We all start somewhere… what motivated you to start baking and how long did it take you to build up your skills?
I started baking last summer using a cake mixer which enhanced my skills massively (after my childhood baking with my mum!) - within a few attempts I mastered a gorgeous sponge which is so easy to achieve! 
If you could join us at Cake Angels HQ and design your own product, what would it be?
I would love to create a fancy range of chocolate decorations to add to cupcakes - I used to look at icing creations as a child and was amazed at the tiny, detailed creations made - I would love to see something similar from chocolate - for example a strip of chocolate floral lace which could be added to the top of a cupcake! 
Are you a self-taught baker or do you often look online for tutorials?
I have used a few Mary Berry recipes but besides following the guidelines I have taught myself to add and take away ingredients to make it my own! 
Do you have a favourite baker – maybe someone you look up to?
Mary Berry! ​

What’s your biggest baking disaster?
I once put the grill on instead of the oven - oops!!! 
Did you know all Cake Angels products have no artificial colours or flavours?
Is this important to you? I did not know this and this is great to hear as I have always found the products to taste delicious and non fake tasting which is far too common in many sweet products. 
What is it about Cake Angels that makes you love being an Archangel? 
I absolutely love the products - to the girly packaging, to the variety and detail and care that goes into all of the products. I am a very creative person so I really appreciate the effort that has gone into the brand and products! 

What are the three essential tools/tips for getting the perfect Instagram shot?
Use a ring light to make the lighting perfect. Use VSCO to add gorgeous filters and try natural lighting too! 
What would be your ideal/perfect baking set-up? Imagine having all the budget you want and any backdrop/setting in the world.
I would love to have a huge, I mean HUGE Kitchen with a huge island in the middle. I would have a white kitchen so it is kept bright and clean looking, with marble work tops and gold accessories. Of course a top of the range cake mixer on the island too! 

We love your baking style (add specifics for Archangel), where do you get your inspo from?
My inspo comes from my beautiful children and everyday life.
When did blogging/ Instagram turn from a hobby into a passion?
As of January this year, I really started enjoying posting and being apart of a amazing baking community.
What is a go-to baking product everyone should have in their kitchen cupboard?
Cake Agels sprinkles of course.
What does baking mean to you?
Baking to me is a way to creatively express myself. being a single mum of two young children, it’s my way to relax and unwind. I just Love creating and baking new and exciting bakes. 

Did you know all Cake Angels products have no artificial colours or flavours?
Is this important to you? Yes & it’s also important to many of my customers.
What are the three essential tips for getting the perfect Instagram shot?
I’m still learning the art of insta photography, I use my iPhone and natural light as much as I can.
Fave quote you live by?
If you can dream it, you can achieve it.
What is it about Cake Angels that makes you love being an Archangel?
​I absolutely love all Cake Angels products! And use them regularly in my creations. I love how I can create so many different Bakes with the same items. & have so many different designs. The Cake Angels team, are so kind and lovely, so it’s such a pleasure being apart of the Archangel Army.

We love your baking style, where do you get your inspo from?
I get my inspiration from cookery books, the food section in magazines, reading other food blogs and also closer to home, with my mum, who is an amazing baker. I’ve been alongside my mum in the kitchen since I was a little girl and she’s taught me all the fundamentals of classic British-style baking - delicious sponge cakes, butterfly and fairy cakes and shortbread are just a few recipes I baked with my mum when I was growing up.
​
We all start somewhere! What motivated you to start baking and how long did it take you to build up your skills?
I’ve always loved baking, but I never intended to follow a career in the cookery industry. I left school like most people unsure of what they wanted to do as a career and after leaving a college course that didn’t inspire me, I got a job at my local bakery and learnt so many skills before enrolling on a three-year course and achieved a diploma in professional cookery. 

When did blogging/ Instagram turn from a hobby into a passion?
I have a full-time job but I still blog in my free time. My blogging journey has been great so far and I’m extremely thankful for the opportunities to work with many fantastic companies, which have been a great honour and a lot of fun for me too. When people from all over the world started making my recipes, the joy and satisfaction I got made me realise my blog was more than a hobby, it was my passion. 

What does your typical weekend look like?
There is no such thing as a typical weekend for me. Some weekends I’m at work, but on weekends off I'll spend time catching up with family and friends and I love to do some baking if I get the chance!

Why do you bake? Celebrations, special occasions, as a surprise?
At the moment I bake just for fun, as that’s where I get my enjoyment. I like to make birthday cakes for family members or friends. In the future I would love to turn my blog into a business, either selling my bakes or teaching others how to bake/cook. 

Did you know all Cake Angels products have no artificial colours or flavours? Is this important to you?
I only realised this when I started using the products. Knowing that the Cake Angels products have no artificial colours or flavours is really important as I like to keep my bakes as natural as they can be, whilst still making them look creative and colourful. 
​

When did blogging/ Instagram turn from a hobby into a passion?
I’ve been blogging and using Instagram for what feels like years now, I’d say I was around 17 (so 5 years ago) when I first started to really love creating different cakes and taking pretty photos. Since then my passion has just got bigger and bigger, it’s the perfect creative outlet. ​

What is a go-to baking product everyone should have in their kitchen cupboard?
Oooh now that’s a really hard one, if we’re talking equipment I’d say that a good set of different nozzles is key: Russian nozzles, a 2D tip to create rose buttercream and a classic swirl. Ingredient wise it has to be sprinkles, pretty sprinkles can take any cupcake/cake straight from a 2 to a 10 every time. ​

What does baking mean to you?
To me, baking means creativity and personality. Of course the taste matters just as much but I absolutely love expressing myself through different creative cakes. Whether that be an autumnal themed drip cake or pink gin cupcakes, seeing the end result and everyone loving it is what makes me really happy. 

If you could join us at Cake Angels HQ and design your own product, what would it be?
Now this would be my absolute DREAM, I’ve always dreamt of designing my own baking products: sprinkles, pretty cupcake cases etc. I always find it quite hard trying to find pretty cases locally, so I think I’d have to go with designing a set of those. I’m thinking lots of girly florals, rose gold polka dots and a cocktail themed design... I could talk about this subject forever. ​​

Have you ever had any weird or wonderful baking requests?
Hmm let me think, I’d say that my ‘strangest’ request was from Benefit Cosmetics when they wanted me to create cupcakes to match their Halloween looks. I had the task of making dead mermaids, candy sugar skulls and brow themed cakes, I absolutely loved creating it all for them though.

Did you know all Cake Angels products have no artificial colours or flavours? Is this important to you?
I did, and I think that it’s amazing that they don’t contain any artificial colours or flavours. I recently held my own cupcake masterclass and lots of the girls loved using the products. ​

Can you tell us about some of your recent cake decorating obsessions?
I’d say that my recent cake decorating obsession has got to be cupcake bouquets, as I’m definitely having a moment with creating realistic looking flower buttercream right now. I absolutely love using the Cake Angels 2D decorative flowers to finish my bouquets too. The short answer: basically anything floral! ​

What is it about Cake Angels that makes you love being an Archangel?
Cake Angels are one of a kind really, all of the original products and pretty sprinkles/decorations are amazing to work with as they always add the perfect finishing touch to my bakes. I also love just how supportive they are as a brand, they’ve got to have the best ‘brand’ Instagram, they’re fun and always leave you feeling inspired to bake something new. ​

We LOVE your baking style, where do you get your inspo from? 
From all over really! Anywhere from Pinterest / Instagram / Magazines to remembering a classic name form childhood that I fancy recreating. 

Do you have a favourite bakery?
Our local Farm Shop (in deepest North Wales) makes amazing Bread, Cakes and Meringues. And now I’m no city gal but of course, the dream would be to visit Peggy Porschen. 

If you could join us at Cake Angels HQ and design your own product, what would it be? 
Oooh if I was designing a product it would probably be something glittery/ colourful and a really easy to use product that gave bakes a wow factor. That sounds about right for Cake Angels (yum)...

Are you a self-taught baker or do you often look online for tutorials?
Self-taught. Occasionally I’ll look something up but only if it’s a customer Bake. When baking for my family I like to experiment and wing it to a certain extent. 

Can you tell us about some of your recent cake decorating obsessions? 
I’m obsessed with edible flowers and springtime editions to my bakes currently.

What is your baking goal? Open a bakery? Bake for someone famous? Launch a cookbook? Raise money for charity? 
The dream would 100% be a cookbook. Fingers crossed!​

Do you have any upcoming events you want to shout about?
I’m taking a little break from events and pop-ups at the moment having just had my second baby. But plenty of new products launching on the website and regular blog updates. Check out Jessie Bakes amaze website here.

What would be your ideal baking set-up? Imagine having all the budget you want and any backdrop/setting in the world.
A whopping kitchen, full of all the mod cons / my fave products and plenty of fridge space! Light, clean and bright with a good view out of the windows when I’m baking. 

What are the three essential tools/tips for getting the perfect Instagram shot?
Good lighting, a clean bright background and something delicious to photograph! 

Did you know all Cake Angels products have no artificial colours or flavours? Is this important to you?
I did! And yes, super important. I like to know what I’m putting in both my own and my kids' bodies. ​

What is it about Cake Angels that makes you love being an Archangel? 
Cake Angels have been an utter delight to be involved with from day 1. So approachable and supportive of small brands and bakers like me. 

What is a go-to baking product everyone should have in their kitchen cupboard?
​My kitchenAid, I wouldn’t be able to do it without it! It’s my baby. 

What does baking mean to you?
I love to bake, I find it so therapeutic, I get so much enjoyment out of it, especially when I am gifting the final product to family or friends. 

Do you have a favourite bakery?
Ole & Steen! Their cinnamon social is to die for! So so good.

If you could join us at Cake Angels HQ and design your own product, what would it be?
Something which makes it easy to stack two-tiered cakes, so when you put the 2nd tier on it goes on nicely
​(I always struggle with this).

Have you ever had any weird or wonderful baking requests?
I haven’t actually! I’ve been asked to make some rude ones though haha!

Can you tell us about some of your recent cake decorating obsessions? 
Ombré cakes - I think they’re so pretty!

What would be your perfect baking set-up?
Imagine having all the budget you want and any backdrop/setting in the world. A big kitchen! 2 or 3 ovens, lots of space for sprinkles (like crumbs & doilies sprinkle cupboard) a place to take photos of the cakes, like a nice white set up, with good lighting. And someone to do all the washing up would be FAB...

What is it about Cake Angels that makes you love being an Archangel?
I love their products. I get so many people who ask for there sprinkles to be on their orders. The people at Cake Angels HQ are also a very nice team, they comment, like and share my creations, and are always very supportive.

​Whether you’re a newbie to festivals or an old dab hand, everyone has a ‘type’, and let’s be honest, when you’re forking out for a weekend pass (when did festivals get so spenny!?) you want to get it right. No one wants to be stuck in a mosh pit that they’re unfamiliar with, exactly as you don’t want to feel out of place wearing your fave bucket hat. 

​Rainbow 
You’re a Bestival Bae; wearing the new Suburban Heights range from Elsie and Fred, you’re usually found raving to a House Gospel Choir with people you just met by the cool burrito stall…'Why am I still carrying this inflatable UFO?
​
Blush
You’re a Wilderness Weekender; covered head to toe in Gypsy Shrine jewels, you feel (and look) like a GODDESS. Your outfit (which you’ve been planning for months) looks so good that you’ll spend the weekend filling your Insta with creative shots with your gals.. #freethenipple
 
Intergalactic
You’re a Glasto Gal; looking for an ‘out of this world experience’ you’ve gone big (having taken the whole week off work) and you won’t be disappointed. Missing out on last year just means you’ll have to make it EXTRA worthwhile this year.   
 
Zillionaire
You’re a Reading & Leeds Raver; looking for something a bit more hardcore, you’ll have a new bucket hat for each day but still bring some glamour with subtle sparkles. If you make it through the weekend, it’s a bonus. Go hard or go home, right?! 

​And finally, if you can’t go to the party, then bring the party to you this summer. Give our festival bark and superFREAKshake ideas a try and let’s fill this summer with colour!