Interview with Rosie, Cake Diva

20 December 2017

Can you tell me a little about how you spend your time before you created cakes?

I was the first female pilot in the British forces. I flew anti-tank helicopters with the Army Air Corps. I did that until I left, got married, had children and started making cakes as a hobby.

 

How did you get into cake making?

If I start something, I want to it to be as good as I can possibly make it. When I undertook the pilot course it was difficult, hard work, long hours, and an extremely challenging course. I would throw myself into it and it’s the same with cakes. I have four children and I was getting a lot of practise in. Every cake I made for my children, had to be better than the last one I made, otherwise there was no point!

 

What inspires you?

The subject, really. You kind of want to do something for whoever it’s being given to, to feel special, it has to be something that’s really personal, poignant and going to make then go “wow!” It’s all about trying to impress.

 

Tell us about some recent commissions?

For the Army Air Corps, I did a balloon and helicopter. I know that those guys, like me, fly those every day and know them inside out. Getting that right was really important. You want them to walk in and say “OMG, that’s my aircraft!”

 

What’s your fantasy commission?

I kind of do them! The one I’m doing next year is probably the fancy one but I can’t tell you what it is!

 

Cakes continue to be at the centre of celebrations. Why do you think they are so magical?

It is the centre point of every function. The bit where everyone comes together to share it, the bit where the photographs get taken. We’re big, fat show-offs really!

 

Extreme Cake Makers S2 will air on Channel 4 in early 2018