Disaster strikes life-sized Taylor Swift cake

The arms fall off the competition entry as it is transported to Cake International at the NEC in Birmingham

A life-sized Taylor Swift cake was pulled from a baking competition on Friday after its hands fell off during transportation.
The sweet creation, wearing a blue and white sequin bodysuit from the pop singer’s Eras Tour, was made by Elza Baldzhiyska for this weekend’s Cake International show at the NEC in Birmingham.
But it was damaged as it was being transported to the competition from the Bulgarian-born artist’s home in Windsor, Berkshire.
The cake was left with disintegrated hands, cracks in the icing on its shoulders and hair and knees that were bent sideways.
Ms Baldzhiyska and event organisers have now decided to pull it from the show.
She had initially resolved to shake the disaster off and fix the cake, which she is thought to have spent more than 100 hours creating.
One onlooker had said earlier on Friday: “Elza is understandably disappointed and shocked by the damage but she’s an absolute professional and will fix it.
“It’s a bit of a race against time before the exhibition opens but everyone is sure Taylor Swift will star in this year’s show, there’s no doubt about that.”
The renowned cake artist’s previous creations include Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, Dobby from Harry Potter and Charlie Chaplin.
Ms Baldzhiyska is one of 1,500 bakers, artists, chocolatiers and patisserie chefs exhibiting creations at this weekend’s show.
The three-day event brings together cake artists and enthusiasts from all over the world with live demonstrations and workshops.
Competition entries are expected to be in the thousands, with judges adding a wildcard category for anyone to enter which entails creating a cake version of a wearable masquerade headdress.
Other sweet characters include Elizabeth I, complete with jewels, from world-class sugar artist Emma Jayne.
The Tudor monarch features an elaborate period dress that matches a portrait of her.
Ms Jayne, from south Wales, previously created a life-sized version of the King in his coronation year.
Other extravagant items this year include a Mrs Macabre’s Toy Emporium showpiece from Sugar Screams, a 7ft birthday cake to celebrate 30 years of Cake International and a large dragon slayer cake from Gary Pollard, a film industry expert sculptor .
Matty Edgell, the winner of the Great British Bake Off’s 2023 series, is also due to make a guest appearance.