FOLLOWING the popular “Cook for The Queen” competition for children held for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the organisers, Love British Food, are inviting schools to join in this summer’s Royal celebrations and commemorate Her Majesty’s 90th birthday by making a “Cake for The Queen”.

The Queen’s official 90th birthday is being celebrated on the weekend of June 11 to 12, which begins with a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on the Friday, followed by Trooping the Colour on the Saturday morning.

The finale takes place on the Sunday when The Mall will be transformed for Britain’s largest-ever street party.

Communities across the country will be celebrating this historical occasion in many wonderful ways and schools are invited to join in the national celebrations by holding a fun birthday party, the centre piece of which will be a very special birthday cake for Her Majesty made by the children themselves.

The competition sets a specific challenge: as well as making a cake that is spectacular to look at and is decorated in a manner fit for Royalty, it must be made with healthy ingredients. The healthier, the fresher and the more local the better. This is an opportunity to teach children that there are alternatives to sugar!

Photographs of the top five winning cakes will be made into a montage and presented to The Queen as a birthday souvenir and the winning school will be treated to an exclusive trip to Buckingham Palace, during British Food Fortnight.

Taking part is easy. The competition is open to any group of children of school age and all you have to do is adapt a traditional cake recipe using healthy and/or local ingredients or create your own brand new recipe. Bake and decorate it in a manner fit for The Queen.

Share and eat the cake – have a Royal Birthday Party for the class or the whole school.

Finally, send up to five photographs of the cake, of the children making it and your Royal Birthday Party, plus a description of the recipe and ingredients you used and how and why you adapted it by emailing: [email protected] .

The competition is open to any group of children of school age (primary and secondary) in the UK. The group should have an adult as a co-ordinator/point of contact.

Entries must be received by July 15 and don’t forget your name, your school or group name and a contact telephone number.

Winners will be notified during week beginning July 18 and the prize tour of Buckingham Palace will take place during British Food Fortnight. (September 17 to October 2).

For more information about Cake for the Queen visit the Love British Food Website: http://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/british-food-fortnight/cake-for-the-queen .