A FAMILY cake business in Urmston is celebrating huge success after winning for two awards this year.

Elaine Hamey set up Elaine's Creative Cakes six years ago. She had previously helped another baker set up a similar business, Peter Herd in Wilmslow, where she worked for the past 15 years along with teaching confectionary at Colleges before deciding to go solo.

Elaine has been baking cakes since she was 20-years-old and her inspiration came from her mother, Maeve who also taught confectionary.

She went to college and got her A Levels before she qualified as a teacher at Richemont Centre of Excellence for Bakery, Confectionery and Chocolate, in Switzerland. Throughout her career she also did various demonstrations in stores such as Harrods.

51-year-old Elaine now runs her own shop alongside her mother and husband, Kevin and 10-year-old son Jacob on the weekends.

She said: "It's been a massive success so far. I have learnt a lot from running the previous shop with someone else, and just through word-of -mouth have managed to get myself a lovely client base."

In the shop, Elaine bakes for the usual birthday and wedding cakes, but also for theatres - she has just made a cake for Elf and press launches for the likes of The League of Gentlemen.

In February, Elaine won in the National Wedding Awards for Wedding Cake Designer of the Year. The shop was nominated for the award by their customers and then it was open to a full public vote on social media.

And after showcasing samples of her wedding cake designs, explaining the customer service relations and speaking to past clients, they won the award.

Elaine said: "I am flattered with the comments we have received about our shop - people complement how personal we are - every cake we do is completely different and how much help and advice we are willing to give to each client."

The second award this year was runner-up in the National Baking Industry Awards.

Elaine said: "This is the award we are very proud of as it is like the Oscars of the baking industry - you are up against the "big boys" such as Marks and Spencers and Tesco.

"I have won this award twice and been runner-up twice. I won for the first time 20-years-ago so I feel I have achieved a great deal getting to finals yet again."

Elaine had to produce a cake with a wild west theme for Cake Business of the Year and Confectioner. The awards were held in September at The Hilton in London, presented by Denise Van Outen.

She has been nominated for the national awards again for the next year.