A self-taught baker has created a life-size tiger cake to highlight the challenges facing endangered animals.
The creation is the handiwork of Zoe Fox, who spent a staggering 300 hours baking, sculpting and decorating the masterpiece after learning her trade by watching YouTube videos.
The mum-of-two, 35, crafted the tiger from chocolate ganache – a cream and chocolate mix – and painstakingly hand-carved the giant creature.
The tiger, which was named Tony by Zoe’s daughters Lucy, seven, and three-year-old Sophie, took stage at a Save Wild Tigers gala dinner at London’s Savoy Hotel.
Zoe runs her business, Sweet Foxylicious Cakes, from her home in Countesthorpe, Leics.
She has also formed Bakers Unite to Fight, which dedicates members’ skills to the cause of endangered animals.
She says: “Tony’s made of ganache, a chocolate and cream mix, and he’s all hand-carved.
“I’ve used modelling chocolate for the facial features and it’s all covered in icing and airbrushed with edible paint.
“With over 300 hours gone into Tony, he stands quite high, ready to pounce on you.”
“I was concerned about the depleted numbers of wild animals and that my future grandchildren would only ever see these animals in books, so I decided to contact some fellow cake makers.
“My fellow artists, in the US and the UK, have all come together to create a lot of different animals out of cake and raise awareness of endangered animals.”
All 28 cake makers – who include award winners who have written books – have posted pictures of their creations on the Bakers Unite to Fight page.
The group’s creations will be on display at Cake International, which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC, from November 6 to 8.
Zoe won a gold award at the same event last year for a 33in (83.8cm) monkey named Monty.
She added: “I set this group up to try to raise awareness that the animals need us to be more aware of how each of us can help before it is too late.
“I like to bake for charities – if I can help people out by doing something I enjoy and I’m good at, then I will.
“When I see people’s faces light up when they see my products, it warms my heart.”
