How viral Yorkshire baker who sparked global craze for decorating Terry's Chocolate Oranges is helping to save small businesses

Cake decorator Chelle Holmes, 43, has previously turned the traditional Christmas treat into edible unicorns, pumpkins and even the Grinch using her icing skills.

In 2020, Chelle went viral after her Grinch designs were replicated across the globe and she sold out in minutes.

Mum-of-two Chelle, who runs Holmes Made Cakes York, sold more than 150 of her designs which were made with painstaking accuracy.

She uses icing for all of the intricate decoration to make the fur, beard and woolly hat that the festive favourites wear.

As well as the oranges, Chelle has decorated Terry's Chocolate Oranges to resemble snowmen and even Leonardo Di Caprio's face.

Despite the intricate design that goes into each, she says she can make around four per hour, but she makes them in batches rather than individually.

Chelle prepares the icing and then decorates the chocolate orange in stages, putting the coats on the batch then returning to add the beard and hat.

Everything is edible on her designs and she encourages people to break the decorated chocolate oranges into segments as you would normally.

However, kind-hearted Chelle, from York, has now turned her hand to helping other businesses who have struggled during the Covid pandemic.

Through a huge Facebook group she created - Terry's Chocolate Orange and Cake Decorating UK - Chelle reveals how she carries out the designs to allow other businesses to also sell the chocolate orange creations.

Chelle has been invited to speak at Cake International at the NEC in Birmingham this weekend about her amazing work.

"I teach making them for free in my group now so others can sell them.

"Apparently it saved a lot of small businesses last year, it was overwhelming.

"I had tons of messages from people who were struggling thanking me for the group.

"I think I spent most of last Christmas in tears."

Many business owners have joined Chelle's Facebook group to learn how to create the designs.

As businesses struggle during the pandemic, Chelle conducted classes on the page to teach others how to make a success from the chocolate oranges.

"I personally sold 150 last Christmas despite my plan to sell only 50, some people sold around 300", Chelle explained.

"This year I will be doing them again but I'm not sure on the designs."

After her event at the weekend, Chelle said it was "full steam ahead" on creating the next batch of designs for this Christmas.

To see more, visit Holmes Made Cakes York.

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