#tsbakeoff2023
#tsbakeoff
#saveleepoint
I like to bake cakes but I am not a decorator. But this competition, the Threatened Species Bakeoff 2023, which highlighted those Australian species at risk was a worthy enough cause that I thought I would give it a go.
Lee Point/Binybara is a part of Darwin which is a vital wildlife corridor. But Defence Housing Australia wishes to clear it for defence housing. About 25% would actually be military housing. The rest would not even be affordable housing. In recent years the endangered gouldian finch has been breeding there which brought this project to the attention of the Minister of the Environment. Unfortunately she said the project could resume with rather token changes. The Darwin community has put up significant protest. Finally the project has been put on hold due to Larrakia people taking it to court under cultural heritage considerations. So in early 2024 there will be another decision.
In the meantime I can highlight the risk to one of the threatened species on this land... the black-footed tree-rat ( Mesembriomys gouldii), a nocturnal rodent that feeds mainly on fruits and seeds and which leaves in the tree hollows in old growth trees. Under EPBC legislation it is considered Endangered
The cake is a chocolate cake, the dirt is crushed malt biscuits. The shelf fungi are potato crisps. The body of the rat is homemade Dutch almond paste/marzipan which was left over from my last batch of speculaaskoek.
The fondant is homemade marshmallow fondant left white for the sign, the white tail tip and the rat underbelly, and then the rest coloured grey with black food gel. The tail and feet are made with licorice and the nose and eyes with a black jelly bean. The only inedible bits are the bamboo sticks and the whiskers.
I have never used fondant before so this was a real challenge and Google was my friend throughout.