MILDRED Gavican is the fairy cake queen after her giant strawberry and cream topped sponge creation took top slot in the Carrs Flour challenge.

The baking enthusiast from Carlisle won a special trophy and a luxury weekend at Windermere’s Lindeth Howe Hotel, which hosted the competition.

“It’s the first thing I've ever won,” said the delighted 63-year-old.

Runners-up were Emmanuelle Martinez, 19, a French student on holiday, whose melt-in-the-mouth cake was covered in chocolate roses, Penrith youngsters Yasmine Hughes, 13, who made a lavender cake, and Eden Rose Hunter, eight, and her brother Eamont, five, who topped their cake with marshmallows.

The challenge caused controversy when Guinness refused to recognise fairy cakes as a world record category, saying they were the same as cupcakes for which there is already a US-held record.

Carrs decided to carry on regardless and six cakes were baked for Marc Guibert, Lindeth Howe head chef, hotel manager Alison Magee-Barker and Carrs marketing manager Caroline Dale to taste test.