It sounds like a job that's just too good to be true - testing cakes for a baking company. JO HAYWOOD goes along to meet the lucky panel members

Wanted: hungry people prepared to eat cake. Lots of it...

...It is not a job opportunity you see every day down the Job Centre, but then this is not an everyday job.

After searching the length and breadth of Britain, advertising in local papers and on radio stations, Sara Lee, based at Monks Cross in York, whittled down thousands upon thousands of applications to ten lucky people to make up their first cake-tasting panel.

The panel met for the first time this week, although their number had dwindled to nine after the only male panellist mysteriously failed to make it from his Edinburgh home.

They were given a pep talk by Sara Lee's product development manager Julie Wharton, who set out in detail the gruelling day ahead of them - namely to eat lots and lots of lovely cake - before they gamely set about their toothsome task.

"We have tasting meetings every day, so I suppose you could say I am something of a professional cake eater," she explained.

"I see our new products, which can number anything from 20 to 30 a year, through from beginning to end. Part of my job is to taste them regularly throughout the process and suggest changes in flavouring, consistency and texture."

Julie, who is based in Bridlington, admits she is not a massive fan of cakes and doesn't buy desserts for home. But she thinks her lack of a sweet tooth is an advantage in her job.

"I like cheesecake and fruity, light desserts, but heavy chocolatey cakes are not really for me," she said. "It's probably a good thing, though - if I was a chocoholic I would probably be the size of a house by now."

The ravenous panel was presented with a range of top secret new desserts, including revamps of old favourites such as Strawberry Cheesecake and Bramley Apple Pie as well as new Christmas lines such as Cranberry and Orange Meringue Pie, and each member was asked for their honest opinion.

"We obviously think the new recipes are fantastic, but it is our customers who decide if a dessert is a winner," said marketing manager Antonia Cremin. "The cake tasting panel is an opportunity for them to join us and share their opinions."

Which, it seems, they were more than happy to do.

"I am absolutely delighted to be here," said Yvonne Lee, who was flown in from her home in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, for the tasting. "I saw an ad in the local daily paper and thought I might as well give it a go.

"With my surname and my sweet tooth, I thought I stood as good a chance as any."

Apart from grabbing an opportunity to indulge her sweet tooth, what else did she think she could contribute to the proceedings?

"An honest opinion," she said. "I'm interested in how I can help the company improve their products. And if that involves eating lots of cake, so be it."

She also relished the idea of spending a bit of time in York, which she last visited briefly 20 years ago.

"We're being given a tour of the city and we are going to the Jorvik Museum," she said.

"I have been ill lately and have had to put up with weekly hospital appointments, so three days away in a lovely city is a real treat."

None of the nine panellists is a stereotypical cakeoholic. All are slim and ridiculously healthy looking women.

In fact Sandra Snape, of Blackburn, and her friend of 24 years, Janet Jaderko, of Bolton, are both keen runners.

"I would much rather exercise than diet," said Sandra, who has completed numerous marathons including the New York race and this year's London event, which she completed in three hours 28 minutes. "Cakes are a good source of energy - and we can't get enough of them."

Janet, who is doing a music degree and hopes to become an opera singer, confessed that they could both eat for England.

"The other night I went out for an Italian meal, went clubbing afterwards, then ended up going for a curry," she said. "We both just love our food.

"I think it's safe to say that we have built up a great deal of cake eating experience since we first became friends at school.

"We might not be experts, but we are at least enthusiastic amateurs."

Their favourite of the day was a Chocolate and Toffee Crunch cake, which had Dime bars in it and also won hearty praise from Yvonne.

"I'm a bit of a chocoholic, so this was always going to be a winner for me," said Sandra, before heading back towards the quickly diminishing mountain of cakes.

If the crumb-strewn plates and satisfied smiles of the panellists round the table were anything to go by, Sara Lee's first tasting session was a winner too.

Sandra, Janet, Yvonne and their fellow panel members are now in serious training for their next twice-yearly meeting.

It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.

Updated: 08:34 Tuesday, October 22, 2002