Cake craftsman Graeme Venus has served up more than 100 slices of history to mark the 1,900th anniversary of the building of Hadrian’s Wall.
Graeme and wife Elaine run the Sticky Sponge Cake Studio in Stocksfield in Northumberland, where one of their most successful lines is novelty cakes, mostly designed to customers’ wishes and for any occasion.
Their latest creation has been a 1.5-metre long and half metre wide cake rendition of Hadrian’s Wall for the launch at the great North Museum in Newcastle of the year of 1900 events.
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Elaine takes care of the baking and Graeme, who has a degree in animation, carries out the cake designs and sculpting.
He was keen to tackle the latest challenge as the couple live near the Wall in Throckley in Newcastle, where Graeme grew up.
“I decided that the Wall cake should be a bit hill with dips rather than being just a straight stretch,“ said Graeme, who previously worked as a graphic designer.
The stones in the Wall were made from Rice Krispie Treats and at the end of the monument Graeme created an underground view of Roman helmets and coins.
“We make as much of the cakes as possible to be edible,” said Graeme.
Bill Griffith, chairman of Hadrian's Wall 1900 anniversary festival , said: “The cake looked far too good to eat, but I'm glad we did as it tasted every bit as good as it looked.
"The detailing was fantastic. It’s great to profile such excellent local culinary creativity as part of the launch of a year-long festival along Hadrian's Wall world heritage site that we want all the local communities to take part in and enjoy.”
One of the couple’s previous cakes was for Brendan Foster for the 40th anniversary of the Great North Run.
Others have included a tin of beans cake for Graeme and Elaine's 'tin' wedding anniversary; the Bridge Hotel in Newcastle, castles, Brown Ale, pets, cars and camper vans, sheep and frogs, and Highland cow heads.
The couple came second in their category in the recent Cake International awards in Birmingham, with a cake in the shape of a stag’s head.
“More and more people want special cakes for milestones like weddings, birthdays, anniversaries or events,” said Graeme.
The studio also produces wedding and corporate cakes.
