What is your signature cake?
I have a signature chocolate cake, which is a deliciously moist and gooey cake made with buttermilk, and milk and dark chocolate melted in coffee to bring out the flavour of the chocolate. Because of the moisture content it has a really good shelf life as well allowing it to be enjoyed to 5 days or more (if you can resist eating all that is). I have several variations of this cake incorporating lots of fabulous flavours, from Baileys Irish Cream to chocolate orange, mint chocolate, chocolate caramel and my very popular 'Nuts About Chocolate' which includes peanut butter buttercream, homemade salted caramel and chunks of snickers!
What is the most original creation you have baked for a wedding?
Last year one of my brides said her favourite flavour was peach melba, so I made their middle tier (3 tier semi naked cake), a vanilla sponge and boiled up some peaches to make a peach sugar syrup which I soaked into the layers of sponge, then I layered it with a custard buttercream and pieces of poached peaches, some peach conserve, vanilla buttercream and raspberry jam. Luckily it was the right season to get some lovely quality fresh local peaches and she loved it and said their guests loved it too, which made it all worth while!
Describe how you got into making wedding cakes.
Peer pressure! LOL I started making cakes as a part-time passion and over the years so many people kept asking me to make cakes and telling me I should be doing it full-time that I eventually realised it was what I loved doing and I should make it my career. I LOVE making wedding cakes and like to make every cake I make as unique as the brides and grooms!
What would be your show stopper in the Great British Bake Off?
I love making tree and fairytale style cakes, so definitely something with a wood effect. Although, I confess that I spend so many hours creating my cakes, I'd have never done well on Bake Off with such a limited amount of time - I'm too much of a perfectionist!!