Johanna crowned the queen of cakes
ACAKE decorator has won big at a prestigious baking awards in London with a Queen’s Jubilee-inspired cake.
Johanna Moloney, who runs Caketastic Creations on Oldham Road in Middleton, scooped the prize for Celebration Cake business of the year, at the Baking Industry awards with her cake which took 75 hours to complete.
It was the third time she had entered the competition and the first time she had won, having reached the semi-final and final in the last two years.
A royalist, Johnanna, 53, said it was a dream to decorate the cake with a Jubilee theme and even cancelled a trip around the UK to make it.
“It was amazing. Sally Phillips the comedian was the host for the evening, she presented all the awards,” said Johanna, who started the business in 2011.
“It’s the only competition I enter, it was brilliant putting it together.
“I’m a true royalist so when I found out it was Jubilee, it was just a dream for me because I just love the royal family and the Queen especially.
“I just based it on that pageant weekend and all the celebrations. I knew I wanted the Queen to be the centre of attention and that’s why she’s on top.”
Johanna started the business after being made redundant from her scientific role at Colgate toothpaste.
She went on to study cake decorating at Hopwood Hall College, before going self-employed and started Caketastic from a studio at home.
“I never really decorated a cake before but I got made redundant,” she said.
“While I was looking for another role I enrolled at Hopwood Hall College just to do a basic cake decorating course, I’ve always baked from being young so it was just a natural progression.
“I loved it and really got into it. I wasn’t successful in finding another job so I decided to go selfemployed and it just went from strength to strength.”
Johanna also wanted to give out a message to support small, local businesses like hers during the current cost of living crisis.
She said: “It’s a tough time at the moment, the current climate is tough for small businesses.
“If people could shop local it would really help small businesses and hopefully keep them on the high street otherwise we will lose some really great businesses.”