I just sent my entry form in for the cake decorating contest today. I am just wondering if anyone has entered in the past and possibly will again. I have never entered in anything like this and I don't know what to expect.

I'd love to know too...It's close to me.

Hello, anybody?

Sorry, I just started decorating. But, I've seen some of those cakes and they are quite fantastic.

I wouldn't worry though everyone has to start somewhere. You'll do fine.

Let me know what you're entering and I'll be sure to look for it. I attend the fair every year as it's just 20 minutes south of me.

Good Luck!!

Thanks tweetycup, I just started going 6 years ago because of my son (he gave me more of a reason). I hate to miss it. My friends have told me to do it last year but, I had my daughter 2 weeks before the fair ended. I did go to the fair the last day though.

Good luck to Theresa!!!

I have never entered, but I love to go look at the cakes! They are fabulous!!! I love the fair, I'm there at least twice a week when its open. Let us know what you are entering , I will go look for it and tell my friends I know the person that made it!


Erica

I'll totally update you. This info for the fair was just posted yesterday. I am a little ahead of myself. I guess it's good to be mentally prepared this far in advance. When I think about it I get nervous, butterflies in the stomach ya know. I am excited to do it.

I wanted to post a thread like this.
I wanted to enter the OC Fair this year too - and I have no idea what to expect.
I've taken my kids there the past few years, but I can't recall ever seeing the decorated cakes. (just wasn't paying attention)

so, what do they generally look like? mutli-tier - say 3 tier? wedding cake-like or novelty? (I know there are different catagories)
I need to call and ask, but can you do dummy cakes or all real? (I didn't see it in the rules)

I have a couple concepts floating around in my head, but I have no idea how big to make the cake... or is it better to go novelty with lots of fondant or elegant with BC....
I'd love some advise - thanks!!!

go to http://www.ocfair.com/2007/Competitions/CompetitionHandbook.asp and go to the home arts and crafts section and download the rules .pdf, you may have to download adobe acrobat reader, it's at the bottom for the page.

This is my first time too and I have been going for years to the fair and never remember seeing decorated cakes. I am excited.

I do know that we are suppose to decorate styrofoam. You can choose either, fair theme ( hereford, surf and sand), Novelty or formal. I have been e-mailing them with questions and basically it's however you interpret it. If you want tiers, one layer whatever your heart desires. The cake just has to be complete and ready to judge when you bring it.

We have to keep in touch so that I can introduce myself.

See you at the fair!!

omg! is it only for people from the oc?

NVP, I found it on the front of the competition guide, professional and amateur divisions - Orange county residents only. But like I said you can check the LA county fair.

OMG!!!
I so wanna go. I'm not good enough to enter but I definitely wanna be there to see all the neat cakes.

Ok. This is what I found.

DECORATED CAKES

When: Saturday, July 28 at 3:30 p.m.
Location: Home Arts Building Stage
Awards: Ribbons for 1st - 3rd. Special Award - Grand Winner
Who can Enter: Amateurs - Age 19 years and older

Categories:
1. Formal
2. Novelty
3. Fair Theme

Rules:
1. Free admission will be granted to persons who enter pre-register by July 1st. To pre-register, send in the attached Contest Form to:
Entry Office, Orange County Fair, 88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa, Ca 92626.
After registration, we will place your name on the list at the will-call booth at the MAIN entrance for free admission.

2. Contestants must report to Hme Arts Stage by 3:00 for chin in and set up

3. All entries must be ready to be judged

4. Entries must be entrants original design. Styrofoam bases only for cakes. All decorations MUST be hand made.

5. Entries to be jusged on appearance and craftmanship.

6. The Grand Winner may be kept for the duration of the Fair. Remaining entries will be taken home by the contestants.

Sorry if I there are alot of type-o's. I'm typing as fast as I can before the boss get's back.

Good Luck!

ooooo CC'n while at work. LOL! I would too if I were you.

Why don't you enter itsloops? I'm doing it for s!@#$ and giggles. Why don't you.

Are you originally from LM? I went to high school there. I graduated in 92. It's nice to see someone on here from my old stomppin' ground.

No Tdub,

I'm originally from Los Angeles.

I married in 1993 and moved to Paramount then North Long Beach. We got tired of all the violence and moved to La Mirada (the O.C. side) in 2005. I love it here. I don't love my mortgage payment.

My son goes to Los Coyotes Middle School and my daughter will start Kindergarten in the fall.

I'm too scared to enter. I don't think I'm good enough.
I completed the Cake Deco Class 1 at the Culinary Arts institute on Orangethorpe last year. I want to go back for Cake II
but they don't have a weekend class.

Well, even though you hate the mortgage, you did pick a great city. I'm there alot, my in-laws live there.
I don't think you should be scared, you cakes are great! You have got to be daring. I'm gonna. I have no idea what to expect but I am willing to try and have fun and learn. You should too.

Ok then,

I will look into it. It's still a scary thing for me but I guess I have some time to practice. Hope to see you there.

I'm going to add you to my "buddy" list. Is that ok?

I can keep you posted on my progress.

Sure! I'll add you to mine as well. Keep in touch..

I look forward to see your cakes!
I don't consider myself good enough at all, but it's more practice and more fun - I suppose I don't need a reason to do a cake, but it helps!!! LOL

I have a copy of the rules from the fair, but I have NO IDEA what they might be looking for - and I can't decide if I should do the 'Cowabunga' theme or something more conservative.... hummm...

Tdub , Itsloops and JenWhitlock!

I am so not even close to being able to do cakes as well as you three. I would love to know what you enter as I would like to come and "view" the judging!

If you enter I wish you all the best of luck.

Tweetycup and JenWhitlock,

Thank You for the wonderful compliments.

I don't consider myself good at all. I'm just a little home baker

But look at Tdub's cakes, Oh My God!! Her cakes are amazing.

I'm entering because she has said she is going to and it feels nice to have someone there that shares your same passion which is also on my side of the US. he he he and I think it will be a great learning experience.

I'm going to go over the rules this evening. I know it states that it cannot be packaged mix so I'm going to have to start baking from scratch since I only do box mix. Yikes!!

It does state that it is for amatuer's and I certainly qualify as one. So come one Tweetycup, join us. It'll be fun.

As for the themes, they are "formal", "novelty" and "fair" so I think Cowabunga would fit right into the novelty just fine.

The more I think about it, the more excited I get.

I hope to see you all there!!

Jen, Go with what you feel. Sounds to me that you're feelin' the Cowabunga theme. Go for it! I am so excited to see everyones entry. This is going to ba fun! I am gonna do Novelty, not sure what though. I had a hard time deciding between the theme and novelty, but in the end novelty grabbed me.

I'm thinking about it...would be nice to practice without having to actually bake a cake. Gotta buy some "dummies" though. I have until May ?? to send in my form. knowing me if I do register it will be the very last day, such the procrastinator.
I like the cowabunga theme, I think that could be really cute.
What do they consider a novelty theme?
I'll let you ladies know what my decision is soon. (pushing myself to think I might just be able to do it)
Good Luck and definitely hope to see you there.

Tweetycup,
In another thread, some people highly recomended Dallas Foam Inc for dummy cakes (good quality and cheap)
- sorry I can't remember where I read it

http://www.dallas-foam.com/store/cakedummies.html

Jenwhitlock, thank you...I've seen that thread too and have been checking out dallasfoam. Guess now I'll actually have to order something.
Tdub, thanks for the info about the novelty theme.

I had already downloaded the entry form before this thread had even started, so I guess in the back of my mind I was thinking of entering.

This should be interesting.

Your welcome tweetycup. I hope to meet ya'll at the fair. This is gonna be so fun!!!