03/06/2026
Did you know? 🤔🕰️
One of Cumbria's most famous treats, Kendal Mint Cake, was actually invented by accident right here in Kendal.
Back in 1869, local confectioner Joseph Wiper was attempting to make a batch of clear glacier mints when he left a boiled sugar mixture overnight. By morning, it had turned cloudy and hardened into a solid block. Rather than throwing it away, he broke it into pieces and sold it as a new sweet treat.
Simple though it may be, Kendal Mint Cake has played a remarkable role in history. In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay took Kendal Mint Cake with them on their historic expedition to become the first people to successfully summit Mount Everest.
More than 150 years later, this accidental invention remains one of Kendal's most iconic exports. 🍬⛰️