A North Wales baker has won two major awards.
Helen Searle-Jones, who runs Searle Jones Cake Design in Hope, Flintshire, has been crowned Best Cake Company at the North Wales Wedding Awards.
The mum-of-of three also impressed judges at the Cake International Show at Birmingham’s NEC, returning home with a bronze in the wedding cake category and being asked to give a demonstration on cake making.
She said winning the best cake company prize at the North Wales Wedding Awards, held at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, was a particular delight because newly-weds she had made cakes for had voted for her to be a finalist.
Helen said her decision to have a bespoke studio built in her back garden this year by Rubicon Garden Rooms has been a key ingredient to the growth and success of her cake design business.
Helen said:
“For the competition you also put in a bit of information about your business, how you’ve done over the past year, what you’re doing to grow the business – so for example I said I had the studio built.
“There were actually 10 companies in the category for best cake company so I wasn’t expecting to win at all, it was the first time I had ever entered, so to win was wonderful.”
Helen launched the cake business on a full-time basis earlier this year following a 30-year career in the IT industry.
She said:
“In 2026 I am looking to push the wedding cakes into that high-end venue, high-end wedding sector and to collaborate with venues across North Wales and Cheshire.
“I am looking to potentially work with luxury wedding planners to continue to create those show-stopper cakes which couples are looking for to be the central part of their day.”
This year’s award success follows top honours last year for Helen when she won a gold award for a Pirates of the Caribbean themed creation.
