MADISON, Wis. -- The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association here will again make its Annual Cake Decorating Challenge a featured event at its Dairy-Deli-Bake Seminar and Expo and the deadline for entries is Feb. 14.
Three finalists will be chosen to compete against each other on site, June 4 to 6 , at Dairy-Deli-Bake 2000 in Anaheim, Calif. The IDDBA will provide transportation to Anaheim, lodging and meals for the three finalists.
Retailers may enter as many store-level employees as they choose. Many hold contests among their own employees to determine which decorators they will enter in the IDDBA challenge.
Entrants are asked to submit photos of their work for judging. In this year's contest-guidelines brochure, the IDDBA has listed some helpful tips on photographing cakes. Since artistic quality, color, icing appearance, technical quality and lettering are all taken into consideration, it's particularly important that photos be in-focus and show the subject clearly, IDDBA officials said.
Some of the IDDBA's suggestions are to photograph cakes from two perspectives: the whole cake and a close-up of its details; and to raise the glass on a display case before photographing a cake display to prevent distorting reflections.
For more information and/or to obtain a brochure and entry blanks, call Cristie Finbraaten at the IDDBA, (608) 238-7908.
The finalists' challenge in Anaheim has three phases. On the first day, June 4, each finalist is required to decorate enough cakes to fill a bakery case and then arrange them in the case. The next day, each must decorate a wedding cake. On the final day, each finalist must decorate a cake from each of these categories: special occasion, theme/event, and decorator's choice.
Last year's winner was Amy Bagen, bigg's SuperValu, Cincinnati. Second place went to Maria Fuhlbrigge, Brookshire Grocery Co., Tyler, Texas; and third place, to Madeline Fiol, Publix Super Markets, Lakeland, Fla.
