Need Help Selecting A Cake...please
Decorating By jlewis888 Updated 15 May 2006 , 1:45pm by dsoutherngirl
I live in a small town in rural Alabama. In July, we are holding a cake baking competition where the cakes will be judged on appearance and taste. I am torn between my three favorite cakes, and I would like some input into which one you guys would suggest.
The first cake is an old fashioned caramel cake--yellow cake with old-fashioned caramel icing. I get requests for this all of the time--it is delicious. Problem: It is a cooked icing, and it is hard to get point in the appearance category with this icing. Bonus--this cake always gets compliments and requests for seconds. Every holiday I have orders for it because not many people make this cake anymore.
The second cake is a chocolate cake with a "candy bar" icing that has chocolate, almonds, cream cheese, and cool whip in the icing. It is a very tastey cake that can be decorated with fudge icing trim, and chocolate curls, roses, or chocolate covered strawberries. Here--good taste but definite points in the appearance category.
The third cake is a made-from-scratch Hummingbird cake. The actual cake is made from flour, crushed bananas, crushed pineapple, and pecans. It is iced with cream cheese icing and can be decorated easily with chopped pecans and other icing decor. Here--good taste, made-from-scratch, and points in the appearance category.
No money at stake here--just bragging rights in a small town. I would appreciate any input!
Thanks CC friends.
Wow...I don't know, but I am absolutely drooling right now over ALL of the options!!
The hummingbird cake sounds so unique, but the chocolate sounds decadent...I'm of no help to you, am I?
Good luck!!!!!!!!
Angie
My first thought was that perhaps the judges would love a "different" taste??
They probably see many red velvets and might just love an alternative??
Go with your heart...you know which cake tastes the best.
Make a cream cheese BC frosting..smooth it and decorate..add flowers..we all know Hummingbirds love flowers..design an outside theme that connects with the name of the cake.
Thank you--I like the idea of the theme cake. Going by what my "customers" say, the caramel cake tastes the best--but that is because most people around here don't fool with making them the old-fashioned way anymore. I like the taste of the Hummingbird cake too--Too bad I don't have the crystal ball to determine what the judges like. Has anyone out there entered a baking contest? I know of several of you who enter the decorating contests--but what about baking comps?
J
I may sound dumb, but what exactly is a hummingbird cake? I've seen a recipie for one in the cakemix doctor book, but I'm not sure what it tastes like. By the way, what part of alabama are you in, I'm in southest AL. I wish our town would have a contest, I think it would be fun!
I am to the northeast of you--about 25 miles above Wetumpka in a small town called Rockford. We go through Eufaula sometimes.
A Hummingbird cake is a made-from-scratch cake that has several different recipe variations. I use an older version--but the basic cake has the following ingredients: Flower, sugar, egg, oil, crushed ripened bananas, crushed pineapple w/ syrup, chopped pecans, and several spices like cloves or cinnamon. If you do a recipe search, you will come up with several variations for it. I have worked with my older recipe and tweaked it to fit what I like to work with. It has a distinct taste--it is not like banana bread or pineapple cake--even though those ingredients are included. It has a unique flavor. It is incredibly moist and dense.
The Alabama Fair in Montgomery has some cooking and baking competitions set for October. Maybe we can enter something there. You should talk to your local chamber or town council about sponsoring some comps. They are a lot of fun--and if they auction the cakes after the comp, some organization--like vol fire depts--can make a lot of money!
J
Hi fellow alabamians! I am in lower Alabama. The extreme southeastern corner, near Dothan. I have been entering the National Peanut Festival Recipe Contest for several years and won the grand prize last year in the candy division. But I wanted to say that I know that caramel and chocolate are always HUGE winners in that contest. Of course it's a peanut-based contest but caramel and chocolate seem to be key ingredients. Hummingbird is one of my favorites! Just be careful if it's going to be out in the heat long. Good Luck!
What seems to do the best is chocolate/caramel recipes combined. But I don't think you can ever go wrong with a great chocolate recipe with candy bars! Two years ago a peanut caramel cake won that was made with chocolate. And I know there were several recipes this past year with snickers. YUM!
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