A CAKE-making family from North Yorkshire enjoyed the sweet taste of success by rising to the top at an international competition.

Jen Lofthouse and her children Lilly, 13, and Seth, seven, all won top three places at the Cake International competition held at Birmingham’s NEC Arena.

The Northern Echo: Seth Lofthouse's cake design which got a bronze at the Cake International competition in Birmingham. Picture: Richard Doughty Photography

Mrs Lofthouse, who has only been making cakes for about four years, won the gold prize in the wedding cake category and won third place in the best cakes of the competition overall.

She spent about 40-hours creating her stunning cake which features wedding shoes, cases and a hat box, and said she was delighted to be in the top three.

Lilly scooped gold in the 13 to 16-year-old category and Seth won bronze in the under nines with his sheep birthday cake.

Mrs Lofthouse, who runs Darrowby Cakes in Thirsk, said she was thrilled with the achievements, having herself previously won gold at the competition but never being placed overall.

She said: “When I entered my first show, I don’t know what possessed me to do it because it was so nerve-wracking but I have progressed from there.

“I didn’t even think I’d be able to achieve gold in the wedding show because it is such a competitive category.

“When I saw my name it was a bit of a shock.”

Mrs Lofthouse’s design takes inspiration from the ‘something old, borrowed and new’ wedding theme, but is a diversion from traditional cakes.

“Nobody wants a white wedding cake these days, so I knew I wanted to do something different,” she said.

“Shoes are something I enjoy doing, my last two golds involved cakes with shoes so it is getting to be a bit of a tradition.”

Mrs Lofthouse is now keeping her winning cake to display at wedding fairs.