Where It All Began (2017)
My first ever visit to Cake International in Birmingham was back in 2017, and it completely changed my journey as a cake maker.
I spent the entire weekend exploring everything the show had to offer — from live demos and collaborations to the incredible competition entries. The level of talent on display was amazing, and I quickly found myself completely inspired.
Those three days flew by, and by the end of it, I was hooked.
From Visitor to Competitor – The First Spark
It was during that visit that the idea of entering a cake competition first crossed my mind.
But if anyone had asked me at the time, my answer would have been a firm:
“No way, no chance!”
The thought of competing felt far too overwhelming. After seeing the standard of work on display — thousands of entries from talented cake artists across the world, it honestly felt out of reach.
But sometimes, all it takes is one small spark…
My Inspiration
One of the standout moments from that first visit was watching a demo by Paul Bradford.
I was really impressed with his teaching style and the welcoming atmosphere around his stand. Shortly after Cake International, I signed up to his online school, and that’s where things began to change.
The community there was incredibly supportive and encouraging, and before long I decided to push myself and take part in a group collaboration.
The theme was Seasons, and I chose Autumn.
My First Cake International Display Piece
A Last-Minute Decision
Things didn’t quite go to plan…
In August, we had some unexpected family events, and I genuinely didn’t think I would be able to complete my piece. I was ready to step back from the collaboration entirely.
But my family encouraged me to go for it anyway.
So, just one week before the show, I changed my mind and decided to do it.
Looking back now, I still can’t quite believe I went ahead with it — creating something from scratch with such a tight deadline felt completely crazy at the time!
With just a week to go, I created my autumnal suitcase design — inspired by rich seasonal colours, textures, and travel.
It wasn’t the full design I had originally planned, but I was proud to have something complete and ready for display.
I delivered it to the table alongside the other Autumn entries from the collaboration group. Although it wasn’t being judged, I still felt incredibly nervous seeing my work displayed at such a prestigious show.
The Beginning of Something Bigger
That piece was my very first step — my “toe dip” — into Cake International.
At the time, I didn’t realise just how important that moment would be.
What started as a last-minute decision, with only a week to prepare, became the beginning of my journey into cake competitions and pushing myself creatively.
Little did I know where that small step would eventually lead!
Looking Back
Looking back now, this piece means so much more than I ever expected.
It reminds me that:
You don’t have to be perfect to start
Taking a chance can lead to incredible opportunities
And sometimes the most important steps are the ones that feel the scariest
Follow My Cake Journey
This was just the beginning…
In my next post, I’ll be sharing how I went from this first display piece to entering my first judged competition — and what I learned along the way.
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