2014 Cake Contest Winners

$550 in Prizes Awarded!

Over the past weeks, our unrelenting panel of judges have scoured every word, every photo, every video of every cake submitted to this year’s contest. We have handpicked only a handful of winners and awarded a total of $550 in prizes.

Aside from the photos, our judges don’t get to really see the cakes, let alone taste them! So, for this online cake contest, judging criteria is based on other parameters (as specifically outlined in the contest submission guidelines). The photos give us an overall image, but the writeups are what give us a taste of the cake, how it was made, and the trials and tribulations the cake maker went through to create it. Therefore, the story behind the cake is no less important than what the cake looks like in the photo.

So just to clarify, judging is not based on looks alone and this contest is not an online popularity contest.

Many of the submissions that were submitted to this year’s contest deserve recognition and unfortunately we can’t mention each and every one. We have, though, created this “Editor’s Picks” section to mention just a few of those deserving honorable mention.

Continue to share your cakes and inspiration and they’ll be included in our next contest.  Submit here…

Grand Prize – Most Original! – $150: Paint Roller by Rivka from Israel

I can’t believe it! Of course I hoped to win, but didn’t think I had a chance, because there are always so many other amazing and creative cakes on your site.

I am 45, married, mother of 9 children, and a grandmother too! I was raised in New York, and now my family lives in Israel. I work part time as a graphic designer, part time in a ladies hat store, and part time as a dorm mother!

I always loved cake decorating since I was a little girl and my mother took a cake decorating course. She came home with all these interesting cake decorating tools, and tips, etc.. and a big book of instructions! It was love at first sight! Although I don’t work in the cake decorating business, it is a favorite hobby of mine, and I especially love when someone asks me to make a cake that presents a challenge! If it comes out a flop, no harm done – we eat it anyway!

Runner Up – Great Process and Originally Made – $50: Gruesome Brain by Marnie from Australia

Hi, I’m Marnie. I’m a dietitian, a mum of two school aged children (hence the mad cake skills!) and I also write a blog about family life, food and the funny things along the way. You can visit my blog through my profile page…  I’ve not been formally trained in cake decorating, but I’ve learnt through trial and error, and the magic of Youtube. Quite a few of my friends are also self-taught, and have come up with some amazing creations which inspired me to throw my hat in the cake-decorating ring. Very excited to be selected as one of the winners in this contest.

Runner Up – Most Realistic – $50: Realistic Baby by Stacy from the UK

I really enjoy making my cakes come to life and make them as realistic as possible i got many fantastic comments when this baby cake was displayed at the christening it was made for!

I also get asked to make many cakes but I am not in a cake business, I just do this in my spare time. I have never had any training or been to any cake classes its all just done purely on inspiration! And if something goes wrong then its fine as this is just my hobby! This baby cake came to life as soon as the white chocolate sculpted face and hand was placed on to the already iced cradle and then I coverd him with his blankets! he really was adorable! And to this date I’m aware that this baby’s head was never eaten (who could take a bite from him?)

Most Popular Cake for this Contest – $50: Ice Cream Cake by April from Australia

Wow I didn’t think I will be a winner in this contest at all, as this is one of my first cakes I have made. I just started making cakes for my family for birthdays and special occasions. Majority of my inspiration were from this website. As a beginner in cake decorating I needed instructions and this website is absolutely amazing, it helps with a step by step process and includes images. I enjoy making fun and creative cakes, usually I make cakes that have an interest to the person, so when they see it they remember the moment of their birthday. It’s priceless to see their faces when you bring their cake out and that is the joy I get when making these cakes.

Runner Up – Original and Great Process – $50: Stained Glass Lamp by Judy from Buffalo, NY

I am a self taught cake maker and only make them for family. I started cake decorating with a night school course I took with my girlfriend. I also bake and decorate cookies.

Runner Up – Amazing Story and Writeup – $50: Titanic by Delaney from South Africa

I am a part time artist (only working in the morning) with a 7 year old gifted son that I attend to in the afternoons after school. I got into making cakes completely by accident. When he turned 2, he brought me a toy excavator and told me that he would like a cake just like “this” for his birthday. I had a look at the toy and thought, “okay, I’ll give it a try”. And it actually came out really well. So every year he would put his order in on the type of cake he wanted for his birthday.

I did (in order of age) a spiderman (3), a dinosaur nest with hatching dino eggs (4), a pirate ship (5), Batman and Superman on a burning building(6), Scooby-Doo with “spooky” on it’s back (7). This year his order for his birthday end of May is a crocodile. And he has really high expectations so I always have to push myself.

The Titanic was the first cake I made for someone else. I only make two 3D cakes a year and that is for my son and his cousin who is a year younger. I have no training or experience and it is basically learning as I go along. I think that my fine arts training is coming in real handy when I do the sculpting, etc. needed. I love doing it! My only thing is that because I find it so satisfying, I don’t want to make it a business as it will then become work instead of it being something I love and can get lost in.

Thank you for choosing the Titanic as the winning cake. It was actually the boy whom I made the cake for’s mother that told me to enter the competition otherwise I would never have done it. This cake really pushed my limits. His birthday was in April and they only “dismantled” the cake over the weekend. So it kept really, really well.

Runner Up – $50: Fender Guitar by Mary from Falls Church, VA

“I started icing cakes many years ago as a young girl, when my sister and I were allowed to decorate the family Christmas cakes (lots of royal icing peaks and plaster snowmen!)

“While my children were growing up I made cakes for their birthdays, and then for my grandchildren’s birthdays. For the last couple of years I’ve been decorating more cakes for more people, taking classes, learning by trial and error what works and what doesn’t. I’d like to work up to having a cake business in the not too distant future, but right now it’s still a hobby – one that I really enjoy!”

Runner Up – Simple and Artistic – $50: Ben and Holly by Becky

I’m a working mum of two (my son is 7 and my daughter is still 4). I’ve baked since I was young, but only really started decorating cakes when the children came along. At birthday time they would ask for cakes of their favourite TV characters or things they loved, and I could never find them in the shops or afford a professional, so out of desperation I started trawling the internet and getting inspiration from Coolest Birthday Cakes, and just went from there.

I still only decorate special occasion cakes for family – it’s something I would love to do full time but life takes over most days! I would say to anyone looking to start decorating to read what people have done on Coolest Birthday Cakes, they are so full of amazing ideas and useful tips, and then just have a go!

Runner Up – Great Process and Fabrication – $50: Baby Stroller by Tracey from Australia

As a child I had a favourite Aunty who was a cake decorator and I think I have to blame her for my addiction. I started by making cakes for my children but it wasn’t until they were nearly grown up that I took some lessons and my little hobby has grown from there. I make cakes for friends and display them all on my facebook page Tracey’s Cakes in Lithgow. I love it when someone asks for something really different.

I only wish I had started doing this many years ago. Totally addicted to cakes. Thanks so much for my prize!

That wraps up our 2014 Annual Cake Contest. Leave your comments below and remember to Share Your Cakes…

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