Cheshire-based RDS, a company that helps to reward firms for research, development and innovation, has marked its fifth year in business by creating the world’s lightest sponge cake. Floating five inches above the table and dubbed ‘the world’s lightest sponge’, the cake was conjured up by the baker behind the Queen’s Platinum Jublilee cake.
The cake took centre stage at the fifth birthday party of Altrincham-based Research and Development Specialists Ltd. (RDS) where it wowed and baffled guests in equal measure.
It was the creation of award-winning, celebrity cake maker Dawn Butler of Dinkydoodle Cake Designs, whose most recent commission prior to this event was for the Queen herself, to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. Talking of the cake design, Dawn said:
“What better way to celebrate a business that helps others to fund their innovation than by creating something totally unique. Pushing the boundaries of science, we used a special ‘lighter than air’ recipe for this sponge, along with a few tricks of the trade, to create the lightest, fluffiest cake the world has ever seen.
“It’s no illusion, the cake does actually float, although how we achieved that I’m afraid must remain top secret!”
Dawn is a neighbour and friend of RDS founder, Mark Joyner, who also makes a cameo in the cake design, on front of an edible Time magazine. Mark explains more about the cake commission and the event:
“We absolutely loved Dawn’s miraculous celebration cake design, which left us all scratching our heads. It was a true reflection of RDS as a business that helps UK companies to continually push boundaries through research and development. We assist people to navigate the HMRC tax incentive, a government-backed schemed that stimulates the economy by rewarding companies for novel, original products and services – just like this cake!
“You could also say that as a business, RDS has also achieved some real-life miracles. We’ve gone from strength to strength. Having started in a two-man office five years ago, we now reside in a converted spa over 2000 sq. ft. and employ 17 people, with the team growing on a monthly basis. We have over 500 clients and 200 partners.
“Over the past five years, we’ve signed off 1114 claims, the biggest sum that a company received back through the scheme was over £440,000 in September 2020.
“And in that time, we’ve also helped businesses to re-invest over £30,000,000 during some of the toughest financial times we’ve ever seen as a country. I still can’t tell you how Dawn has managed to make a cake float though”, he joked.
Research and Development Specialists Ltd (RDS), is an expert in helping companies to navigate the Government’s HMRC R&D tax incentive scheme.
For more information and to find out if your company is eligible with a fifteen minute conversation visit https://randdspecialists.co.uk/