It depends on the judge for one but it also has to do with the category. If its in the wedding cake competition that your allowed to use dummys as long as it can be recreated in cake. If your doing a sculpted category, you have to make sure that most of the cake is cake carved. If you do the entire thing out of RKT then you will be disqualified or told that it wont even be considered.
I did a sculpted cake last year and used some RKT for the head and arms and one of the comments from the judges is that I used too much RKT that it should of been more cake.
But from the competition I usually enter in, they usually have the same judges every year and they tend to have a certain way they judge. You tend to notice after a few years of entering what a particular judge seems to like and dislike. I know in the wedding cake one, they seem to like to keep the classic look with just updated techinques. Hope that helps!

Definitely let them know. In the comp I was in last year someone used RKT on the top of a single tier but it wasn't stated as such - Judges thought it was cake so it was "non-compliant" as it was deemed multi-tiered.

I'm so glad I found this thread! - Thank you for posting it.

I just entered my 1st competition(April) and sent in the description of the cake. I wish I had seen this thread before I sent it in because all I described was what was obvious - nothing about the technique, hand sculpted figures or the fact I incorporated the theme into the shape I used for the dummy(which I had to carve out of a circle )

Is it too late, or can I type a detailed description for the judges and leave it next to the cake when I deliver it at the site? TIA

Kandykin - you might want to contact the organizers of the show and ask that question. Every event I've entered (though there have only been a few) the contact person has been very helpful and has been able to answer all my questions about my entry.

We just had a competition this weekend and what I have found to be the best advice is: Read the rules very carefully. So many people lost points for not complying with the rules. I also found that by emailing any wuestions I had to the organizer I was able to make sure I was in compliance with the rules. And they were happy to answer my questions too.

What a great thread!!! Thanks so much for sharing these tips!

Competitions are a lot of fun and if you feel the itch to enter......do it!

As a past judge for a cake show competition (I didn't judge cakes, just cupcakes) I have one really hint that makes a huge difference.

Make your cake original. The judges have seen a lot of cakes out there and know a lot of designs that have already been done. When I judged, I gave more credit to an original creation, flaws in all, than to a replicated design executed perfectly.

Some may disagree and judging is subjective but I really appreciated originality over a perfect replication. So, go for it! There is a TON of talent on here with amazing new design ideas....don't second guess yourself, just go for it!

Cupcakeenvy, I agree with you on the originality. Seeing copied cakes is somewhat disappointing. Original designs with a few flaws are great. There are usually some new techniques used that I like to mentally file.

Good luck to all.

Michele

Can anyone clear up the specifics of categories for showpieces in sugar and pastillage? Does a pastillage showpiece include gumpaste flowers?

You can have a display of just pastillage or a mix of pastillage and gumpaste. These can be cake toppers or "Special Techniques Not on a Cake" category.

Good luck.

HTH
Michele

The Washington State Sugar Artists Annual 2011 Cake and Confectionery Show is coming up and I'm going to take a stab at entering as a beginner, if for nothing else than to get some good feedback. On the registration form there is space to enter four different categories for your division and I'm wondering if I should enter more than just one cake. Part of me feels I should just try to make one look as good as I can, but another part feels like I could totally do at least two. Any thoughts?

It's more fun to enter more than one. Just be sure you have time to do all entries well.

Have fun and good luck.

Michele

I'm thinking I'll go ahead and register for two, I wanted to do one all BC and one with fondant. If you register for two and only end up bringing one will they be ticked, or do you people usually choose a few categories and then decide what they will be submitting later?

I have a question. I am doing my very first competition in a week and a half. The rule for the cakes is:

# All entries must be made from real cake. No dummies allowed. The cake must be 100% edible, excluding certain support materials (rods, PVC pipe, straws, toothpicks, floral wire). No Styrofoam allowed.
# Non edible materials cannot be used as decorations

I want to support a tier with a set of columns. I would like to make the columns out of carved RKT covered with fondant (supported with dowels or wilton columns as structural support inside), Is that acceptable within these rules?

.......support materials (rods, PVC pipe, straws, toothpicks, floral wire)........

I would say columns w/dowels etc are perfectly o.k. according to those rules.

There are some wonderful tips in this thread! Thank you! I am planning on entering OSSAS this year - it will be my first competition, and I am entering a tiered wedding cake. My question is how far do most people go when decorating the table for their cake? I have some white organza fabric for draping that I got really cheap, and some ribbon for bows - will that be enough, or do people do more than that? Thanks!

If you are entering the divisional part of the competition then you do not need table decoration. You can use some as long as it does not take up too much space. The divisional entries are extensive and placed very close together.

If you are planning to enter the wedding cake competition then your table will need to be fully decorated. You will be reserved a 48 inch round table (that is in poor condition) and your table cloth/skirting MUST reach the floor. Tables are 29-30" high. It's okay for the fabric to "puddle" at the floor.

It's okay to use sheer fabric but over a heavier type of fabric. This hides the legs and the table top hang over if tucked underneath the skirting. Points will be slashed if any part of the under side can be seen. In this competition the table is almost as important as the cake. Your table must coordinate well with your cake and reflect the theme.

One thing that many people do not know about the location is the affect of the lighting. The lights put off a yellow cast. This changes the colors of everything but the fabric. So a white cake that looks beautiful in your house, in sunlight, fluorescent, or incandescent light will look cream if you are lucky.
I have had cakes that looked wonderful everywhere but there. One cake was matched perfectly, including the ribbon trim on the board. Then I took it to Tulsa and the cake looked old and dirty, while the ribbon looked like it could glow in the dark.

If you want to use white as your table covering that's great. Just be sure there is a contrasting color between the table cloth and a white cake. Try to make it look like the whites complement each other rather than appear that poor planning was involved. Even intentionally off-white cakes will look more yellow than say, eggshell or cream.

I learned all this the hard way.

HTH

Michele

I forgot to add that extra table decorations are nice. Just don't over do it. If you can make edible decorations for your table scape - all the better.

The people who enter this competition put hundreds of hours into their work. It's a great experience. The hardest thing to do is to not take the judges notes personally. They DO NOT know who's cake is whose and judge based on the criteria given to them by Kerry Vincent. She has set a high standard for the competitors, so the judging must be stringent.

Michele

I'm thinking of entering novice at the nec in oct. Ive found the classes but cant find any info. Has anyone done it before that can tell me what happens and any details

Competition curiosity.... 

I am entering a competition in a month and a half and for the wedding cake division I am thinking of doing a cake with wafer paper ruffles. Has anyone done a cake in advanced with wafer paper and let it sit out? Will it dry up and crack?

Also, I absolutely love modern minimalist wedding cakes with a few things here and there, but it seems that the more ornate wedding cakes tend to win. Have you found this to be true in your experience?

I am also considering having a portion of my show cake spin electronically. How do you think judges will take this? Will this be considered as another skill? Or is having a portion of the cake rotate too over the top?

Thanks!

KAYLA