Kinloss mum who set up cake business out of "boredom" set to show off skills to thousands at wedding exhibition

A MORAY mum who only started her business in a moment of lockdown "boredom" has seen her venture go from strength to strength.

Katalin Urquhart, who owns Kinloss based business 'Torta by Katalin', will exhibit her baking skills in front of thousands at next weekend's Your Wedding Exhibition.

It is only six years since Katalin decided a management desk job wasn't for her before going back to college to study baking.

And it's only three years since she decided to make it her living.

Now, Katalin finds herself catering for dozens of brides and grooms up and down the country every year while operating a café that bears her name too.

And she is braced for the business to go up yet another gear as she prepares to join more than 150 of the region’s top suppliers at the north-east’s premier wedding exhibition.

Katalin said: “I set up my business during Covid. I think it was six weeks into lockdown and I was just really bored."

Inspired by her mother while growing up in her childhood home in Hungary (torta is Hungarian for cake), bakes she made for friends proved very popular and she soon found herself increasingly in demand with couples tying the knot all over the country.

“My first season was probably around 15 weddings, last year was nearly 20, we’ve done 25 in 2023 and are already booked in for another 22 in 2024 and obviously going to the exhibition now this could all grow quite big," Katalin said.

Katalin has exhibited in Glasgow before but is delighted to get the chance to find new clients among a more local audience attending the event at P&J Live on January 20 and January 21.

“It’s a great opportunity and I can’t wait to meet new people and hear the exciting and interesting ideas they have for cakes,” she said.

“I like challenging myself. If people come to me with a new design then I work hard to make it happen for them.”

Among challenging recent commissions were a wedding cake in the shape of a mountain cairn, which had nine layers of sponge and required careful engineering to keep it up, and another which had to be carried up very steep steps to the top of a barn.

One thing not on Katalin’s menu, which also extends to afternoon teas, sweet and savoury grazing tables, macarons and favours, is fondant icing.

Katalin added: “I don’t actually like a smooth surface on a cake.

"This year we have gone more into the rustic vibe and the one cake that has really come back this year is the Victorian piped-style, with a Marie Antoinette feel, either fully white or really colourful.”

Cakes are just one of the items that will be on show at the Your Wedding Exhibition when the doors open on January 20.

To find out more, visit www.yourweddingexhibition.com.