whip & whirl

From the precise art of delicately flavoured macarons to bespoke wedding cakes that enthral, Lauren Carr of Watch Me Whip is transforming Joburg tea parties, one sweet treat at a time!

- MARION GARASSINO

It’s beautiful outside on the patio where I’m chatting with rapidly up-and-coming baker, Lauren Carr, about her delightful online bakery, Watch Me Whip. Yes, we thought it was a super-cute name, too! Coffee in hand and a platter of beautifully presented macarons before me, I resist the temptation to try them until I get to know the baker behind the dainty delights.

Lauren was raised in the south of Joburg, and with a grandmother who always had a milk tart and other delicious treats at the ends of her outstretched arms, it’s easy to understand how she grew to love baked goodies. But her decision to become a baker would only come later.

After achieving straight As in high school and going on to study law and psychology at university, Lauren began her working life at a school for children with disabilities. She still works part-time for private families who have children with special needs because she loves helping them overcome some of their challenges.

Lauren casually started baking a few cakes for family and friends, using recipes from her mother’s cookbook and from old school recipes. Her first effort was an elephant-shaped cake for a friend’s baby shower. “It was very flat,” she grins, “and it was covered in fondant icing that I had cut to shape with a steak knife! But I was proud of my effort at the time.”

She continued to experiment and, seeing her passion for baking gaining momentum, her boyfriend Darryn Wright surprised her one day with a whole heap of baking supplies and equipment. And finally, the baking bug bit.