Thousands attend cake contest in Raleigh

Wake Technical Community College is holding its annual Pastry Show and Culinary Salon at the Raleigh Convention Center Tuesday.

Posted 6:08 p.m. Apr 13, 2010 — Updated 4:15 a.m. Apr 14, 2010

RALEIGH, N.C. — About 2,000 people attended Wake Technical Community College's annual Pastry Show and Culinary Salon at the Raleigh Convention Center Tuesday evening.

Culinary students and chefs from across the state submitted 61 entries – 50 student entries and 11 professional entries – for the event, which benefits the Wake Tech Arts Fund. (Check out some of the cakes in the competition.)

Tuesday's event also featured a live cake-decorating challenge where 10 chefs had two hours to decorate their cakes, which will then judged by a professional group of pastry chefs.

Jennifer Nichols won first place and $300 for her entry "Memories of the Season." Memories of her favorite holidays and family camping vacations helped inspire her creation.

"Things that I remember as a kid, and I hope my kids have the same memories when they grow up," Nichols said.

The People's Choice award went to Courtney Leckey for her cake shaped like Kermit the Frog.

"It's childhood memories and so we figured everybody loves the muppets, and that Kermit was the most loveable of all the muppets," Leckey said.

Suggest A Correction