Nub News community reporter Fraser Clements gets UP CLOSE with Terri Newman, owner of EriVica Cakes, and finds out how the shop has flourished over the past three years, despite some adversity.

A double-award winning cake designer and creator,Terri Newman has lived in the Hadleigh area for more than 30 years and is the owner of the EriVica cakes shop based on the town's High Street, which was first opened to the public in 2018.

EriVica is a combination of the names of her mum Erica and stepdad Vic, who both played huge part in Terri realising her dream.

Terri said: "My interest in cake making and decorating was ignited by watching my mum, Erica, who made wedding and celebration cakes when I was a child. When mum passed away 17 years ago, my stepdad Vic gave me my mum's cake making and decorating equipment so I taught myself how to use them and started making simple cakes.

"Over the years I progressed to making bigger, more challenging cakes and when Vic also passed away in 2017, my inheritance from mum and Vic gave me the funds I needed to realise my dream of opening a cake shop."

The Weird and wonderful[H3]

Terri told Nub News some of the weirdest and most popular cake requests they have received: "The strangest was a rowing boat full of junk. One of our regular customers asked us to replicate the junk in her garage as a subtle hint to her father that he still hadn't sorted it out.

"The largest was actually mostly fake cake (polystyrene inside then iced) this was back in 2008 for the Truckers Episode of Top Gear. The base was a 4ft x 4ft x 1ft , the nest 3ft x 3ft x 1ft, the next 2ft x 2ft x1ft and the top tier was a 12" cube of sponge cakes.

"All decorated to look like real cake in royal icing, it was to be filmed in the back of an articulated lorry with the intention that it fell over. Of course this was pre EriVica Cakes.

"One of the biggest cakes I have made since opening the business was my competition entry for 2019's Cake International. I made a grizzly bear that measured about two feet high and consisted of 11 layers of carved cake. He was too heavy to carry and had to be wheeled in to the exhibition hall. Archie the bear was my first competition entry and it won me a bronze award in the sculpted/carved cake category."

Terri continued: "Every one of our cakes is unique as they are designed and made to order. In terms of flavour, the ones we get asked for most often are vanilla, chocolate and lemon."

[H3]Oven baked local goods

Cakes on Lockdown

Terri told us the changes they have had to make since the pandemic and how it has been since the lockdown ended, she said: "During the COVID-19 pandemic when we were forced to close our doors indefinitely. We still had bills to pay and the majority of our stock was perishable but as a relatively new business we were not eligible for the majority of the funding provided by the government.

"Being a food business, we have always followed strict hygiene procedures so our everyday working practices didn't have to change too much. But we had to change the way our customers contacted and interacted with us, relying on technology just like everyone else.

"We provided free delivery for the small number of orders we did receive and/or timed doorstep collections for those that were still able to collect. Consultations were carried out by phone / Zoom or email instead of face to face."

Terri continued: "We took a huge risk and moved into a larger premises in November (What was Labels to Love). We officially opened at No 24 on December, 2020 and were really pleased to have a fantastically busy Christmas period but were devastated to have to lock down again after Christmas.

"We worked really hard to make sure all of our advertising was in place to promote our business prior to the lifting of lockdown and thankfully it paid off.

"Since we were officially allowed to re-open to the public in April, we haven't stopped. Orders have been coming thick and fast and we have had to close our diary a few times due to being fully booked.

"We have also seen a huge increase in demand for wedding cakes due to so many couples having to wait to get married.

"Surviving the COVID-19 lockdown was definitely a struggle but so too was the heat. Keeping icing from melting in the increasingly high summer temperatures has been a challenge, even with an air conditioning unit."

The iced finish

"We are very proud to be part of the Hadleigh and will always offer support where we can.

"The best part of of a cake shop is seeing the look on people's faces when they see their dream cake brought to life or watching them come into the shop having followed the smell of baking cakes down the high street."

Terri revealed there are some exciting new plans for the future: "We have had plans for some time to offer cake decorating classes but we have had to put these plans on hold due to the pandemic.

"We are now, finally getting round to offering group activity sessions, where groups of up to six people can come and have a fun, cake decorating experience, learn some new skills and take their creations home to enjoy.

"We will also be introducing smaller and one to one classes in more specific areas of cake decorating in the coming months.

"We are always happy to cater to people's dietary choices where possible.

"Unfortunately we are unable to cater for severe allergies of any kind, we can provide cakes that are allergen free, but as we use gluten, dairy and eggs (and occasionally nuts) in most of our baking, there is a chance that all of our products may contain traces of these allergens.

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