A SPECIALLY commissioned cake fit for royalty has been baked by an award-winning army chef.

Created by Sergeant Michael Cottingham of the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, the cake was commissioned by the Royal Mail to commemorate its 500th anniversary and was cut by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall

The cake was cut at a reception in London on Tuesday, September 6, and was decorated with a gold and red centred crown representing the famous logo and flanked by icing post boxes, the hexagonal fruit cake was made using a tin specially made and donated by Yorkshire manufacturing company Invicta Bakeware.

The Royal Mail approached Sergeant Cottingham, based in Catterick Garrison, to produce their anniversary cake after his design had previously won gold in the army’s prestigious annual Field Catering and Culinary Arts Competition judged by HRH Princess Anne in July.

“It was a great honour to be asked to recreate the cake for the Royal Mail anniversary and I was thrilled to be present at the reception and meet the royal couple,” said Sergeant Cottingham.

The cake measured 14 inches across and its hexagonal sides were used to depict the history of the Royal Mail with various stamps and emblems. It took two weeks to produce - from baking the cake to making and painting the crown, side plaques and stamps.

After the reception, The Royal Mail celebration cake was given to The Prince’s Trust Morgan Stanley Centre in Poplar, East London, to be enjoyed by the young people undertaking Prince’s Trust programme activities there. Sergeant Cottingham also declined to take a fee for making the cake so the Royal Mail gave a £500 donation on the day to ABF the Soldiers Charity.