From: Southern Oregon Guild
Date: February 5, 2025; 12:15pm
Event Date: Deadline for applications February 21
Contact: Joyce Abrams (541)-659-3858
To celebrate the culinary arts, the Southern Oregon Guild of Artists and Artisans is hosting a new competition, the Great Illinois Valley Cake Derby, inviting cake bakers to donate their best cake to compete for ribbons, prizes, and bragging rights as the Best Cake Baker of 2025. Awards will be made and cakes will be sold in a silent auction as part of the Guild’s spring fundraiser, Cake & Choir Fest, on March 1st, 2025 from 12-3pm.
Competitors can win awards in 1 of 4 categories – layer/bundt cake, sheet cake, cheesecake, and art cake. They can also enter the same cake in layer, sheet, or cheesecake as well as art cake. All cakes will be judged first on quality so that, in the first 3 categories, an especially delicious cake can win a ribbon with a simple presentation. The art cake category will call for creativity in presentation, judged both on quality and on uniquely original visual presentation.
Judges will be gourmet cook Donna Parrish, master baker Kate Dwyer, and Rene Eichmann of Bridgeview Winery. The 3 judges will need samples to taste which can be in the form of cupcakes or slices of a second cake you keep. All bakers are eligible to enter, even professionals, but cakes must be entered under the baker’s name and made in home kitchens following OHA food handler guidelines.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons will be awarded in all 4 categories along with a Grand Champion and a Reserve Grand Champion selected from among the top winners of all categories. To enter the derby, complete the online application at SouthernOregonGuild.org or pick up a form at the Guild, in Cave Junction at Trillium Bakery, or in Grants Pass at The Kitchen Company. Completed forms can be returned to the Guild at 24353 Redwood Hwy Kerby, OR 97531 or mailed to PO Box 1596 Cave Jct. OR 97523. For more event info call 541-592-5019.
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