VICTORY really does taste sweet for a mother-of-three who won a television cake competition.

Baking-mad Suzy Pelta returned to the studio of ITV morning show Lorraine on Thursday last week to learn she had attracted the most public votes in the dessert recipe contest with her American-style chocolate and banana cake with peanut butter icing.

The 32-year-old, whose prize is a kitchen worth £20,000, said: “It’s all a bit surreal, really. I’m very happy to win.

“Joanna Lumley tried my cake on air and said, ‘It’s heaven’. Lorraine said she enjoyed it.

“I’ve had lots of people, absolute strangers, messaging me on Twitter with pictures of my cake that they have made. I’ve had great feedback.

“I’ve been thinking of starting a baking blog. I’ve got lots of people following me on Twitter so I’ll see what else I can do.”

Mrs Pelta’s parents, Rhona and Roy Kemp, live in Northfield Avenue, Pinner, and pop round at least once a week to try their daughter’s latest cookies, cake and biscuits.

The singing teacher, who went to Nower Hill High School in Pinner, now lives in Parsons Crescent, Edgware, with husband Tal, 32, and their children Louis, six, and three-year-old twins, Gracie and Amelie.

She said her son was very excited to appear in the short film shown all week to encourage viewers to vote.

“He believes he’s the real reason we won, which he probably is,” she said.

The other Lorraine Cake Club contest finalist was Sarah Scott who made a carrot cake.




120g unsalted butter

100g dark chocolate

3 medium bananas

160g light brown sugar

pinch of salt

2 large eggs



150g smooth peanut butter

225g cream cheese

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

300g icing sugar

few drops of whole milk

Cake method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C

2) Butter and dust with flour a 20cm round or heart shaped tin

3) Mash the bananas and coat them with one tablespoon of flour

4) Melt the butter in a saucepan

5) When melted, add the chocolate and take off the heat

6) When both melted, add the bananas and stir until incorporated

7) Beat the eggs and add them with the sugar and salt, and mix


9) Put the mixture into your tin and put into the oven for 45 to 55 minutes depending on your oven

10) You may need to cover the top with tin foil after 25 minutes to stop it from over-browning

11) Your cake is done when a piece of uncooked spaghetti inserted into the middle of your cake comes out clean

Icing method:

1) Stirring by hand, mix the peanut butter, cream cheese, vanilla, salt and half of the icing sugar: it is important to do this by hand because the cream cheese can split and go watery if over-mixed

2) Once mixed together, add the icing sugar a third at a time, followed each time by a drop of whole milk

3) Taste the icing! Add more peanut butter if you like it

4) Mix until the icing sticks to the spoon but could be easily spread

5) Using a palette knife, spread the icing across your cake and decorate with crushed flake bars and glitter