The Cake Competition

Every year the IDDBA hosts three finalists competing for top honors in the show's annual cake decorating competition. These pros don't have much time to enjoy the show. They have to turn out more than a dozen cakes in time for the final judging Tuesday afternoon.

This year's group loves bright colors. Their cases inside the Show and Sell Center are filled with vibrant pinks, purples, blues and reds. Every day the challenge is different. Today each person had to make enough cakes to fill one, three-tiered, 8-foot case. Next is a single wedding cake, and on Day Three comes the freestyle portion of the contest. The finalists are required to decorate three cakes of their choosing, one from each category: special occasion, theme/event and decorator’s choice.

This year's finalists are Jodi Schweiss of Schnuck Markets (pictured above); Stephanie Dillon of Hy-Vee and Rose Adams of Kroger Co. With all the noise on the show floor, the crowds in the Show and Sell Center and the curious coming up to ask questions and take pictures, this is a contest of nerves as well as artistic talent.