There were tiers of joy for a County Durham baker whose intricate designs landed her a major success at an international cake competition.

Amanda Emery struck gold at the Cake International competition, held at the NEC in Birmingham. 

Running her business, Durham City Cakes, from her home, Amanda’s complex creations have placed her among the elite in the competitive world of cake artistry.

Amanda, who formerly operated a physical cake shop, made the difficult decision to close just before the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, her passion for baking and sculpting kept her business thriving from her home kitchen.

With an eye on the future, she hopes to reopen a shop under the Durham City Cakes banner in January, bringing her unique creations back to the high street.

Amanda said: "I have always loved sculpting and modelling chocolate and have a real passion for creating unique wildlife pieces out of cake. I have just been amazed at the response."

Her artistic flair shone at the Cake International event, where her submissions earned her two gold medals for 'Best in Section.'

Her first gold-winning entry depicted a stunning miniature underwater scene of mother and baby turtles.

Her winning cake of a mother and baby turtles under the sea sceneHer winning cake of a mother and baby turtles under the sea scene (Image: Amanda Emery) While her second piece, a magical winter wonderland showcasing stags and winter buildings, captivated the judges and audience alike.

Her winning cake of a winter wonderland scene, depicting stags and building scenesHer winning cake of a winter wonderland scene, depicting stags and building scenes (Image: Amanda Emery) Amanda also scooped the coveted 'Cakeflix Cake of the Year' award for her show-stopping stag bust, a striking and lifelike creation inspired by a tutorial, Silas the Stag, by renowned cake artist Emma Jayne.

Cakeflix Cake of the Year stag bustCakeflix Cake of the Year stag bust (Image: Amanda Emery) Emma recently made headlines for her Queen Elizabeth I cake, and Amanda’s work stood out among hundreds of entries, drawing admiration from both judges and attendees.

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This isn’t Amanda’s first foray into competition. On her debut at Cake International, she submitted five pieces and won five medals, though none were gold.

She said: “To walk away with two golds this year is just incredible. I’m just a small, local cake maker, so I never imagined this kind of response."

While competitions are a major focus for Amanda, she continues to create wedding and novelty cakes for customers, offering everything from elaborate sculptures to elegant tiered designs.

The Cake International competition attracts entries from around the globe, with renowned industry figures serving as judges.