A SOUTH East Cornwall cake designer is celebrating a sweet slice of national recognition after one of her extraordinary illusion cakes appeared on BBC2 over Christmas.

Liskeard‑based creator Niki Lowe, known for her highly detailed sculpted cakes, was commissioned to produce a show‑stopping centrepiece for the Gone Fishing Christmas Special, filmed across Devon and Cornwall.

The brief from the production team arrived in the summer, when they approached Niki in search of an illusion cake for a festive prank on one of the presenters. Initially, they were unsure what direction to take, until they spotted a hyper‑realistic sea bass cake on her website. With the programme’s fishing theme in mind, it seemed a natural fit. But with Christmas approaching, the idea quickly evolved.

What emerged was a spectacular edible creation disguised as a full roast turkey dinner. The cake featured a golden‑brown turkey, complete with icing “bones”, surrounded by stuffing balls, roast potatoes, peas, carrots and pigs in blankets. Every element was handmade, meticulously sculpted and entirely edible. The finished piece was delivered for filming, where it became part of the programme’s festive fun.

Niki, who runs Niki Lowe Cake Design, has been crafting bespoke cakes for more than 14 years. With a background in art, design and fashion, she specialises in wedding cakes, statement celebration cakes and one‑off commissions that push the boundaries of what cake can be. Each design is created from scratch, allowing her to focus on strong concepts, detailed finishes and flavour.

She describes the BBC feature as a “pinch‑me moment” for her business.

“The production company contacted me around July,” she explained. “They were doing their Christmas special in Devon and Cornwall and wanted an illusion cake. They’d seen the sea bass on my website, but because it was Christmas, we went all out with a full dinner. They only asked for a turkey, but I got carried away and added all the vegetables and pigs in blankets too.”

Creating the cake took three to four days, with each stage requiring time to settle and stabilise.

Niki’s journey into professional cake design began in childhood, helping her grandmother make birthday cakes. After studying art and fashion, she worked in retail before taking a job managing a cake‑decorating supply shop in Cornwall. When the owner later sold the premises, Niki took the leap and launched her own business from home around eight years ago.

Today, she creates everything from wedding cakes to elaborate sculpted showpieces, and she’s currently working on tutorials for a cake‑decorating magazine. “I’ll make a cake for any reason,” she said. “The more unusual, the better.”

Seeing her work on TV has given her a boost of confidence. “I’m quite shy and I don’t usually shout about myself,” Niki admitted. “But this has pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way.”

With bookings already stretching into 2026 and beyond, Niki says the future looks bright. “There’s no such thing as a wedding season anymore, you can get married anywhere, anytime. It keeps things exciting.”