Pumpkin Damper

People in the Macleay district of New South Wales know quality when they see it, so the bidding is usually strong for Patricia Baker’s cakes at the annual Kempsey Show auction. Just one half of her prize-winning rich fruit cake has been known to fetch as much as $75 in a sale that attracts some keen competition, driven by the talents of professional livestock auctioneers, who turn their attention from cattle to cakes to keep the bids flowing in and the crowd entertained.

The auction