2011 Colorado State Fair-Themed Cake Decorating Contest

The final contest at this year's Colorado State Fair was the Themed Cake Decorating Contest held on Monday, September 5th. The theme...the Fabulous Fifties.

This is always an interesting competition. I've found that the judges take the theme very literally and this isn't the place to think outside the box. They have also been very vocal in the past about their preference for buttercream over fondant.  Despite the fact that the rules clearly state that dummies are permissable, last year I noticed the judges subtlely lifting the cakes to determine the medium used. Hmmm....

I used the form cake that I posted about here so, while it wasn't "real" as in, we're going to take it home and have it for dessert tonight, it wasn't a styrofoam dummy, either. As for the cake decoration, what could be more fabulously "Fifties" than a bobby sockser in a poodle skirt? I've never made a doll cake before so I was really looking forward to it.

I started with a skirt baked in a bowl and then carved to attain the small waisted a-line shape I wanted. No well-dressed, well-brought up young woman in the fifties would have dreamed of going out without a slip under her skirt.

To make the lace trim. I used this mold I made in the class I took with James Roselle.

I gave her a pink skirt with a black poodle.

A white strapless blouse and a few accessories completed her ensemble.

A black and white checkerboard dance floor and a few details like a pair of gumpaste saddle shoes, tiny icing earrings, a belt, a bow in the poodle's fur, music notes, and little records (45 rpms, of course) and there she is..."Peggy Sue, all tarted up to go to the hop". Win or lose, I am thrilled with this cake and would love to do another doll cake.

This brings us to delivery. Thanks to some well-placed royal icing and great "cake driving" by BCHE (best cake husband ever) she arrives at the fair in pristine condition. There were just eight entries this year, a lot less than last year. The judges did their thing, and yes, once again, that little lift looking for dummies. Time to announce the winners...

In third place...

In second place...

Peggy Sue!

And in first place...

I have to tell you, the jukebox really played music!

All in all, my whole experience at the fair this year was fun and rewarding. A second place win in the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship and a second place in the Cake Decorating contest left me feeling very happy. And even though my Peachy Keen Cupcakes didn't place, I now have a great recipe of my own creation.

Peachy Keen Cupcakes; Gingered Peach Cupcakes with Peachy Cream Cheese Frosting

Peachy Keen Cupcakes

Gingered Peach Cupcakes with Peachy Cream Cheese Icing

Gingered Peach Cupcakes

4 large eggs, separated
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups C & H granulated sugar
1/4 cup crushed crystallized ginger
1 cup mashed fresh or frozen peaches
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup+ 1 tbs peach nectar
1/2 cup + 1 tbs vegetable oil
3 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp double acting baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

  Pre-heat oven to 350 

·      Line standard sized cupcake pans with paper baking cups

·      In small bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks; set aside

·      Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into medium bowl; set aside

·      In mixer, cream butter, sugar and ginger until light and fluffy

·      Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating 1 minute after each

·      Add peaches and vanilla

·      Mix vegetable oil and peach nectar in a measuring cup

·      Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, mix thoroughly then add ½ of the liquid and continue, mixing thoroughly after each addition until all the flour and liquid have been incorporated

·      Gently fold in beaten egg whites

·      Scoop into cupcake pan to 3/4 full; bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

·      Remove from pan immediately and allow to cool completely on wire rack

·      Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes

Peachy Cream Cheese Icing

1/3 cup cream cheese, room temperature  

1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature  

1/3 cup vegetable shortening    

6 cups (about 1 1/2 lbs) C & H Confectioners’ Sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped peaches

2 tbs peach nectar 

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

·     In mixer, blend cream cheese, butter and shortening until very creamy and smooth

·     Slowly add sugar, nectar, vanilla, and lemon juice; mix on medium speed until smooth

·     With mixer on low, add peaches and mix until incorporated

·     Frost completely cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with crystallized ginger

·     Makes enough to generously frost 2 dozen cupcakes

C & H Sugar Cupcake Challenge at the Colorado State Fair 2011

Last night was the C & H Pure Cane Sugar Cupcake Challenge at the Colorado State Fair. This was my second baking competition. The rules stated that the recipe must be original, made from scratch using no mixes or premade frosting, and contain at least 2 cups of C & H Pure Cane Sugar. Cupcakes would be judged on cake taste and consistency, frosting taste and consistency, creativity, and overall taste and presentation.

Since peaches are in season now, and here in Colorado we have the wonderful Palisades peaches, I decided to base my recipe on peaches. The theme of the fair is The Fabulous 50s so what better name than "Peachy Keen Cupcakes"? Hey, I watched Happy Days.

I created my Peachy Keen Cupcakes by making a "Gingered Peach Cupcake" topped with "Peachy Cream Cheese Icing". I'll post the recipe in a separate blog post. They got all thumbs up from my trusty taste testers.

This is two of the judges tasting my cupcakes. It doesn't get easier to watch someone taste and judge your creations. The other entrants were so nice! We were all nervous together and for each other! There were 17 entries and it took over an hour and a half to get through all the tasting.

Sadly, my cupcakes didn't place. On the bright side, two of my new friends placed first and second so I was very happy for them! ALL the cupcakes looked so good, I don't know how the judges do it. Even though mine didn't win, trust me, they're really good so the winners must have been amazing. I'll be back next year!

Final Fair competition on Monday, the Themed Cake Decorating Contest!

Hazelnut Mocha Custard, the Recipe

Hazelnut Mocha Custard

1 1/2 oz Ghirardelli unsweetened chocolate, chopped*
1 1/2 oz Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate, chopped*
1 cup heavy (or whipping) cream
1/2 cup strongly brewed hazelnut flavored coffee
1 heaping tbs hazelnut spread ( Nutella )
2 tbs sugar
5 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
White Chocolate Cream (see below), optional
2 tbs finely ground hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 300.

In a double boiler or microwave, melt chocolate and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm cream, coffee, hazelnut spread and sugar, stirring constantly, just until sugar dissolves completely. Do not allow mixture to boil. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Slowly add warm cream mixture and whisk until smooth. Add melted chocolate and stir to combine. Stir in vanilla,

Pour mixture into four 4 to 6 ounce ramekins or custard cups. Place into 9 x 13 pan, at least 1 inch apart. Fill baking pan with hot water to about 1/2 inch from the tops of the ramekins.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Test for doneness by by lifting and tilting a ramekin; custard is done if the center bulges a bit when tilted. Don't over bake. I actually start testing at 35 minutes just to be safe.

Allow custards to cool; cover each with plastic wrap (don't let covering touch the top of the custard) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.

Optional: before serving garnish with a piped swirl of white chocolate cream and sprinkle with ground hazelnuts.

Optional White Chocolate Cream

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup of strongly brewed hazelnut flavored coffee
1 cup Ghirardelli White Cholocate Chips
1 tsp vanilla

In heavy saucepan, heat cream and coffee until very hot. do not allow to boil. Pour warm cream over white chocolate chips in a bowl and stir until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla. Allow to cool and whip to desired consistency *This recipe can easily be made with 3 ounces of either type of chocolate

Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship at the Colorado State Fair

It feels like it's been forever since I've done anything competitively (I've decided that submitting a picture to a web site DOES NOT count) and I realized this week that I've missed it. As I wrote about before, the Colorado State Fair opened yesterday, and last evening I had the pleasure of entering my Hazelnut Mocha Custard in the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship.

The rules stated that all recipes had to be original; must include Ghirardelli chocolate and no more than 10 additional ingredients; from scratch, without using mixes or prepackaged items. Entries had to include 3 copies of the recipe and proof of purchase for the chocolate.

I've been perfecting the recipe over several weeks and was very pleased with it. When it was time to make the final, do-or-die version to be presented to the judges I felt confident about it and things proceeded nicely. What I hadn't anticipated was that there wasn't any extra custards to do a "just-to-be-on-the-safe-side" taste test so I had no idea if they had come out as good as the last time I made them. Sure-fire way to instill insecurity right there!

Upon arrival, I set up my dessert and took a few pictures.

Planning the presentation was as much fun as creating the recipe. Pier 1 has a fantastic Tasting Party line and after much angst and drama, I decided on the red and white custard cups. The were the perfect size for an individual serving and more unique than a traditional ramekin. I also got a set of absolutely darling itty-bitty tasting spoons. Served on a white tray lined with a red rose patterned felt cut-out placemat with a red napkin. Pretty!

There were four judges, one of whom was the Ghirardelli NATIONAL Champion. Initially, they walked around and looked at all the entries. The entries varied greatly, and included a cake, two different cheesecakes, parfaits (also mocha hazelnut, so much for my creativity), scones, brownies, stuffed and chocolate covered strawberries, a chocolate chip cheesecake ball, and ice cream. Everything looked fantastic!

The judges (tough job, right?) sat down and were presented with each recipe and dessert, one at a time. They really scrutinized the recipes, reading through each one carefully. They then looked closely at the items from all angles, smelled them, and finally cut or served them to be tasted. They all kept their poker faces throughout the process so there was no telling what they thought of each dessert during the tasting.  Talk about nerve-wracking! I was twitching and fidgeting, nervous as all get out! How do those people on Top Chef go through that every week?

The whole process took quite some time. It was well over an hour and a half after they started that they were finally finished and announced the winners. Soooo...

Third place...Cheesecake-stuffed, Chocolate-covered Strawberries...

Second place...Hazelnut Mocha Custard! Yay...happy dance!

First place...Who cares? I won second! No, just kidding! It was the ice cream.

And what were the prizes? Absolutely fabulous!

A Ghirardelli Chocolate apron, an AMAZING gift basket, $50 (for 2nd place) and a really pretty red ribbon! Here's a closer look at the gift basket, which included 5 bags of chips, 6 different 4 oz bars of chocolate and 2 containers of cocoa.

All three winners had their pictures taken wearing our new aprons. Everyone was so nice. We spent some time chatting with some other entrants during the judging and afterwards shared samples of our treats with each other. All in all, a very pleasurable evening!

Next week...C & H Sugar Cupcake Challenge! 

Gearing up for the fair!

Well, I'm gearing up for a couple of busy contest weeks as the Colorado State Fair approaches. It opens on the 26th.

This Friday, I'll be entering a dessert in the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship. I didn't go with a cookie or a cupcake. I tried to think outside the wrapper but hopefully not too far out. Personally, I think it's delicious. We'll see if the judges agree. Oh, and I love what I got for the presentation. Has anyone checked out the Tasting Party line of goods at Pier 1? Fun!
Next Friday is the C & H Sugar Cupcake Challenge. My recipe has been tweaked and twitched and is hopefully perfect. I've aimed for creative but not strange; seasonal, using locally grown ingredients that are also readily available anywhere, year round.

This is a first for me. Except for some frostings and fillings and maybe fiddling with flavors of existing cake recipes, I've never formulated my own recipes before. I have to say, I really enjoyed the process. I've also never submitted to a TASTING contest, either, it's always been about looks.

Finally, on Labor Day, the last day of the fair, is the cake decorating contest. The theme is "Fabulous Fifties". I haven't even started on it. Believe it or not, I'm still knocking around ideas. I'll definitely be kicking it into high gear this weekend.

Details, pictures, and results coming soon!

Update on the latest online contest I entered...

Hi! I finally have an update on the online contest I entered in early July and posted about here. The winners have been posted and, as expected, my cake wasn't one of them. All the winners and honorable mentions were gorgeous and the 1st place winner was my personal favorite.

In the meantime, I've been busy tweaking and perfecting my recipes for the tasting competitions coming up at the Colorado State Fair. I've settled on the Cupcake Challenge and the Chocolate Championship and will skip the Great Cakes. My cakes taste as good as they look but the recipes aren't my own. I did try one but it was a flop. Maybe next year.

The theme for the Fair and the Cake Decorating Contest is "Fabulous Fifties" so I've also been working on design ideas for that.

Thanks for reading...I'll keep you posted!