King-size creation on display at NEC Cake International - BBC.com

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By Shehnaz Khan

BBC News, West Midlands

A king-size cake is among the gorgeous gateaux on display at the NEC, with Charles III's lickable likeness set to be a leading attraction.

The baked fake, which is anything but crumby, has risen to the occasion at the Cake International show.

His munchable majesty is decorated from top to a hopefully not-so-soggy bottom, with his crown the icing on the cake - literally.

Thousands of visitors are expected to attend on the outskirts of Birmingham.

The show, now in its 29th year, got under way on Friday. It is set to showcase hundreds of cake creations until Sunday.

Among them is a showpiece inspired by TV's nostalgic nail-biter, Stranger Things. And while visitors may have expected an upside down cake, the display actually features edible characters from the show.

There is also a slice of Sabbath by way of life-size local lad - and prince of dark chocolate - Ozzy Osbourne.

But in a Coronation year, the cakey King is sure to turn heads. And fittingly, the keen horticulturist has been surrounded by different types of flour (if that's not over-egging things).

Cake artist Emma Jayne, from south Wales, created the piece and said doing the eyes - made from modelling paste and piping gel - was the most "time-consuming" part.

She said the edible eyes had been put in an air fryer on dehydration mode "for a whole day" to create a lifelike and glazed look.

The eyelashes, she added, were made from individual strands of wheat, painted with edible colouring.

"This lifelike detail is so important for me, especially when we are talking about the King and I can't wait for people to see it close up," she explained.