Amateur baker will rise to the occasion
Her life-size cakes have seen her make headlines all over the world.
From a scrummy Kate Middleton, film characters, and even a newborn baby - you name it Lara Clarke can bake it.
The 28-year-old amateur baker created a stir last year when she revealed a 5ft 5ins Captain Jack Sparrow from Disney blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean.
The hearty cake struck gold at Cake International at the NEC in Birmingham last year and saw her earn an unrivalled reputation for super cakes.
Next week, Lara , who lives in Brownhills, will be attempting to defend her title when she reveals her latest lifelike creation as Cake International rolls into the region next week.
But she has to keep her latest masterpiece closely under wraps.
"There was so much attention last year that we have been told we are not allowed to let anyone see it beforehand so no one has an unfair advantage," she said.
"But what I can say is that this year I have gone to 6ft tall, and it will be something I think everybody will recognise.
"I've got trolley and got a big van. Transporting it will be an interesting experience."
Since last year's show, Lara has had a whirlwind of a year, appearing on national TV shows and baking cakes of celebrities.
"It went crazy," she said.
"There was loads of newspaper and TV coverage of the Captain Jack cake and then I got a call to appear on This Morning.
"So I baked cakes of Holly (Willoughby), and Philip (Schofield), and appeared with Emma Willis.
"Then a few weeks later I got a call from the Paul O'Grady show and I baked a cake of Paul for the show.
"It was a fantastic few months and the orders coming in for cakes has taken off."
Lara is a website administrator and bakes cakes only in her spare time. Amazingly, she has never been on a cookery or decorating course. In fact, until two years ago, she'd never even baked a cake, let alone iced one.
She runs her Tasty Cakes operation from her dedicated 'cake room' at her house.
And her Facebook page now has more than 22,000 members.
To create her cake structures she uses wood and pipes to make the shape and support the sponges.
The Captain Jack cake for example is mainly made up of chocolate, marshmallows, rice crispies and icing, but also has an internal structure of stainless steel, PVC pipes and wood.
It took 20 hours planning and a further 70 gruelling hours of construction to finish him.
Lara has also been behind a new cake craze with customers requesting life-size cakes of their friends and family.
She can make the dead ringers from just a series of photographs.
"One was when I was asked to do the head of a pet dog. The lady told me it was for her husband's birthday. But when she came to collect it she admitted it was in fact for her dog's birthday.
"The other one was where a family wanted a cake of their newborn baby for his christening. But when it came to it I don't think they could bring themselves to cut it up."
Despite her talents, she has no plans to quit her day job.
She said: "I am fortunate I really enjoy what I do and am able to do the cakes as a hobby as well as something on the side."
