Pat asked me for a 40th birthday cake for her daughter. She planned to take it up north with her to the party. Her daughter refused to have her name or age on it, just wanting a combination of lemon and chocolate cakes decorated with chocolate shards. Of course it turned out to be one of the hottest weekends on record when it had to be iced and transported which didn’t make it easy. However, I believe it made it in one piece and was pretty much demolished at the party. Success.

Daphne had a very special birthday celebration tea party at a hotel in Brockenhurst but wanted plenty of cake left over for her neighbours and herself! So we chose two rich fruit cakes in the shape of her age, one to eat at the party and one for later. Her son had very firm ideas about the design and particularly wanted blue and yellow flowers, remembering specially the wisteria that grew around Daphne’s house.

Michael’s special birthday was due to fall while he was away in Tenerife. We needed to make a cake that would travel safely in the hand luggage – so we picked a rich, nutty fruit cake that would fit snuggly into a sturdy tin. Florence wanted the cake to reflect Michael’s love of Flamenco dancing as well as his home overlooking the Solent to the Isle of Wight and the holiday view of Mount Teide. And the whole thing was to be a surprise. Well, I got the cake made, smuggling it to Tenerife without Michael seeing was Florence’s problem!

Barbara’s birthday falls at exactly the time that the apple blossom is out, so what better to decorate her cake. Pretty in pink, complete with little butterfly. Hope you enjoyed your party Barbara.

Karen asked for a small cake to celebrate her daughter’s 30th birthday at home with the family. What better than to dress up a lemon drizzle cake as a Tiffany gift complete with bow and locket. Happy birthday Caroline

Freya is 7 and a big fan of JoJo Sewa. She is having a party at a music studio and wanted a chocolate cake with a singer on it. I did my best to make JoJo recognisable!

Debbie and her mum had organised a big family party to celebrate her big birthday. She wanted purple flowers so, as it was meant to be spring, I went for a circlet purple primulas. Unfortunately it was the weekend that the ‘beast from the east’ struck and the snow led to the party being cancelled. So two dozen purple cup cakes went on hold but the birthday cake was shared between Debbie’s colleagues at work, so nothing was wasted.

The ladies of Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club wanted to celebrate Annie’s big birthday. Two plain Madeira cakes iced with pink flowers in the shape of her age gave plenty for everyone as well as some to take home after the party.

Trish wanted a no nonsense birthday cake for her 70th birthday party. So we chose a big lemon layer cake iced in green to compliment the venue decorations for her barn dance celebrations.