Dorset’s Creative Cheesecake Maker Celebrates a First Anniversary
Layers of colourful fruits and chunks of chocolate cake toppings draw you into the delicious looking images. It all looks like a scene from a sumptuous feast or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but this is Dorset and a new business is making waves with its bespoke cheesecakes. The creations are a world apart from the standard flat based cheesecake most of us associate with the dessert- but who is the person behind all this creative genius?
The Dorset Cheesecake Company is celebrating its first birthday, having commenced business in the first lockdown. Owner, Kate Pemble talked to me from her workshop in Corfe Mullen about how it all started.
“I was furloughed in the first lockdown and then had issues with anxiety. My husband and I came up with something to keep me busy and to take my mind off things.”
Kate had always made cheesecakes for friends and family, but stepping out into a wider customer base was her vision – and the Dorset Cheesecake Company was born.
“We just decided to convert a spare bedroom into a dedicated kitchen and sell a few cheesecakes.” Little did Kate know the demand for something different would see the business grow significantly. She had already noticed an opportunity in the market for her no bake cakes.
“There are so many cupcakes out there- I just saw a gap and went for it. People are looking for something different.”
If you thought cheesecakes just come in strawberry or vanilla flavours (or even a packet from the supermarket), you are in for a treat. At the Dorset Cheesecake Company there are literally thousands of combinations that will blow your mind. To start, there’s the biscuit base. Will it be Biscoff, shortbread, or Oreo? Then there’s the main filling and the flavours you can have from mint chocolate to lemon curd and strawberry (that’s just a few to get you started). Many of the cakes are decorated with a chocolate or other flavoured drip. And as for toppings, it seems that anything goes from fresh fruit to Percy Pigs, and a range of chocolates and sprinkles. I even spotted a chocolate hippo on one masterpiece.
So what was the most unusual cake that Kate created? “It started out with an Oreo cookie base, a chocolate orange cream cheese filling, a Biscoff drip, and a Reese’s peanut butter choc orange topping. It sounded weird but the customer was delighted.”
One of the most popular designs is a strawberry and white chocolate cheesecake. Each cake made by Kate is slightly different and the customer gets to choose the design they want for their special occasion or treat. Your imagination could literally run wild with the amount of combinations available. Her first Christmas was a busy one with 10-15 cakes a day being produced.
The beautifully designed cheesecakes are on Kate’s social media channels where a lot of customers find her. That, and word of mouth of course.- they are a talking point at any party. She also makes mini cheesecakes which are popular with a girls (or lads) night in or special treat.
Kate’s plans for the future include expanding her no bake range of products, opening a shop, and providing a delivery service. At the moment the cakes are collection only.
Just looking at the designs is enough to get anyone in the mood for a celebration. They radiate joy with their colourful and tempting array of toppings and decorative touches. The Dorset Cheesecake Company is another innovative local food producer raising the game with desserts and leading us all into temptation with their creations.
To order a cake, visit The Dorset Cheesecake Company on Facebook or Instagram or phone 07590 544577
By: Rachael Rowe
