Competition Advice

I’m going to follow this as well Elizabeth! I also just entered my first competition, and have never been to a cake show before. Where are you going? I am going to the National Capital Area Cake Show in Fairfax Virginia.

This one is in the UK ‘The Big Cake Show’ in Exeter in Devon. Best of luck to you hopefully we can get some useful advice X

Well I can try to help out. I have entered into 3 competitions so far, so not an expert but I am feeling more comfortable entering. What kinds of things are you looking to know about cake shows?

What to take? What sort of thing the judges look for? Would you take your cake in finished or do they allow you to spend time putting it together and adding things. Do you usually get given a spot or is it first come first choice. Do they cut into your cake to look at the inside even if it not judged on taste? Do you take a stand? And any other helpful hints. Thanks Prima Cakes

lol..wow that is a lot of questions but very easy to answer :). So I would bring with you anything you need to repair your piece if anything happens in transport. Kind of like a repair kit you would bring for a real cake.

Judges in the competition I have been too look for cleanliness, color, intreptation of theme, originality.

Again at the shows I have gone to they give you time the night before and a few hours before the show starts to set up your piece so you can assembly on site if you wish. No they do not cut into cakes that are not being entered into a tasting category.

You can squally bring anything you like to present your cake. That includes stands. Just keep in mind that there usually is no electricity by the show tables. For me it has benn assigned spots and not first come first serve but this all depends on how the show is run. I would assume that if the show mentions size restrictions they are going to give you a spot.

I hope this helps answer your questions.

Thanks Jennifer, I have only just seen this message, it is very useful x

So glad it could help you out and for all the typos I just noticed…lol
I did forget to also mention that I have heard from judges in the past that if your shows allows you should use cake dummies instead of real cake so you don’t have to deal with structure problems. My rules always say that if you use a dummy it just needs to be possible in cake.