Edible garden for Carole Matthews' The Cake Shop in the Garden

Everyone who reads my blog will know I am a big fan of Carole Matthews. And Cake. I have reviewed several of Carole's fabulous novels in the past and even got to meet her at the Chocolate Festival (another word starting with a 'c' I adore) last year, interviewed her on my blog and have dubbed her 'The Queen' of Christmas' (more c's!) because of her wonderfully festive Christmas titles that I look forward to each year.

So when I read that her publishers were creating an edible cake garden in London to celebrate Carole's latest novel, The Cake Shop in the Garden, I knew I had to visit – no matter the cost. It was taking place last Thursday, the publication day for the novel, between 12 and 2pm. The perfect time to pop by during my lunch break, right? Except, from my offices in Victoria it took me 25 minutes and two tube journeys each way to get to the cake garden in Russell Square. And since I only get a 1 hour lunch break that meant I had just 10 very rushed minutes at the cake garden itself.

I made the most of it though! I got to say 'hi' to Carole who was looking absolutely gorgeous and she even took the time to sign my absolute favourite book of hers, With Love at Christmas, which I'd taken along; I got to very briefly see some bookish friends who'd also made the trek to the garden; I devoured the most moist and delicious vanilla cupcake, which had an edible version of the book on top; and I spend a good five minutes taking photos of all the stunning cake displays and edible details in the garden, such as an amazingly beautiful potted plant made out of cake, a bird bath, a biscuit and fruit loaf wall, and a delicate rose cupcake.

Running around the underground to catch my trains back and forth from work and skipping lunch in the process (I only had the cupcake)? Totally worth it. Thanks Carole and Little, Brown for creating such a fabulous publication day treat.