She is no stranger to winning though, this is her eighth time.

Kath has been decorating cakes for 30 years.

“We paid someone to make a cake for my daughters 21st,” she said.

“I thought this can’t be too hard, but it was more difficult than I thought!

“Jeanette MacGregor taught a TAFE course on cake decorating, so I did that and went from there.”

Kath joined the Cake Decorators Guild and went to all the demonstration days she could to learn the intricate art.

“Someone encouraged me to put an entry in the Sydney Show in 1989 or 90,” Kath said.

She is still winning or placing when she enters.

The Nationals take place biennially with this year’s competition held at Jupiters Casino on the Gold Coast.

Kath entered the Masters section where the theme is often a wedding cake.

“This one was Vintage Leather and Lace,” Kath said.

Kath crafted a 1929 Indian motorcycle, the bride is in a beaded 1930s style dress and the groom in leather jacket, pants and motorbike boots.

“That gave it the vintage and leather aspects,” Kath said.

“The lace is on the cake itself.”

Kath’s cake (which isn’t actually edible - it’s made from polystyrene so it’s light enough to transport easily) placed first overall across 12 sections and 40 cakes.

Rules state the entry has to be achievable in cake, but it is judged on decoration.

“It took me three or four months to make,” Kath said.

“I fiddled with the bike for three weeks.”

The gorgeous creation will live in a box until it’s entered in the Royal Easter and Parkes Show’s next year, then retired.

Kath’s favourite decorations to make are jewellery, old flowers, and figurines, especially lady figurines.

She keeps busy with as much baking and decorating work as she wants, demonstrating and doing charity work.

Kath Swansbra is a household name in the cake decorating world. 

She has demonstrated the art in every state except NT.