Hundreds of local area residents, sugar artists, bakers, cake makers, decorators and aficionados of all the above and everything sweet came turned out for the National Capital Area Cake Show at βs Annandale campus. This is the first year the event was held in Annandale.
βThereβs an incredible variety of cakes here, very high quality,β said attendee Laura Balea of the cakes on display for the divisional cake competition. The cakes varied in range of skill from beginner to advanced and the theme of each individual cake ranged from sports to Disney characters and more.
Vendors, many from across the country as far as Seattle, WA, lined the walls of the Richard Ernst Cultural Center and sold everything from icing to stencils to photo-imaging printers and supplies while aisles of decorated cakes, cookies and cupcakes and crowds of attendees filled most of the area.
βItβs been amazing and hectic. Thereβs a much bigger crowd here than I anticipated,β said Peggy Tucker of CakePlay and the School of Cakeology, based in Maple Grove, MN. Earlier in the day, Tucker taught one of the classes offered as part of the event. Class topics included sugar art, modeling, airbrushing, stringwork and more. The show provides the materials for the classes.
Several participants at this year's cake show have been featured on television shows such as Dianna Lopez who has appeared on TLCβS Cake Boss and Ashley Vicos who has competed in four TLC Cake Challenge competitions. Norman R. Davis and Zane Beg of The Sweet Life, a custom-cakery based here in Annandale, have competed in numerous Food Network Challenge competitions. Both served as challenge judges for the show.
Davis was also the MC for the event and helped make the live cake challenge competition βCastles From the Silver Screenβ interactive by inviting people on to the stage to view some of the challenge cakes up close. Davis also made jokes and kept the mood light, telling the audience he only had βthree hours of sleepβ and had to βdrive all of five minutes to get here.β
In addition to the competition, classes and cake displays, there was a bake sale in the lobby, raffles and youth-centric activities where children created cakes and cupcakes.
For the first time, the all-volunteer two-day show also hosted a Cupcake Challenge and Cocktail Hour event later Saturday evening where guests were able to enjoy cocktail-themed mini cupcakes.
The National Capital Area Cake show continues tomorrow starting at 9 a.m. Tomorrowβs six-hour live wedding cake competition challenge, βFruits of the Seasonβ will feature four competitors. Each will create a wedding cake for each of the seasons. Tucker will assist Ashlee Trotter (ruthssweetjustice.com) in creating the Fall wedding cake. For a full schedule of tomorrowβs classes or to purchase tickets, visit their website.