Piece of Cake Contest
Rules & Information

Do you find cake decorating a piece of cake? This contest is for you! Showcase your decorating talent by designing a cake for a “Tea Party”!

College Students and Industry Professionals are invited to compete in our Baking & Cake Decorating Competitions at the Wisconsin Food & Hospitality Expo!

All competitors must either represent a licensed food service facility (bakeries, cafes, grocery-stores, restaurants) or be a college student currently enrolled in a Baking & Pastry Arts or Culinary program (certificate or degree). 

Each participant will receive a complimentary registration to attend the Wisconsin Food & Hospitality Expo!

Registration & Entry Fees:

The early registration deadline for all of the bakery competitions is Friday, February 14, 2025. The standard registration deadline is Friday, February 28, 2025. All entries must be registered in advance. Late entries may be allowed if space permits but will be charged a $50 late fee per entry.

Early registration allows WBA and WRA Members to take advantage of the lowest entry fees - starting at $30!

• Early – WBA and WRA Members – $30

• Early – Not-Yet Members – $45

• Standard – WBA and WRA Members  – $45

• Standard – Not-Yet Members – $60

To register, please click here

Skill Level:

• Baking & Pastry Arts or Culinary (College Student)

• Industry Novice (Up to 2 years experience)

• Industry Professional (2+ years experience)

Rules:

• The theme for the 2025 Piece of Cake Contest is “Tea Party.”

• Cakes are judged on appearance only. Points will be given for neatness, originality, creativity, colors, and degree of difficulty. Click here to view a blank score sheet for this competition.

• Dummies are permitted, however they are not allowed if sculpted in any way. A combination of real cake and dummies is permitted, provided that the dummy portion is not sculpted. If there is any question about a portion of the cake being real, a judge may use a toothpick to check. Competitors may provide up to 5 photos of the baking & assembly process. 

• Cakes must be iced in an edible cake covering such royal icing, fondant, or modeling chocolate.

• Finished decorated cakes must be no more than 8” in diameter and no more than 12” in height.

• Up to 15% Rice Krispy or other edible ingredients are allowed as part of the structure of the cake.

• Only edible decorations and embellishments are allowed. Use of inedible decorations may result in a penalty score or disqualification.

• All flowers, if any, must be handmade by the competitor. 

• Categories are divided into buttercream and gumpaste based on the floral decorations. Please enter the category that the majority of your floral decorations fall into. 

• Entries must be exclusive work of the entrant and may not have been entered in any previous WBA competitions.

• Only individual entries are allowed. Team entries are not allowed.

• Cakes must not infringe the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other intellectual property rights of any person or entity. Cakes that violate this requirement will be disqualified from the competition.

• All work must be done offsite. No decorating tools, equipment, cake, icing, base, stand, or materials will be provided by the competition, aside from table space for display. 

• Cake must be already baked, assembled, decorated, and ready for viewing when participants arrive. Minimal adjustments, repair, and additions of embellishments will be permitted within the allotted set-up window.· 

• Judging will be held at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Expo Center at the Wisconsin Food & Hospitality Expo on Wednesday, March 12th.

• Business cards or logos may be placed on display following completion of judging.

• Entries may be set up on Wednesday, March 12th between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM. Any entries delivered after 8:30 AM will not be judged, but placed for display purposes only.

• All entries must be completed with final set up by 8:30 AM.

• A short anonymous description of each entry is encouraged but not required. The purpose of this description is to better inform the judges of the entrant’s vision, process, materials and technique that may not be obvious from viewing the finished product. This is also where any specific theme or backstory of an entry can be briefly explained. If including a description, please bring along a typed/printed copy to display next to your entry (250 words or less) or email your description 72 hours in advance of the competition to jessica@wibakers.com. This document will be available for review during the judging process. Please do not include any competitor or organization name(s) anywhere in the summary. Any photos showing competitor faces will be discarded. 

• All work will be done in a professional manner.

• Entries may not be removed until 3:00 PM on Wednesday, March 12th. Anything left after 5:00 PM will be disposed of. We are not responsible for returning items to competitors! No exceptions.

• The organizers have the right to use photographs taken of competitor’s displays. 

• A license and/or student ID number is required. 

Judging & Awards:

• Judging for the Piece of Cake Contest will be held at the Wisconsin Food & Hospitality Expo on Wednesday, March 12th by a team of qualified judges selected by the Wisconsin Bakers Association.

• The judges will complete a comment sheet for each entry; copies of those sheets will be sent to each entrant within 10 days following the completion of the Wisconsin Food & Hospitality Expo via your pre-registered email address.

• Entries in each skills division are judged separately.

• All judges’ decisions are final.

• Winners will be announced on Wednesday, March 12th.

• All entries will be judged professionally.

• Awards will be given on a points-based system.

• The highest scoring entry in the competition will receive a Best of Show Trophy.

• Additional awards may include Honorable Mention, Bronze, Silver, & Gold Medals, People’s Choice, and Judge’s Choice.

Release:

The Piece of Cake Contest is presented by the Wisconsin Bakers Association (WBA) in partnership with the Wisconsin Restaurant Association (WRA) at the Wisconsin Food & Hospitality Expo. By entering the competition, the contestant fully releases all rights to photos, publication and other sources of media for all work produced exclusively for, during and in the complete time frame of the event. Contestant is subject to all registration fees, applicable taxes, and all other related expenses on behalf of him/her entering the above competition. Contestant agrees to abide by all rules set forth by the WBA for this competition. Contestant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the WBA and all sponsors from and against all claims, demands, costs, loss, damage, expense, attorney’s fees and liabilities growing out of, or arising from, caused or occasioned by his/her activities in the competition. Competition entry fees are non-refundable. All judges’ decisions are final.

Do you have any questions about the Piece of Cake Contest?
Contact us by email at jessica@wibakers.com or call (414) 258-5552 for more information!