The media is awash with trend predictions for 2010. So we’re not about to break ranks, are we? Here’s Stop the Week’s half dozen...
1. Whoopie goldmine
"The freshest food fad to waft in from American bakeries," declared The Times on Saturday, "is the humble whoopie pie, a cake-and-cream dessert sandwich". Always ones to blow our own trumpet, BB predicted this in our appropriately named ’Trend Predictor’ column back in 10 April 2009... Verdict: ****

2. Politically incorrect pink cakes
Gaining traction in the media has been the Pinkstinks campaign (see: www.pinkstinks.co.uk). It "challenges the culture of pink, which invades every aspect of girls’ lives". Are you guilty of destroying young girls’ self esteem, confidence and "life chances" by decorating pink celebration cakes? Then watch out, the Vikings are coming... Verdict: *

3. iPhone influence
More pervasive than pink is the iPhone, which continues to permeate every corner of our society. Cakes are no exception, and iPhone app-themed cakes are cropping up everywhere (see: http://bit.ly/6phqG9). And if that’s not enough to whet your creativity, the patron saint of doughnut-scoffing has made it on to the iPhone in The Simpsons Arcade game, where you have to steer Homer in his hunt to beat Mr Burns to the perfect doughnut one that happens to hold a deadly secret. Much like the following... Verdict: ***

4. Drunk on doughnuts
Sure to appeal to Homer is the latest breakthrough from Israel the boozy doughnut with the equivalent alcohol content of a bottle of beer. The brainchild of a booze importer that signed up a pastry chef who is also a bartender what a job! they created a doughnut with vodka infused in the jam. They’re designed for "adults and party-goers" we’re presuming not childrens’ parties (though who are we to judge?). The UK has yet to scratch the surface of the binge Britain/bakery crossover potential, so BB is putting its whole weight behind this one. http://bit.ly/70ZOQG Verdict: *****
5. The new cupcake?
Stealing the ’new cupcake’ mantle from the whoopie pie, even before it has become popular in the UK is, once more, the humble doughnut. Reports from the US say boutique bakeries are turning to gourmet flavours, from pomegranate thyme to cherry balsamic to iced mojito. Meat, grape jam, butternut squash and white chocolate, chamomile, guava and cheese and apple cider have all made it into doughnuts Stateside. It’s all about "taking a relatively inexpensive item and turning it into a luxury item" and "playing with consumers’ notions of creativity and curiosity", apparently. http://bit.ly/7eRAQA Verdict: ***

6. Toasting the future
There is a revolution going on out there in toaster innovation, folks. Design boffins are tweaking the classic bread heater to within an inch of its life. We’re still a long way from toaster nirvana, but this ’printer toaster’, made to look like a desktop inkjet, recently received design award plaudits. Following data last year showing that bread consumed at breakfast was in growth for the first time in years, the future, if it can be summed up in one word, and without wishing to draw apocalyptic parallels, is toast. http://bit.ly/5aOqUq Verdict: *****

Rating: ***** Making whoopie **** Whoopie cushion*** Whoopi Goldberg ** Whoops-a-daisy * Whooping cough