Fang-tastic creation slips down a treat at child's birthday party

Snake in the grass ... mum-of-two Francesca's cake is a success

BNPS.co.uk

BY JOHN COLES

Last Updated: 10th August 2012

 

THIS fearsome looking snake actually couldn't do you much more harm than a little toothache - as it's actually an incredibly life-like cake.

It was made by mum Francesca Pitcher for daughter Claudia's six year-old birthday when she asked for something 'spooky' following a trip to the zoo.

Francesca, 37, who has a phobia of snakes, spent three days creating the realistic replica of a yellow Burmese python after studying images online.

Menacing ... the snake's head remains

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She baked the equivalent of six sponge cakes before carving and sculpting them into the slinky python, one of the most lethal non-venomous snakes in the world.

The loving mum took a painstaking 12 hours decorating the cake with a white chocolate fondant and special dye to make the skin and distinctive markings.

At the party, Claudia and her 26 pals thought the cake was delicious and fought over who was going to eat the head.

Happy birthday ... six-year-old Claudia blows out the candles

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Mum-of-two Francesca, who runs a cake-making business in Maidstone, Kent, said: "Once I had got over my phobia I just cracked on with it, although before I put the skin on it looked really creepy.

"After I made him I had to keep him in a box and lock him away in a room, I just couldn't look at him.

"The children were fascinated by the cake and weren't scared at all, but their parents gave it a wide berth when they arrived and some of them were quite freaked out by it."