What it's like to be a wedding cake maker: Lisa really is the ace of cakes in Staffordshire

She aims to ensure every one of her creations is a real show-stopper complete with eye-catching decorations.

From her kitchen in south Staffordshire, she bakes dozens of luxury cakes according to each bride and groom’s exact wishes.

“I think the bride and groom cutting their wedding cake together before their first dance is a lovely tradition. Weddings can be so busy and chaotic that sometimes you hardly see the bride and groom because they are going around the room talking to everyone. However, when they cut the cake everybody gets to see them and it’s a really nice moment,” the 34-year-old says.

Lisa’s been baking cakes for the past eight years having started with cupcakes. “It’s grown from a hobby to a business. I went to New York and I wanted to be able to create something that tasted as good as the cupcakes I’d eaten there because you couldn’t get them here at the time.

“I started making cupcakes for friends and family and they told me I could do it as a business. I started doing it professionally three years ago with birthday cakes,” she tells us.

But for the past two years she’s mainly concentrated on wedding cakes which she says allows her to get creative with flavours and decorations.

“I really love being able to design a cake with a couple and make something really bespoke and special for their wedding. I really like being creative with the sugarcraft flowers to make it look beautiful,” adds Lisa, who lives in Shareshill with her husband Neil.

Lisa says her main baking inspiration has been her grandmother Eileen Gough. “She’s always baked cakes, scones, pastries and little pies – she’s so good at baking. It means I’ve grown up appreciating home-baked cakes, we never had store-bought cakes,” she tells us.

When couples interested in ordering a cake first contact Lisa, she invites them to attend a consultation at her home. “I’m always happy to meet them first because I know it’s a huge responsibility making a wedding cake and the couple needs to trust the person who’s going to make it.

“We chat over cake and tea about what they might want like the size of cake, how many tiers, what flavours they like, whether they want flowers or other decorations.

“The cake has to complement the theme of the wedding and so often I’m asked to match the colour of the bridesmaid dresses or the flowers. Some people book two years in advance. If the wedding is in the busy seasons which I find tend to be August and December then I need more than a year’s notice. But if it’s at a quieter time then under a year is fine.

“I let people change their mind up to two months before the wedding because I know wedding plans can change and evolve over time,” explains Lisa.

Depending on the number of tiers and the complexity of the design, it can take around three to four days to bake and fully decorate a cake. “The baking part is actually the smallest part of making a wedding cake – I do this on auto-pilot really. What takes the time is making it perfect. If I’m not happy with any part, like the quality of the bake, I’ll re-do it,” she says.

“It’s vital a cake isn’t made too far in advance of the big day. “It has to be fresh. It can be hard work trying to get everything done in time but it’s very rewarding when it’s all finished.

“My husband is very supportive, he never complains, not even when the kitchen looks like a buttercream bomb has gone off. He will come and tidy it up for me,” says Lisa.

Once she’s satisfied that the couple tying the knot will be pleased, the cake is ready to go to the wedding venue.

“A lot of people are nervous about driving a wedding cake somewhere so I always deliver it. I can set it up then and add any finishing touches. Sometimes I get to see the bride and groom and I can show them the cake.

“When I first started I was always nervous about this but now I know I’ve done a good job and I’m excited to show them,” Lisa says.

Today, in a break from royal tradition, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have chosen an organic lemon and elderflower cake for their nuptials. Made by pastry chef and food writer Claire Ptak, it’s expected to be covered with buttercream and topped with fresh edible flowers.

Lisa wasn’t completely surprised by their choice. “Harry and Meghan have picked something completely different. The Royal Family tend to go for a fondant covered cake but Harry and Meghan’s will have more rustic look.

“I’m not surprised about the elderflower flavour as that’s very popular at the moment. I’m sure it will be beautiful. I think the Royal Wedding cake will inspire a lot of bookings for rustic buttercream,” says Lisa.

She said she was looking forward to seeing the finished cake – although she admits she doesn’t know if she would want that particular order. “That’s a lot of pressure – I don’t think I would sleep the night before the wedding!,” says Lisa.

Like Harry and Meghan, more and more couples are opting for something different rather than the traditional fruit cake, she tells us.

“One of most popular flavours I offer is a vanilla bean sponge with vanilla bean buttercream and strawberry and Champagne jam. It’s a more luxurious version of a classic Victoria sponge which is why I think it’s popular. Lemon and elderflower flavours are also popular as well as marble and metalic finishes and geometric shapes.

See www.thestrawberrybakery.co.uk or follow thestrawberrybakeryuk on Instagram