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Home » When I met Martha Swift of Primrose Bakery

When I met Martha Swift of Primrose Bakery

March 14, 2014 by Sarah / Maison Cupcake

For the latest Sugarcraft Showcase I met with Martha Swift of Primrose Bakery and have a giveaway of Primrose Bakery Celebrations, their new book.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

Back in the icing sugar clouded mists of baking blog time, I pushed young Ted in his Bugaboo up Primrose Hill where he promptly fell asleep.

Screen Shot 2014-03-13 at 16.09.40.jpg bad-cupcake-photography.jpg

You didn’t see many Bugaboos in Walthamstow then but amongst all the other yummy mummy buggies stationed under the trees my husband and I joked that Ted fitted in perfectly well – even if his less well heeled parents didn’t.

Having huffed up the hill our energy levels were low and I knew just the place to give us a much needed lift.

We were on a mission to visit Primrose Bakery of Primrose Hill, one of the first famous cupcake bakeries to establish the contentious confection as a popular UK treat.

Having only started this blog a few weeks earlier, this trip to Primrose Bakery was one my earliest blogging “expeditions”.

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And it’s a good job we went – fast forward five years and some five hundred plus blog posts later, I’m off to meet Martha Swift, partner in the very same Primrose Bakery to talk about the enduring popularity of cupcakes and their latest book Primrose Bakery Celebrations.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

On the day of my visit, the frontage was masked by road works and orange cones so here’s the picture above I took back in 2009 and I’m happy to say they’ve kept the same sunny yellow paint that makes the shop shine out from down the street.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

Inside it’s exactly as I remember – white shelving with cupcake themed gifts, glass display cabinet to ogle the cakes and chrome edge diner style tables to sit at.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

Founders Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas met 16 years ago at their daily nursery drop off when their children were young. Lisa hails from New Zealand which has a strong baking tradition and Martha learned to bake at home with her mother.

Following a visit to New York’s Magnolia Bakery back in 2000 and at the height of Sex and the City mania they were prompted to set up a similar concept in London.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

For the first two years they baked cakes in their own kitchens before opening the first Primrose Bakery in Primrose Hill in 2006.

A second branch in Covent Garden followed two years later and since then they’ve baked cakes for celebrities including David Walliams and Lily Allen and published three books.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

Martha and Lisa now employ around 25 full and part time staff across the two bakeries to freshly bake the cakes in store on a daily basis. The Covent Garden branch has more recently begun to host cupcake decorating classes on Sundays. Participants can spend up to 2 hours decorating and piping cupcakes in small classes of up to a dozen at a time.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

Motifs of the brand include the bird tweeting upon a cupcake and sausage dogs – although Martha admits her own sausage dog Charlie, who is the same age as their first shop – is less well behaved than the ones pictured in the books!

The human models in the books are also a family affair – the duo’s teenage children and their friends are depicted having parties in the new Celebrations book. Many of the pictures were shot in the two Primrose Bakery branches.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

The signature style of the Primrose Bakery cupcake are individually sculpted with a palette knife rather than piped. New flavours appear all the time but the red velvet (coloured with beetroot) and carrot cake flavours are especially popular.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

Despite the business writing the books and running classes, Martha and Lisa remain very hands on in both shops. It’s a close knit team with staff members taking turns in “job swaps” in each other’s roles from time to time to appreciate all aspects of the business.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill<Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

In recruiting new staff, Martha looks for passion and enthusiasm as much as cake decorating know how and places much importance on retail or customer service experience.

One gets the sense that the first hand experience enjoying their cakes is more important to Primrose Bakery than spin off merchandise such as calendars and greetings cards. Primrose Bakery remains true to its original roots as a local business where you can walk in and order a party cake that will be freshly made in store.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

The main change Martha says she has noticed over the years is a greater demand for dairy free or gluten free cakes. And of course, the Great British Bake Off – of which she is a huge fan – has driven a nationwide passion for baking driving up customers’ expectations.

Nevertheless, whichever trends come and go, there’s always a call for traditional favourites.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

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The new book Primrose Bakery Celebrations features selections of themed party recipes including:
Moroccan themed baby shower
Japanese style afternoon tea
Pretty pink young girls’ birthday party
Cartoon themed boys’ birthday party
Teenagers’ Mexican day of the dead party

Stand out recipes include:
Puffed rice gum ball cake (shaped like a bubblegum machine)
Lemon and rose layer cake
Rose and violet mini chocolate bombs (the Moroccan chapter is totally my favourite!)
Mini cherry blossom cupcakes
Green tea marble loaf cake with white chocolate icing
Sake macaroons (each from the Japanese chapter)
Gin and tonic cupcakes (yes please)

There’s also a chapter dedicated to Primrose Bakery’s signature cupcakes (with some sneaky cocktails) and each of the party chapters include savoury options and drinks to complement the theme. There’s even a dog biscuit recipe at the end so four legged friends need not be left out of the celebrations.

It’s a big solid book with 200 pages and its square shape sets it apart from most others on the shelves. I especially enjoyed how the party themes were very authentic but relied up on flavours and style rather than fancy graphics and labels seen in the dessert table format elsewhere. Neither do the cakes require any especially difficult sugarcraft gymnastics, if you stuck to the colours and flavours use, the party cake selections would be extremely achievable in a home kitchen.

I have two copies of Primrose Bakery Celebrations to give away; if you’d like a try winning a copy follow the instructions below.

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

Giveaway: Primrose Bakery Celebrations

How to Enter

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  • Closing date: 21st March 2014.
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Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Primrose Bakery Primrose Hill

With thanks to Martha at Primrose Bakery and Square Peg for competition copies of the book.

Filed Under: Journal, Restaurants, Shopping Tagged With: bakeries

About Sarah / Maison Cupcake

Sarah has published recipes on Maison Cupcake since 2009 and lives in London.
Read More/Contact

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Comments

  1. Tracey Peach says

    March 14, 2014 at 9:54 pm

    My Favourite Celebration Cake Is A Chocolate Fudge Cake,

  2. Kat Lucas says

    March 14, 2014 at 9:57 pm

    German chocolate cake

  3. Victoria says

    March 14, 2014 at 10:04 pm

    Chocolate fudge cake.

  4. Sarah Wyatt says

    March 14, 2014 at 10:12 pm

    Victoria Sponge – my mum always used to make them for our birthdays!

  5. lindarumsey says

    March 14, 2014 at 10:15 pm

    Lemon drizzle

  6. Holly S says

    March 14, 2014 at 10:55 pm

    Cheesecake. But it can be a bit of a pain because you can’t stick candles in it 😉

  7. Victoria says

    March 14, 2014 at 11:46 pm

    My favourite celebration cake is a 5 layer chocolate fudge cake 😀

  8. LondonKiwiEmma says

    March 15, 2014 at 12:09 am

    Has to be a simple Victoria Sponge, delish!

  9. julie laing says

    March 15, 2014 at 12:29 am

    carrot cake

  10. Trish D says

    March 15, 2014 at 12:55 am

    Chocolate fudge cake… or Victoria sponge… or gingerbread and lime… or lemon drizzle… or, let’s face it, any cake really *dribble*

  11. Mrs T says

    March 15, 2014 at 12:58 am

    Carrot cake with lime mascarpone icing.

  12. Emma Baker says

    March 15, 2014 at 2:14 am

    Angel cake

  13. Mireille (@ArisaMireille) says

    March 15, 2014 at 2:31 am

    Cheese cake, because it would be indeed a celebration to dare eat all those tasty calories!

  14. Rachel Craig says

    March 15, 2014 at 4:04 am

    I loved Wedding and Christmas cakes. Finding them too rich / heavy for my digestion now. Would love to try the Lemon and Rose layer cake mentioned above. Reminds me of Turkish Delight which I love.

  15. Tracy K Nixon says

    March 15, 2014 at 5:29 am

    coffee with lashings of coffee buttercream!

  16. Nikki weller says

    March 15, 2014 at 5:55 am

    For me a celebration means chocolate fudge cake

  17. Corina says

    March 15, 2014 at 7:17 am

    A chocolate cake with lots of chocolate ganache.

  18. clair downham says

    March 15, 2014 at 7:44 am

    chocolate cake of course with cream

  19. Ashleigh says

    March 15, 2014 at 7:53 am

    chocolate cake – yum!

  20. Rachel Wells says

    March 15, 2014 at 8:04 am

    Choc fudge cake!

  21. Vicky O'Leary says

    March 15, 2014 at 8:07 am

    Celebration can only mean one thing, chocolate!

  22. Emma Nixon says

    March 15, 2014 at 8:11 am

    Coffee and walnut cake

  23. Suzanne says

    March 15, 2014 at 8:43 am

    Chocolate cake.

  24. sarah hurrell says

    March 15, 2014 at 10:02 am

    Has to be lemom drizzle which was made by myself and my sons.

  25. clair dutton says

    March 15, 2014 at 10:28 am

    jam sponge

  26. Gina M says

    March 15, 2014 at 10:35 am

    I love a Red Velvet cake

  27. laura banks says

    March 15, 2014 at 11:16 am

    carrot cake

  28. hollymarierose says

    March 15, 2014 at 11:37 am

    chocolate fudge cupcakes

  29. Jo welsh says

    March 15, 2014 at 12:27 pm

    Christmas cake

  30. Katie says

    March 15, 2014 at 12:40 pm

    Has to be red velvet!

  31. juliette says

    March 15, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    banana cake

  32. laura pinnell says

    March 15, 2014 at 1:03 pm

    I love a victoria sponge cake perfect for any moment x

  33. Nefir A says

    March 15, 2014 at 2:13 pm

    Carrot cake!

  34. John Lynch says

    March 15, 2014 at 2:39 pm

    I have a soft spot for carrot cake

  35. Karen M says

    March 15, 2014 at 3:42 pm

    Chocolate cake

  36. lindsey stuart says

    March 15, 2014 at 3:54 pm

    The carrot cake looks absolutely delicious and the perfect size for a wee treat!
    I would love to try one or two 😉

  37. hayley f says

    March 15, 2014 at 4:51 pm

    chocolate cake x

  38. Sylvia says

    March 15, 2014 at 5:16 pm

    Primorose baker was always on my list of places to visit, shame I didn’t actually go there ;(

  39. Tammy Tudor says

    March 15, 2014 at 7:30 pm

    coffee cake 🙂

  40. Danielle Vedmore says

    March 15, 2014 at 7:39 pm

    Rainbow cake – looks fab, with hombre buttercream roses 🙂

  41. Caroline H says

    March 15, 2014 at 11:37 pm

    I love a good Simnel cake (so it’s coming up for my favourite time of year!)

  42. Karen Burns Booth says

    March 16, 2014 at 9:43 am

    Lemon Drizzle cake and btw, lovely images!

  43. Angie Hoggett (@angiehoggett) says

    March 16, 2014 at 12:11 pm

    chocolste fudge cake

  44. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says

    March 16, 2014 at 12:39 pm

    Has to be a chocolate fudge cake!

  45. kellyjo walters says

    March 16, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    double chocolate fudge cake

  46. Allan Smith says

    March 16, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    chocolate cake!

  47. Choclette says

    March 16, 2014 at 3:57 pm

    Nice review Sarah. I’m a fan of the way they decorate their cupcakes – not piped. I’ve tried to emulate it on many an occasion, but sadly have not their finesse!

    Oh! Chocolate Cake is my fav of course 😉

  48. Lynsey Buchanan says

    March 16, 2014 at 4:30 pm

    I love a big chocolate sponge cake

  49. Janice @FarmersgirlCook says

    March 16, 2014 at 5:24 pm

    ooh cake heaven!

  50. Carol Massey says

    March 16, 2014 at 6:54 pm

    carrot cake is my fave

  51. Tracy Newton says

    March 16, 2014 at 8:33 pm

    Wedding cake

  52. pete says

    March 16, 2014 at 8:38 pm

    a banana cake

  53. Toneria M says

    March 16, 2014 at 8:49 pm

    I love a mocha mousse cake or any wedding cake. I feel people put their all in a wedding cake.

  54. Jac -Tinned Tomatoes (@tinnedtoms) says

    March 16, 2014 at 9:25 pm

    Oh I want to visit. I love a victoria sponge with cream and homemade jam. I’m adding your giveaway to The Food Blog Diary

  55. Morgan @ Peaches, Please! says

    March 17, 2014 at 5:07 am

    Man, the swirl on those cupcakes is just perfection!

  56. HedgeComber says

    March 17, 2014 at 6:38 am

    I am rather partial to icing so I guess I’d plump for wedding cake, just minus the marzipan 🙂
    Janie x

  57. London-Unattached.com says

    March 17, 2014 at 7:20 am

    I love primrose hill – haven’t been for years! My fav cake is coffee walnut (which I think was the queen mother’s too)

  58. Daniel Stacey says

    March 17, 2014 at 8:03 am

    Chocolate cake

  59. Danielle Stevenson says

    March 17, 2014 at 2:26 pm

    I love making a big red velvet cake for special occasions 🙂 it always goes down well!

  60. kim mayhead says

    March 17, 2014 at 2:42 pm

    Victoria Sponge

  61. glamorous glutton says

    March 17, 2014 at 4:43 pm

    I love this bakery, I always feel particularly naughty eating those little cake smothered in delicious buttercream. But does it stop me?! GG

  62. charleneflash says

    March 17, 2014 at 7:11 pm

    I love chocolate cake

  63. Nicola McC says

    March 17, 2014 at 8:12 pm

    Any cake is a favourite! Chocolate cake with buttercream if you forced me to choose!

  64. kelandab22 says

    March 18, 2014 at 10:02 am

    Chocolate fudge cake

    Kel Ellen Hirst

  65. Janice Papworth says

    March 18, 2014 at 1:18 pm

    My favourite celebration cake is chocolate as everyone likes this flavour in my experience

  66. Emma Davies says

    March 18, 2014 at 4:09 pm

    Anything chocolatey 😉 x

  67. Emma Walton says

    March 18, 2014 at 5:09 pm

    Chocolate Fudge Cake

  68. jenny morgan says

    March 18, 2014 at 6:29 pm

    fudge cake

  69. Laura says

    March 18, 2014 at 8:57 pm

    Gooey chocolate cake with chocolate fudge icing and decorated with chocolate sweets =)

  70. Caroline says

    March 18, 2014 at 10:40 pm

    Chocolate cake

  71. Paul Witney says

    March 19, 2014 at 1:51 pm

    Coffee and walnut

  72. Jackie ONeill says

    March 19, 2014 at 4:18 pm

    Chocolate Cake

  73. emma falvi says

    March 19, 2014 at 4:23 pm

    it would have to be lemon drizzle cake

  74. Samantha Atherton says

    March 19, 2014 at 5:57 pm

    Chocolate fudge cake

  75. Sheri Darby says

    March 19, 2014 at 10:36 pm

    Chocolate Mousse Cake

  76. Jayne K says

    March 20, 2014 at 8:05 am

    Black Forest cherry gateau

  77. Emily Knight says

    March 20, 2014 at 10:27 am

    I love a chocolate fudge cake – the naughtier the better!

  78. alison clark says

    March 20, 2014 at 11:46 am

    A rich chocolate cake with really thick double cream and a blackcurrent jelly – could actually eat a slice now !

  79. omgitslani says

    March 20, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    Carrot cake

  80. MissMelvis says

    March 20, 2014 at 2:31 pm

    A vanilla sponge birthday cake with Royal Icing around it x

  81. Ali Thorpe says

    March 20, 2014 at 6:03 pm

    A hazelnut and chocolate cake. Very indulgent!

  82. Caroline Anne Bellamy says

    March 20, 2014 at 8:22 pm

    chocolate fudge cake 🙂

  83. Diana says

    March 20, 2014 at 8:23 pm

    Chocolate Fudge Cake 🙂

  84. Alison says

    March 20, 2014 at 8:25 pm

    Fruit cake

  85. Kevin Minihane says

    March 20, 2014 at 8:30 pm

    Chocolate Cake

  86. linda curtis says

    March 20, 2014 at 8:32 pm

    coffee and walnut is lush , i live in primrose hill and visit this bakery i have to say its the best around and il love this book

  87. Maria Jane Knight says

    March 20, 2014 at 8:37 pm

    Its got to be a chocolate fudge cake! Delcious!

  88. Victoria Morrison says

    March 20, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    Carrot cake <3

  89. Nayna Kanabar says

    March 20, 2014 at 9:00 pm

    Chocolate cake.

  90. Karen says

    March 20, 2014 at 9:10 pm

    I love chocolate fudge cake 🙂

  91. Joanna Sawka says

    March 20, 2014 at 9:17 pm

    Birthday cake

  92. Natalie Henderson says

    March 20, 2014 at 9:19 pm

    Chocolate Orange Marble cake with chocolate frosting!! 🙂

  93. Georgia Norton says

    March 20, 2014 at 9:29 pm

    Chocolate fudge cake! 🙂

  94. Charmaine says

    March 20, 2014 at 9:50 pm

    Chocolate cake with ganache icing

  95. Francesca Tuck says

    March 20, 2014 at 10:03 pm

    Lemon drizzle cake.

  96. Lynda Sanderson says

    March 20, 2014 at 10:18 pm

    it would be a lemon one

  97. sj wesley says

    March 21, 2014 at 12:17 am

    Coffee & Walnut cake x

  98. Harry Sutton says

    March 21, 2014 at 7:38 am

    Lemon drizzle

  99. Eleanor Wigmore says

    March 21, 2014 at 10:07 am

    I love a chocolate Birthday cake!

  100. Claire says

    March 21, 2014 at 10:15 am

    Mmmm, a beautiful carrot cake with cream cheese icing

  101. Beth Bowdler says

    March 21, 2014 at 10:32 am

    Black Forest Gateau

  102. Anna says

    March 21, 2014 at 11:18 am

    Red velvet cake

  103. maureen moss says

    March 21, 2014 at 11:19 am

    A fancy chocolate cake

  104. Lucy says

    March 21, 2014 at 12:02 pm

    japanese cheese cake! or any cheese cake! or any cake for that matter!

  105. Jessica Marshall says

    March 21, 2014 at 12:19 pm

    tough one 🙂 anything chocolate or for my girls, anything pink and completely over the top birthday cakes lol

  106. Kirsteen Mackay says

    March 21, 2014 at 12:43 pm

    Chocolate Cake

  107. loves to reviewn walsh says

    March 21, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    Lemon drizzle cake

  108. Robyn Logan Clarke says

    March 21, 2014 at 1:07 pm

    I love a fruit cake with lots of marzipan

  109. chirag p says

    March 21, 2014 at 1:29 pm

    chocolate cake

  110. Anthony Webster says

    March 21, 2014 at 1:34 pm

    just a nice jam sponge cake

  111. Anne Woodthorpe says

    March 21, 2014 at 1:53 pm

    I love easter celebration cakes 🙂

  112. Laura Morrissey says

    March 21, 2014 at 2:36 pm

    Lemon D-Rizzle is the best 🙂

  113. Kristina Boroff says

    March 21, 2014 at 3:44 pm

    My favorite cake is a good carrot cake.

  114. Laura W says

    March 21, 2014 at 4:26 pm

    Coconut cake <3

  115. soozybee says

    March 21, 2014 at 4:33 pm

    Austrian Coffee Cake

  116. Ren Behan says

    March 21, 2014 at 6:34 pm

    The books looks amazing, I’d have to say chocolate cake

  117. Sheila Reeves says

    March 21, 2014 at 7:10 pm

    Sachertorte

  118. Susan Carruthers says

    March 21, 2014 at 7:38 pm

    A chocolate cake

  119. aaron milne says

    March 21, 2014 at 8:17 pm

    Christmas fruit cake

  120. lynn savage says

    March 21, 2014 at 8:33 pm

    I love a proper traditional fruit cake covered in marzipan and icing, not just for christmas but any celebration

  121. mrsvjsfreestuff says

    March 21, 2014 at 8:49 pm

    Carrot cake

  122. helen spillett says

    March 21, 2014 at 9:04 pm

    My auntie Dorothy always used to make a triple layer sponge for your birthday…

  123. Natalie Crossan says

    March 21, 2014 at 9:16 pm

    carrot cake 😀

  124. jenny miller says

    March 21, 2014 at 11:19 pm

    Coffee and Walnut cake

  125. Tina @ The Spicy Pear says

    March 24, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    Its a shame I missed the deadline for this competition but what a brilliant post. The bakery looks very quaint and their cakes look fabulous. I like the idea of the Japanese themed afternoon tea party. Good to hear that the books gives recipes that are achievable, so hopefully a novice like me can decorate them well. My birthday is next month so will be adding this book to my wish list. I really need to master making icing as mine melts too easily and ends up looking like scrambled eggs no matter how well I follow a recipe, perhaps the decorating class will be useful for me.

  126. Nazima says

    March 26, 2014 at 10:40 pm

    lovely pictures and lovely post. Primrose Hill is a lovely little area. I do like the palette knife spreading over piped buttercream too. very pretty

About Sarah / Maison Cupcake

Sarah has published recipes on Maison Cupcake since 2009 and lives in London.
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