That Takes the Cake!

That Takes the Cake is a sugar art show and competition held every year in Austin, Texas the 2nd weekend after Valentine's Day.  The weekend event includes judged competitions, on-site Food Network Challenge style mini competitions, hands-on classes, vendors offering hard to find decorating tools and supplies, a dinner demonstration event and showcase demonstrations conducted by some of the most celebrated chefs in the world of sugar arts and cake decorating.  The show attracts cake enthusiasts from all over the country and decorators of all skill levels participate.  The divisional competition is divided by skill level - beginners to masters and by types of cake - sculpted, wedding, novelty, etc.  We encourage young decorators and have special kids, junior, teen and culinary student categories and have events throughout the weekend specifically for kids.  Each year there is a Showcake Competition with spectacular cake entries that must meet certain height and size requirements and represent a specific theme.  It is fun and inspiring to see all of the truly amazing works of edible art on display at the Show.  The Capital Confectioners Cake Club and All in One Bake Shop are the Show's organizers and sponsors.

Mark your calendar!  Make plans to attend!

That Takes the Cake! 2012

Sugar Art Show & Cake Competition

February 25 and 26, 2012

Showcake Theme: 

Renaissance

We are currently planning for 2012.

Keep checking back to www.thattakesthecake.org for rules, entry information, classes, vendors, etc.

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That Takes the Cake! 2011

Sugar Art Show & Cake Competition

February 26 and 27, 2011

Showcake Theme: 

Comic Books - Super Heroes and Super Villains

It keeps growing. There were over 400 cakes on display, 70 entries for the tasting competition and more than 3000 people who attended throughout the weekend.  We had 40 great vendors selling all kinds of tools and supplies. 

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That Takes the Cake! 2010

Cake & Sugar Art Show & Competition

February 27 and 28, 2010

The Show was great!  There were over 350 cakes on display, 50 entries for the tasting competition and more than 2500 people who attended throughout the weekend.  We had 30 great vendors selling all kinds of tools and supplies.  The demonstrations and mini-classes provided much opportunity for learning from some of the best in the business - Mike McCarey, Nicholas Lodge, Kathy Scott, Geraldine Randlesome, John Kraus and Lauren Kitchens to name just a few! 

View a slideshow of the winning entries

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That Takes the Cake! 2009

Cake & Sugar Art Show & Competition

February 28 and March 1, 2009

The Show was great!  There were over 300 cakes on display, 50 entries for the tasting competition and more than 2500 people who attended throughout the weekend.  We had great vendors selling all kinds of hard to find tools and supplies, wonderful demonstrations and informative hands-on classes. 

What: Hundreds of cakes on display, demonstrations, mini classes & dinner gala.

Who: Debbie Brown, Bronwen Weber, Nicholas Lodge, Jacquy Pfieffer, Elisa Straus,            and Roland and Marsha Winbeckler

View a slideshow of the winning entries

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FOOD NETWORK CHALLENGE -

Bronwen Weber of Frosted Art Bakery invited All in One Bake Shop's owner, Jennifer Bartos to be her assistant on several Food Network Challenges during 2006-2007.  They worked very hard, got to travel to some cool places and make some incredible cakes, got to meet some amazing decorators and Food Network celebs, had lots of fun and many laughs and even won a couple of times!  Here are some details about the particular episodes.

The Simpsons

Taping on April 23, 2007                  Aired on Food Network: July 25, 2007

Bronwen and Jennifer created a huge standing donut (mmmm) on a skateboard with scenes of Springfield and the entire Simpson family.  Aye carumba! Didn't win this one, but it should have been a winner.

Disney Villains

Taped: February 8, 2007        Aired on Food Network: June 10, 2007

Bronwen and Jennifer created a spinning Ursula that Bronwen carves using an electric knife! The taping took place at MGM Studios in Orlando. Lost to Richard Ruskell' Cruella de Vil.

Award Cake

Taped: September 22, 2006        Aired on Food Network: April 8, 2007

Bronwen was invited to compete in a Challenge to create a Food Network themed cake. The winner of this competition will recreate the cake for the 1st annual Food Network Award Show at the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival. Jennifer was Bronwen's assistant, but then they were also assigned another assistant that had proven themself by winning a regional cake decorating competition. Bronwen worked with Orlando Serrano from Chicago. This one ended up a tie between Bronwen and Marina Sousa. Both teams got to travel to the Festival to recreate their cakes and met many of the Food Network celebs as they entered the room. Lots of fun.

Cartoon Cakes

Taped: June 2006     Aired on Food Network: October 15, 2006

Bronwen and her assistant Jennifer created a Popeye and Olive Oyl cake with the couple dancing on top of The Olive, Popeye's boat. It was hot and Olive Oly's head kept falling off. They pulled it off, but lost to Mike McCarey' Scooby Doo cake.

Incredible Edible Mansion

Taped: November 2005    Aired on FoodNetwork: April 2006

Bronwen Weber had been in a few Food Network Challenges and got invited to be a contestant in a gingerbread mansion building competition. She asked Jennifer to be her assistant and I'm happy to report that they won. They created the John Bremond House from here in Austin - a great victorian mansion in downtown Austin. 

The Food Network link to the show is:

Incredible Edible Mansion - Food Network

Here are some behind the scene photos of the Mansion competion:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?H1C65492D

You can view the album as a guest.

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CAKE CLUB - CAPITAL CONFECTIONERS

Capital Confectioners, a greater Austin Cake Club was formed to provide people who are interested in sugar arts the opportunity to share and network with others who have similar interests. Club members have all different skill levels from home hobby decorators to experienced pastry chefs. We have many talented people in this area that are willing to share their expertise and everyone who attends will benefit from the ideas shared. Anyone with an interest in sugar arts is invited to join our group. Contact us for information about upcoming demonstrations.

Meetings:

WHEN: Usually the second Tuesday of each month – 7:30 pm
WHERE: La Madeline at 35th and Lamar

WEBSITE: www.capitalconfectioners.com

Short meetings are followed by a demonstration. No dues required for the first meeting.  Annual dues are $24 per year.

Capital Confectioners'

Cake & Sugar Art Show and Competition

February 3rd and 4th, 2007

The show gets better every year. The Travis County Exposition Center Banquet Hall provided a lot of space for the display of some fantastic cakes and extra room for the demonstrations and competition/challenges. Norman Davis, Steven Stellingwerf, and Janette Pfertner did a wonderful job judging the competition and participating in the on-site cake competition.

Download the list of winners and entry pictures for 2007

Download the Award Winning Recipes for 2007

Capital Confectioners'

Cake & Sugar Art Show and Competition

April 1st and 2nd, 2006

The 2006 show was a great success and enjoyed by hundreds. The Texas Culinary Academy provided a great space to display all the cakes and demonstrate different techniques. Special thanks to the judges (Steven Stellingwerf, Susan O'Boyle Jacobson and Elizabeth Dixon)  

Download the list of winners and entry pictures for 2006

2005 CAKE SHOW

The event on Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12, 2005 at the Texas Culinary Academy, was a big success. Thanks to the Texas Culinary Academy and their students for all the help. There were some spectacular cakes entered in the competition and the viewing was enjoyed by the general public.

The showcase demonstration by Kerry Vincent, Susan O'Boyle Jacobson, Bronwen Weber and all the other presenters were very informative and entertaining. The TCA instructors did a fabulous job with their lab demonstations and everyone enjoyed the speed wedding cake and blind theme cake decorating competition.

TEXAS CAKE CLUBS

There are several cake clubs in Texas. The first link below will take you to a site that details club information, contact person and planned events for the clubs in Texas.

Frosting Creators in San Antonio

www.frostingcreators.com        Karen Richardson (210)590-8280

              Day of Sharing Information

Sugar Wonders in Dallas

www.sugarwonders.com                Email: sugarwonders@peoplepc.com

Confection Obsession in Arlington

Email: tadavidson@ev1.net           Tamara Davidson (972)264-2857

Sweet Expressions Sugar Art Cake Club in Denton

Email: sas1uk@excite.com             Selina DiCesare (940)648-0337

The Houston Cake Club in Houston

www.thehoustoncakeclub.com      Email: info@thehoustoncakeclub.com

Frost-A-Tiers in Houston

www.frostatiers.com                      Email: dusty@frostatiers.com

Fancy Frosters in Corpus Christi

Email: jn316mar@yahoo.com     Marion Warren (361)854-0155

Friendly Frosters in Lubbock

Email: pwdsugar@sbcglobal.net     Earlene Moore (806)745-2230

Pearland Cake Society

www.pearland cake society.com  Email: mduran3@prodigy.net 

Check this site often. You will find lots of opportunities for learning and sharing.

ICES

ICES is an international membership organization of people dedicated to promoting and advancing sugar arts. They have an annual convention, local days of sharing, newsletter and other events for members. The link below will take you to their site. ICES membership provides networking, learning and sharing opportunities with sugar art enthusiasts all over the world.

http://www.ICES.org

The annual convention and cake show is always a treat to attend.

LINKS

Wilton Industries -

Cakes - http://www.cake.wilton.com
Candy - http://www.candy.wilton.com
Wedding - http://www.wedding.wilton.com

American Cake Decorating Magazine –

http://www.americancakedecorating.com/mbn