Cakehead

Cakehead, postal brownies and cake boxes from a Rutland bakery

Cakehead is a bakery based in Oakham, Rutland, that has been making brownies and bakes since 2004. Its business combines two sides: a direct-to-consumer shop selling cake box delivery and postal brownies, and a wholesale operation supplying cakes to coffee shops and restaurants. The company describes its approach as “Beyond Baking”, a commitment to quality cake that covers both the product and the ordering and delivery process.

What the cake boxes contain

The online shop is organised around gift boxes and themed selections, each priced at £25.50 for 18 portions and advertised with free delivery. The range shown at the time of writing includes:

• The Indulgent Box, with caramel chocolate flapjack, double chocolate brownie and caramel shortbread.
• The Vegan & GF Brownie Variety Box, combining raspberry and coconut, ultimate chocolate chunk and pecan and caramel brownies.
• The Vegan & Gluten Free Box, with caramel shortbread, nutty boost bar and ultimate chocolate chunk brownie.
• Single-product boxes such as the Caramel Shortbread Box, the Vegan & GF Caramel Shortbread Box and the Double Chocolate Brownie Box.
• The Brownie Variety Box, with double chocolate, praline and caramel Rolo brownies.

Individual products are also described on the site: the caramel shortbread uses a shortbread base topped with caramel and hand-finished with Belgian milk chocolate, while the vegan and gluten-free version is finished with Belgian dark chocolate. The double chocolate brownies are made with Belgian milk and dark chocolate chunks.

How ordering and delivery work

Orders are placed through the website by selecting a box, adding it to the basket and checking out. Delivery is free and next-day, Tuesday to Saturday, within the UK only. The company states that boxes are delivered to doorsteps across the UK mainland from its Rutland bakery, with London, Manchester and Leeds among the most frequent destinations. A free gift note option is also offered.

Wholesale supply for coffee shops and restaurants

Beyond the consumer boxes, Cakehead runs a wholesale account system for businesses sourcing cakes for coffee shops or restaurants. The company highlights that many of its cakes come pre-sliced, so they can be displayed and served without preparation, and it invites interested businesses to sign up for a wholesale account or order a sample box. Corporate gift boxes are a separate line in the shop.

Ingredients and sourcing

The bakery states that it uses free-range eggs in all of its brownies and bakes, cracked by hand to check freshness. Flour is described as carefully sourced, and coffee is limited to suppliers that invest in the welfare of growers and use sustainable production processes. Chocolate is sourced as sustainably as possible, with the supplier investing in growers in Ivory Coast and Ghana, and British sugar grown in the UK is used wherever possible. A full allergens summary is available to download.

Recognition and customer feedback

The site refers to its products as award-winning and notes coverage in The Sunday Times, The Guardian and BBC Good Food. It also reproduces customer comments praising the taste of the brownies, the caramel in particular, and the packaging, which several reviewers describe as luxurious.