Daniel Addy and Laura Morris took the top prizes at this year’s National Cupcake Championships. 

Addy, owner of Chef Dan’s Cakes, took the professional’s crown with a chocolate and amaretto cupcake, which also won the Made With Alcohol category while Laura Morris beat off competition in the amateur category with her chocolate banana fudge creation.

It was based on a safari theme and topped with a giraffe decoration and also won the Themed Cupcake category.

The sixth National Cupcake Championships, organised by British Baker, was held at Cake International in Birmingham with the awards presented by award-winning celebrity cake maker Mich Turner MBE.

“I can’t believe that I’ve won,” said Addy. “I entered the competition with the same cupcake last year, but this year I changed the recipe of the sponge which I thought was too dry last year, filled it with ganache and changed the decoration too.”

Morris, who reached the final in last year’s competition, said: “I am very happy and surprised to have won - so happy to see the ‘first’ rosette! I’ve been baking since I was six or seven as my mum was a huge inspiration and I bake about once a week. All my friends and family say I should bake professionally so I might look into pursuing a career in baking.”

Morris adapted an existing recipe to make her safari cupcakes and each giraffe took around 30 minutes to make.
National Cupcake Week, run alongside the awards, is partnered by charity Wellbeing of Women and sponsored by Cater For You and Barry Callebaut.

Visit the dedicated National Cupcake Week website here.

National Cupcake Championships Winners 2014

Professional competition:

National Cupcake Champion - professional
Daniel Addy of Chef Dan’s Cakes with a chocolate and amaretto cupcake

Free-From Cupcake of the Year
Winner
Ann Gardiner of Mad Hatters Tearoom & Bakery with a gluten-free lemon cheesecake cupcake
Highly Commended
Debbie Mcfaul of CrumbsBakery with a Vintage Rose cupcake

Classic Cupcake of the Year
Winner
Sarah Profitt of Betty’s Craft Bakery with a mango and coconut cupcake
Highly Commended
Sonali Hazell of Haze Cakes with a Chocomel cupcake

Best Cupcake Made with Alcohol
Winner
Daniel Addy of Chef Dan’s Cakes with a chocolate and amaretto cupcake
Highly Commended
David Moratto-Smith of The Apple Pie with a Limoncello Fun cupcake

Themed Cupcake of the Year
Winner
Ann Gardiner of Mad Hatters Tearoom & Bakery with a Mad As A Hatter cupcake
Highly Commended
Sonya Norris of Sweet Sonya’s Cupcakes & Teatime Delights

Home Baking competition:
National Cupcake Champion - home baking
Laura Morris with a chocolate banana fudge (Safari theme) cupcake

Free-From Cupcake of the Year
Winner
Francesca McCrohan with a Banoffee After Dark cupcake
Highly Commended
Angela Pettengell with a strawberry shortcake cupcake

Classic Cupcake of the Year
Winner
Chloe Valentine with a Classic Madagascar Vanilla Bean cupcake
Highly Commended
Angela Pettengell with a gluten-free gingerbread cupcake

Best Cupcake Made With Alcohol
Winner
Hilary Edwards with a ginger, honey and Glenfiddich whisky toddy cupcake
Highly Commended
Gemma Ginn with a Cuba Libre cupcake

Themed Cupcake of the Year
Winner
Laura Morris with a chocolate banana fudge (Safari theme) cupcake
Highly Commended
Kairen Hind with a Love it or Hate it Cupcake