An immigration officer at Stansted Airport, who is looking to focus on his own bakery business, informed his employers of his resignation through the medium of cake.

Chris Holmes, owner of Mr Cake in Sawston, Cambridgeshire, decided against the traditional pen and paper and created the bakery version of the resignation letter, using an iced white oblong-shaped cake, with details piped in black icing.

Addressed to the Management Border Force, and dated 15 April, the cake read: “Today is my 31st birthday, and having recently become a father I now realise how precious life is and how important it is to spend my time doing something that makes me, and other people happy.

“For that reason I hereby give notice of my resignation, in order that I may devote my time and energy to my family and to my cake business, which has grown steadily over the past few years. I wish the organisation and my colleagues the best for the future and I remind you that, if you enjoy this cake, you can order more at www.mrcake.co.uk.”

The image of the cake went viral when Holmes’ brother-in-law Stuart Jackson posted the picture on his Twitter account on Monday, and said: “So, my brother-in-law has resigned from his 9-to-5 job in spectacular fashion. Jerry Maguire meets Masterchef.”

Mr Cake has gained a wealth of media attention as a result, with reports featured on the websites of The Independent, The Guardian, The Times and Fox News. The bakery business has more than 2,700 Likes on its Facebook page, and around 1,300 Twitter followers.

Through his dedicated Twitter account (@MrCakeUK) yesterday evening (16 April), Holmes said:Goodnight to all my followers new and old, and thanks for your amazing messages and supportive comments. It has been a surreal, incredible day.”