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Blokes Bake Club Northcote baking in Northcote Senior Citizens Club

Don’t let the bushy beard and flannel shirt fool you. A small team of men in Northcote are challenging toxic masculinity and breaking down age-old stereotypes, one cupcake at a time, with a baking club just for blokes.

Bake Club founder Russell Sawtell (left) and protege Nick Pitts. Picture: Ellen Smith
Bake Club founder Russell Sawtell (left) and protege Nick Pitts. Picture: Ellen Smith

Northcote men are getting their hands dirty and breaking down stereotypes, one cupcake at a time.

Blokes’ Bake Club meets twice a month, whipping up everything from scones and English muffins to pasties and pies.

Founder Russell Sawtell said he started out teaching a few tips and tricks to mates in his kitchen but the group quickly outgrew the space.

They now bake out of the Northcote Senior Citizens Club.

Mr Sawtell said the hands-on activity was perfect for people who wanted to have their cake and eat it too.

“These days people are very much consumers — everything’s on a screen in front of you but baking is (about) rolling the sleeves up and getting dirty,” he said.

Members pay $35 to sign up for a session and go home with a collection of products and a recipe book.

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Mr Sawtell said the money covered ingredients, venue hire, insurance and website hosting.

“I’m not profiting out of Bloke’s Bake Club and can’t see that happening for the foreseeable future,” he said.

While the sweet treats and savoury delights are the main attraction, a few beers, banter and good conversation keep guys coming back too.

“One of the reasons it’s a blokes bake club is that it’s challenging some of those stereotypes around what blokes can do and what they actually do,” Mr Sawtell said.

“People need to have their space where they can be themselves and there’s no pretences.”

richard.pearce@news.com.au

@richardapearce

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/blokes-bake-club-northcote-baking-in-northcote-senior-citizens-club/news-story/28b49477723a8162dd5a01215eedf557