Saddleworth Cake Maker Wins Top Industry Award After Holiday Lightbulb Moment

Suzanne Thorp, the founder of The Frostery, has reached the peak of her profession after being named Wedding Cake Artist of the Year 2026. Thorp triumphed over four other nominees to secure the prestigious accolade at the Cake International Awards, held at the Hilton NEC in Birmingham on November 7. The annual ceremony celebrates excellence in technical skill, design, and creativity within the baking sector.

Despite competing against peers she has admired for years, Thorp admitted she never anticipated hearing her name announced by the judging panel. Her career in confectionery spans more than thirty years, though her professional path began in an unexpected place. Growing up assisting in her parents' bakery in Ashton-under-Lyne, she initially pursued higher education in physiology and pharmacology. However, a holiday sparked a transformative lightbulb moment, convincing her that sculpting and creating cakes was her true calling.

Upon returning home, Thorp committed to the family bakery full-time before eventually opening her own shop in Saddleworth with her young children. Since establishing her business, she has produced upwards of 20,000 custom cakes, appeared on television programmes, and served as an industry judge and brand ambassador. She remains particularly renowned for incorporating traditional royal icing techniques into modern wedding cake designs.

Suzanne Thorp won Wedding Cake Artist of the Year 2026 after a three-decade career.

Future Projects and Expansion

The award arrives during a period of growth for The Frostery. Thorp is currently consolidating her operations into a new studio located above her lifestyle store in Delph. Alongside this physical expansion, she is developing an online education program designed to pass her intricate royal icing methods and decades of accumulated knowledge on to the next generation of baking enthusiasts.

Why it matters

This national recognition highlights the dedication required to master traditional craft techniques in a modern commercial environment. For aspiring culinary artists, Thorp's upcoming educational initiative offers unprecedented access to decades of specialized industry expertise.