- By Charlie Browning
- Published 01/18/2013
If you think your cake recipes are to die for you’ve probably still got a long way to go before you reach the level of Jo Stevens – a cake designer who is taking the industry by storm. The 32-year-old will find out on November 29 if her cakes have been voted the best in London and the South East.
Jo said: “After the award last year, people saw me in the papers and got in touch.
“I have made 23 wedding cakes on top of all sorts of others in the past year and people are coming up with bigger and bolder ideas.
“I do love doing all sorts of cakes but I love doing wedding cakes the most.
“It’s a very special day for everyone and I probably get just as excited as the people getting married.”
The mum-of-two set up her business, Peek-A-Boo Cakes, in 2008 when her daughter, Boo, was born.
It expanded from being just a hobby to a full-time job as news of her incredible creations spread.
Customers she has baked for in the last year voted to get her on the shortlist to be named best cake designer at the Wedding Industry Awards.
If she wins the regional final Jo will then be put forward for the national competition.
Jo also has a 15-month-old son, Billy, while Boo turned four last Tuesday.
Even at such a young age, Boo is showing signs of sharing her mother’s talent.
Jo said: “We did some cakes for a Christmas raffle and Boo made some of her own.
“They were so good we decided to put them in the raffle.
“It’s amazing how much she has managed to pick up.
“I would love Boo to work alongside me one day. I think Billy is just enjoying being the taste tester at the moment.”
Billy’s first birthday cake was designed with a helter skelter and a replica of his dad’s AA recovery van on it.
And at Boo’s cowgirl-themed party the cake didn’t disappoint either. It had a pink base with icing which looked like a cow’s skin, with a pink cowgirl hat on top.
However, Jo’s husband, Dave, wasn’t quite so lucky on his birthday.
“I had to make a wedding cake around his birthday so he got a bit neglected,” she said.
“We had to drive to deliver it on his birthday but we went out to dinner.
“It will be lovely if one day I can step the business up a gear and open my own shop. At the moment it is working really well because I can work it around my family life but I would love to expand in the future.”
About the Author : Charlie Browning is writing about Cake recipes
