoys sharing his home cooking with his lucky co-workers.

As they would all agree, the proof of the pudding is in the eating!