Before 5am every morning this week, Breadalbane Bakery owner Lynda Morris has been in the kitchen making doughnuts.
The reason is National Doughnut Week, an annual event raising money for The Children’s Trust, a charity for children with brain injuries.
For the fifth time, the Aberfeldy bakery is taking part in the fundraising effort, donating 30p from each doughnut sale between May 20 and 28.
Helping Lynda out in the kitchen is daughter Gemma Curston, and the duo have made hundreds of doughnuts every day this week.
“We started last Saturday and sold 226 doughnuts, on Monday we sold 194,” Gemma says.
“On a standard weekday we do about 40.”
By the end of the week, the duo sold a total of 1,533 doughnuts and raised £500 for The Children’s Trust.
Doughnut Week is a must
To make National Doughnut Week extra special, Lynda and Gemma have made daily specials to add to their range of classic, Irn Bru and biscoff doughnuts.
As well as their own list of flavours, the bakers took to social media to ask locals what they fancy in a doughnut.
This has led to lime cheesecake, Jaffa cake, orange Matchmaker, Oreo, mint Aero, lemon meringue and black forest gateau doughnuts. And that’s not even all, the Dunkeld Street bakery has also added vegan doughnuts to their specials range.
Since its first participation in 2018, the locals have become big fans of the celebrations.
Gemma says: “We keep coming back to it because the town loves it. They pretty much tell us we have to do it now.
“Originally it was my brother and sister David and Hannah who started it, but they moved back down south a few months ago.
“Now it’s myself and my mum doing the doughnuts and cakes, and we have two bakers that make the bread at night and finish early in the morning.”
Perthshire doughnuts popular with tourists
It’s not just the town that loves Breadalbane Bakery’s doughnuts, their bakes are also very popular with tourists. That’s why the Irn Bru one is part of the core range.
The loaded doughnut counter is a sight to behold, and many stop by to get pictures. This week, the bakers have put a wee change pot on top of it so anyone can ‘dough-nate’ to the cause.
Last year, the bakery raised over £500 for The Children’s Trust after donating 15p from each doughnut sold.
“It makes us feel really good,” says Gemma.
“It’s been fun, tiring and hard work.”
The family took over Breadalbane Bakery in 2009, with trained baker David taking the lead alongside Hannah. Their bakes soon became so popular the team had to double in size.
Before the Covid pandemic, the bakery operated a tea room which shut in 2020. The space was converted into a pantry, allowing the business to stay open in lockdown.
Stocked with plenty of fresh produce and vegan and gluten-free products, it’s a popular spot for shopping in the town.
Breadalbane Bakery won best sourdough and best yeasted bread at the Scottish Baker awards last year.
Conversation