This is Devon --The Great British Bake Off has a lot to answer for... it sparked a national obsession for baking.
Now two mums, who have been best friends for over 25 years, have turned their own passion for cooking into a new event, to be staged in Exeter next spring.
The BIG Cake Show is an event to rival other UK baking shows, but one that truly reflects what the Westcountry region has to offer in cooking, decorating, supplying and most importantly enjoying and eating cake!
Kim Vernon and Mel Edwards are the driving force behind the show which will be at Exeter's Westpoint Exhibition Centre in March.
It all started as a dream, but as plans have gradually come together it has become the icing on the cake of a business shared between the best friends.
Mel is mum to a five-year-old daughter and 13-year-old step-son and Kim is mum to a son of six and a nine-year-old daughter... she's also three-quarters of the way through her psychology degree.
Despite their busy schedules, the girls still find the enthusiasm and drive to run successful Exeter-based event management company MK Events.
Mel said: "People often ask us how we find the time and the energy to do everything – but we just do – and it helps that we love our work!
"For this event we've really turned up the heat; the South West has such a rich offering of great nationally and locally known chefs and bakers, cake artisans, patisserie expertise.
"This event is for all of them – for the sugar-crafter to the cupcake entrepreneur, from the celebrity chefs to budding young bakers and enthusiastic eaters; an easily accessible show that provides a mixing bowl of treats and pleasure."
In very recent years the likes of silver-fox Paul Hollywood and the lady of baking, Mary Berry, have stirred up some of the country's best amateur bakers to battle it out in the BBC TV show The Great British Bake Off reigniting a passion for home baking, spiking sales of British bake ware.
The girls have invited some big names to take part.
"We are lucky enough to have a number of very famous faces potentially lined up," says Kim.
"Some of our best-known local chefs are also planning to be entertaining visitors; these include Peter Gorton, the Tanner brothers and Michael Caines.
"MasterChef and The Great British Bake Off have become two of the most talked about television shows every year. With the excitement behind these programmes and a steady growth in the sales of baking equipment, cookbooks and kitchen-table cake businesses, it became clear to us that the region lacked an event to bring the love of cake into one place."
The event is attracting sponsorships both locally and nationally and will host over 120 exhibitors of all shapes and sizes.
There will be show kitchens, pre-bookable workshops, meet-and-greets with Great British Bake Off stars, interactive opportunities, children's kitchens, competitions, book signings and other special events.
thebigcakeshow.com. Reported by This is 12 hours ago.