BAKER Julia Atkinson normally cooks one special cake at Christmas: a giant extravaganza which is served up at the annual Christmas Day meal for the homeless at the Kings Centre in Osney Mead.

This year, she couldn’t serve her giant cake – so she has baked 600 little portions of cake for the homeless of Oxford instead.

Ms Atkinson, right, who runs Happy Cakes in Summertown, created the individual treats from 15kg of dried fruit.

She baked into three 14inch squares and sliced up the cake to be handed out in goodie bags.

The cake slices – each wrapped in compostable cornstarch wrappings – were picked up from Happy Cakes HQ by Sara Strong, left, who is organising the delivery of Christmas meals to the city’s homeless and vulnerable.

Ms Atkinson said: “I have been doing this for five years now, so it has become a tradition.

“I normally bake a lovely big cake for everyone to share, but obviously with coronavirus, the shared meal is not taking place and people won’t be coming together.

“Instead I thought it would be nice to serve individual fingers of cake, which can then be placed in the goodie bags which go out to help people have a happier Christmas.”

She added: “We have all had a difficult year, and this is just one small way of bringing a little bit of festive cheer!”

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Happy Cakes has remained open for business throughout the pandemic, taking commissions for bespoke celebratory cakes and treats.

It also offers contactless deliveries of cupcakes.

Details at happy-cakes.co.uk