Milton Keynes guests sample Queen of Hearts cake winner at Woburn Abbey

To celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, The Sculpture Gallery launched a competition to seek out the best amateur baker in the area, with Beverly’s winning cake being served to guests at Woburn’s indoor street party earlier this month.

Beverley’s ‘Queen of Hearts’ miniature cake impressed Olivier Bertho, executive chef at The Sculpture Gallery and Olivier’s Restaurant at The Woburn Hotel, who chose to include the heart shaped creation on the event’s afternoon tea menu. The cake features a layer of fruity strawberry jam sandwiched between two layers of sponge with a vanilla butter cream piped on top, finished with a fanned strawberry dipped in Pimm’s jelly.

More than 100 guests enjoyed Beverley’s creation as part of an afternoon tea with a royal twist, accompanied by a nostalgic sing-along with Lili La Scala, ‘The Songbird of Trafalgar Square’, followed by classic garden games.

Executive chef Olivier said; “Beverley’s ‘Queen of Hearts’ creation really impressed us; taking inspiration from the nation’s sentiment towards our monarch was a clever idea. The event was a big success and Beverley’s cake made a very fitting centrepiece for the afternoon tea that was enjoyed by all who came along.”

The Woburn Estate has long had a special connection with afternoon tea; it is where Duchess Anna Maria, wife of the 7th Duke of Bedford, popularised the tradition in the 1840s and visitors continue to enjoy her chosen afternoon tea selection at The Woburn Hotel today.