A BOURNEMOUTH baker who created a full-size pirate bust out of chocolate and cake has won a global award.
Donna White, 49, of Ensbury Park won the collaborations category at the world’s biggest cake competition.
Cake International, the Sugarcraft, Cake Decorating and Baking Show, held at Birmingham’s NEC attracted more than 1900 entries from around the world.
Donna used to run Valentinos Cakery from her home and also had a few commercial units in Wareham.
She had previously worked as a design engineer, but was forced to find an alternate career so she could look after her disabled son and also her father after he was diagnosed with cancer.
“I needed to be able to work from home so I decided to go into baking, even though I don’t have a sweet tooth and I don’t particularly like cake,” she laughs.
“ It was more the art and design side that appealed to me.
“I really enjoy making chocolate sculptures and sugar flowers. I find it quite therapeutic.”
Donna says it took her a total of 19 hours and four kilos of chocolate to create the life-size pirate bust made of chocolate and Rice Krispie treats.
“Working with chocolate isn’t easy as it can be so easily affected by the weather but I like the challenge.”
Everything except the frame, is entirely edible.
Donna added: “The theme for the collaborations category was pirates, but I preferred the idea of a sexy figurine rather than a mean old pirate!”
The Bournemouth mum is now planning to return to university to further her career in design engineering.
Cake International is held at Birmingham NEC in early November. Other cakes on display at the 2018 Cake International show included a Princess Diana tribute, a life-sized cake of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, an Alice Cooper cake, and even a replica of Gollum from The Lord Of The Rings.
As well as showcasing the royal cakes, the event also includes workshops, demonstrations, and exhibitions.
The show will now go on the road to London Excel in April 2019.
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