Thousands of people flocked to the Usk Show last Saturday. The event was extra special for Cwmbran’s Debbie Burroughs, who left with not one, but two prizes in a cake competition.
The theme for the ‘best decorated’ cake category in the homecraft tent was VE Day, and Debbie took three weeks to create this beautiful cake and tribute to that historic day.
Amy Lee Burroughs, her daughter, sent me the loveliest message about how proud the family felt seeing Debbie win.
She said: “Mum also wanted to enter because her dad was in the Territorial Army as a soldier and a miner in collieries in Abertillery, and it sat close to home.
“Mum was raised in Abertillery and wanted to pay tribute to the war memorial there. We’ve lived in Cwmbran for 34 years now. It took her three weeks to make. It was all made of Icing.
Debut cake competition entry
“She’s never won a cake decorating competition and is the first one she has entered. She’s not a professional in the field, just a hobby, and has made some wedding and birthday cakes for her family before.
“So she won the homecraft decorated cake section of the Usk show, which she will attend a presentation for in October after they have had her name engraved on it.
“We had to wait to go into the tent at 12.30pm after dropping the cake there at 7am to be judged. We then found out she was the winner just by looking at the certificate on the table in front of the cake.
“She was overwhelmed and nervous to even go in and see the result. Mum was very pleased that her efforts were recognised and rewarded. It meant a lot to her, given the theme and relating to her late father.
“I on the other hand, cried! I think getting the cake there in one piece was a challenge that I didn’t want to let mum down on by accidentally dropping it (my dad, Steve, and I helped).
“When we found out she won, it just became very emotional for all of us.”
She also won the overall cup for the homecraft tent.