LIFE plans are often made on holiday. Having time to relax gives us time to sit back and rethink our futures.

Dominique Pickering gave hers some thought while enjoying a break in Norfolk. “At the time I wasn't happy in my job as a textile designer. I loved what I did, but after having two children I felt I wanted to do something different,” she says.

The decision she made changed her life and today she is at the helm of her own business, designing and making exquisite cakes.

In collaboration with her father Geoff, she set up Ilkley-based Poppy Pickering offering imaginatively designed, bespoke cakes for all occasions.

Wedding cakes and favours, birthday cakes, anniversary cakes, bespoke cup cakes and decorated cookies are among the range of hand crafted wares painstakingly made by Dominique in her stylish kitchen and shop.

Alongside her, Geoff, who trained as a chocolatier to bring an extra special ingredient to the business, creates a range of hand-made chocolates.

Dominique took a course to master the art of sugar flower making. “Then I spent a year perfecting recipes and creating dummy cakes,” she says.

The pair were in the process of honing their skills when the shop, in Leeds Road, Ilkley, came up for sale. “It was a chocolate and cake shop, and the owner was retiring, so it was perfect,” says Dominique. “I called it Poppy Pickering as I really like the name but my husband didn’t want to call either of my daughters Poppy, so I used the name for my business. A graphic designer came up with the poppy logo with a P inside it, which I really like.”

Dominique designed bed linen for a leading manufacturer, and while she wanted a change, it also had to challenge her creative skills. The Huddersfield University textile design graduate considered floristry, but a love of baking drew her towards cake design.

“I loved designing floral bed linen so I transferred my ideas to flowers on cakes. I have always been a keen baker and my dad has always baked so I’ve been brought up with it. I picked it up quite easily. I’m quite creative and good with colour - I like things to be tonally correct and balanced."

Customers often arrive with an idea which they discuss with Dominique. “I sketch it out and then show them the design,” she says. “My training as a designer has helped - I can visualise how the end product will look.”

Her wedding cakes are much in demand. “One, for a wedding at Swinton Park near Ripon, had six tiers, covered with sugar roses.”

As well as delicate floral creations, designs requested include a Laurel and Hardy, and a Dr Who cake.

Flavours include white chocolate and raspberry, chocolate praline crunch, cherry and almond, citrus mud cake, chocolate and orange and lemon and blueberry. “I’m developing a black cherry kirsch and also cookies and cream,” she adds.

White chocolate and raspberry mud cake is the most popular choice. “It is a really moist, dense cake with white chocolate and fresh raspberries.”

Hours of preparation and care go into each cake. “It is very labour intensive," says Dominique. "You have to do the groundwork. People often don’t realise how much goes into it to get a lovely, sharp finish.”

“Cakes have to be level, and then there's ganaching, coating with chocolate or marzipan then icing. The process takes about four days. Every cake is different.”

Ingredients are, where possible, locally sourced. “I use Masham-based Rosebud Preserves and try to use local dairy products and eggs.”

She makes use of social media, primarily Facebook and Instagram, to display her creations. “The clarity on an iPad is really good and it is a great way to see the cakes.”

A monthly consultation is also held at the shop, allowing people to try a variety of cakes.

Dominique’s daughters Ella, five and three-year-old Phoebe, love visiting the shop and watching their mum at work. “Ella loves decorating cakes and she likes drawing cakes.”

Former hotel chain director Geoff has decades of experience in both hospitality and catering. With Dominique’s mum Yvonne, he ran tea rooms in both Ilkley and Grassington.

Geoff trained in chocolate making with top Belgian company Callebaut. “You can be very adventurous with chocolate - at the training school we put together Stilton cheese with dark chocolate. You can play with flavours.”

Chocolates are made each day, using the finest Belgian chocolate. Around 45 flavours are sold and beautifully presented either individually or in smart boxes.

Geoff’s champagne truffles are very popular. “They’re the biggest seller,” he says. “I’ve done a Cognac caramel, a cherry and kirsch ganache marzipan and a pistachio marzipan.”

Other flavours include walnut marzipan, pear and ginger and raspberry cream.

“There are some new flavours coming in, like salted caramels. I make my caramel using Yorkshire honey from Ampleforth.”

He recently made a chocolate tennis ball filled with champagne truffles. “That was a special order and came out really well,” adds Geoff.

* Visit poppypickering.co.uk; email info@poppypickering.co.uk; or ring (01943) 609477.