From Cake International to NHS Rainbows: The Cakes That Touched My Heart

There are cakes you make for fun. There are cakes you make for clients. And then there are cakes that stay with you forever – the ones that mean something so much deeper than just sponge and sugarpaste.

These are the cakes that will always stay with me.

The Buzz of Cake International

One of the most exciting (and nerve-wracking!) moments in my cake journey has to be Cake International.

Walking through those doors for the first time felt like stepping into another world – a world where cake isn’t just cake, it’s art, passion and storytelling all rolled into one.

I’ll never forget the butterflies when I finally placed my competition piece on the famous ‘Black clothed table’  . It was made with so much love, far too many late nights, and fuelled by endless cups of tea! Standing there among so many incredibly talented cake designers, each one telling their own story through sugar, was such an inspiring moment.

That experience pushed me out of my comfort zone. It made me believe in my creativity – and that’s something I’ll always be grateful for.

But as much as Cake International shaped me as a cake designer, it was what happened later, during one of the hardest times for all of us, that really changed how I looked at the power of cake.

When the World Stopped – A New Kind of Purpose

When the pandemic hit, everything stopped. Weddings cancelled, celebrations postponed – and for a while, I honestly wondered: what role does cake even have in a world so uncertain?

But then something amazing happened.

People started sending cakes as messages of hope:
💛 To loved ones they couldn’t visit
💛 To key workers risking their lives every day
💛 To neighbours, friends… even strangers

Suddenly, cakes weren’t just dessert – they became little acts of kindness.

One cake I’ll never forget? The huge NHS Rainbow Cake. Inspired by the rainbows children were painting in their windows, I designed a simple, bright rainbow cake as my way of saying “thank you” to our incredible NHS teams.

The messages I received during that time will stay with me forever – from nurses, patients, and families saying how much those little gestures meant. It reminded me that cake is never just cake.

Cake can comfort, it can connect and it can speak when words feel too small.

Why These Cakes Matter Most

I’ve made wedding cakes that took days, competition pieces that have won awards, and birthday cakes that lit up a child’s whole face.

But the cakes that truly touched my heart weren’t the biggest or the boldest.

They were the ones made with raw emotion:
💛 Cakes honouring loved ones no longer with us
💛 Cakes celebrating a final birthday for someone in hospice care
💛 Cakes made simply to lift someone’s spirits

Those cakes reminded me why I started this journey in the first place – not just to bake, but to make a difference, one cake at a time.

Final Thoughts

From the bright lights of Cake International to the quiet deliveries during lockdown, I’ve realised the cakes that matter most aren’t the ones that go viral or win awards.

They’re the ones that touch someone’s life – even in the smallest way.

To every client, friend, or stranger who has shared their story with me over the years – thank you. You’ve made this more than just a career. You’ve made it a privilege.

With love and gratitude,

Carol x