Feb 26, 2015

That Takes the Cake Show 2015: Where sugar meets art

Tiffany Lynn Young Events cake show 0 Comments

Another year of the That Takes the Cake Show in Austin has come and gone.

Location
This year, they found a new location, Round Rock Sports Center. It was a fabulous space! Even though it did make eating in Austin a bit more difficult, it was a great place to have it (And gave us a reason to finally try Jack Allen’s Kitchen, not once, but thrice). The layout was much more open than it has been in the last few years and more like it was the first year we went at the Travis County Expo Center.

Trends
There were many cakes this year—and such good ones. One trend seems to be painting on canvas, which is a technique I would love to try. There were a couple upside down cakes, which I am not too crazy about, since they tend to lean. Also, several Rapunzel cakes were in one category. I didn’t notice as many realistic animal cakes this year as I’ve seen in the past, but the catfish cake was incredible.

Classes
I took a mini Lambeth method class that was supposed to be a beginner’s class, but turned out so, so hard. When my mom and I left, I almost wet my pants I was laughing so hard at how funny it was. The very nice teacher kept asking, do you love it yet? And all I could think was, heck no! I have no idea what is going on! Maybe after I learn some basic piping I’ll go back to the Lambeth method, but for now, it’s a bit over my head. My mom kept looking over at me asking me questions, like I had a clue. Ha. We had no clues. Looking back at our cakes, they don’t look THAT bad, but they weren’t great either (hers was better than mine).

Mom’s Entries
Chef Bren had two entries in advanced novelty multi-tier cakes. One was a forest scene with a little birdie on top and one was an undersea cake. The under sea cake won second place. Her birdie cake did not place, but at least this time the judges did not tell her her bird was too fat. She keeps telling everyone: Everyone tells me my birdie is fat, just like the doctor told me my baby was too fat (that would be me). She said they are hurting my feelings, but I say me and the birdie are both cute as we are!The next cake show is the North Texas Cake Show, so if you’re going to enter, you better get started! Meanwhile, enjoy the cakes below.

Jan 31, 2014

Coming soon: That Takes the Cake! Austin Cake Show

Tiffany Lynn Young Events art, Austin, cake, cake decorating, cake show, That Takes the Cake 0 Comments

By Tiffany Young

So, you’re thinking about entering Austin’s That Takes the Cake Art Show this year? Here’s what you need to know:

1. It takes place Feb. 22-24.

2. It’s got a new location: ACC, Highland Mall, 6001 Airport Boulevard, Suite 1199, Austin, TX 78752 (which is very near the hotel that is always booked for the cake show).

My location

3. Early registration has passed, but regular registration is open until Feb. 16.

4. Entry fees are: divisional competition $25, showcake competition $25, tasting competition $15.

5. Registration info, rules and prizes can be found at Rules.

6. If you enter sculpted cake, it must be made of, well, cake. Otherwise, most entries can use cake dummies.

7. The competition is pretty stiff. Just look at that picture of Willie Nelson above. It’s not really him–it’s a cake. I know, crazy.

8. This year’s theme is cake of ages.

9. Your friends and family can attend: $10 per day or $17.50 for a weekend pass online through Feb. 16 or $12 per day or $20 for the weekend at the door.

10. Celebrities, such as Karen Portaleo, Marina Sousa & James Rosselle, Mike McCarey, Dot Klerck, Colette Peters, Nick Lodge & Lauren Kitchens and Dot Klerck will be teaching classes: http://thattakesthecake.org/index.php/classesandevents/celebrity-classes.

11. There are onsite competitions to watch on Saturday and Sunday.

12. There’s a lot more info over at http://thattakesthecake.org.

Below are some pictures from last year’s competition to get your creative juices going. Here are some posts from prior years: 2013 Day 1, 2013 Day 2, mom takes second, my mom wins third, and 2012.

Hope to see you there this year!

Mar 2, 2013

Day 2: Cake Show

Tiffany Lynn Young Events Austin, cake show, cakes, competition, decorating, fondant 0 Comments

By Tiffany Young

As promised, I took my Nikon to the Austin That Takes the Cake! show on day two. I love seeing the cakes up close and personal with my zoom lens and it’s much more reliable than my iphone for clear pics.

This year, we weren’t at the show as long as in year’s past. There was a lot of food to introduce my mom to: Hopdoddy’s and Elizabeth St. Café. Still there were numerous fine-looking cakes at the show! Here are some of my favorites!

Feb 24, 2013

Congrats to Chef Bren Young!

Tiffany Lynn Young News Austin, Bren Young, cake, cake show, competition, fondant, mom, That Takes the Cake 0 Comments

By Tiffany Young

It was such a big weekend, I’m going to have to break this into a couple of posts! But for starters, I must congratulate my mom, Chef Bren Young, for her second place medal in the Adult multitiered novelty intermediate cake. Last year she took third in the beginner’s division. This year she moved up a division and was shocked when she found more than 20 other contestants in her division with some really spectacular cakes. I can honestly say I think she was very surprised to hear her name announced. My mom became a chef in her early 50s. Became a pastry chef instructor just a few years ago. And made her first fondant cake just last year. Recently she has begun selling her cakes for birthday parties, specializing in novelty cakes for children, such as sock monkeys and some pirate I’ve never heard of, but who is popular with the young’ens. Her years of art classes and selling crafts have been great preparation for decorating cakes and each one gets better and better! Way to go! I can’t wait to see what you come up with next year!

: Me?

: Mom takes second in her division at That Takes the Cake! art show in Austin

: Mom after getting her medal

: Congrats from co-chefs

: Mom with cake

: Close up of cake

: Getting her judges’ comments

: Wizard of Oz Cake

: Chef Bren Young

: Chef Bren Young with her cake

Feb 23, 2013

That Takes the Cake! Day 1

Tiffany Lynn Young Events Austin, cake, cake decorating, cake show, Chef Bren, competition, fondant, That Takes the Cake 0 Comments

: Oz cake by Chef Bren

: Chef Bren

: “Up” cake

: Hamburger cakes

: Dr. Suess cake

: Candy Land cake

: Harry Potter cake

: Oz cake by Chef Bren

Feb 22, 2012

That Takes the Cake! Feb. 25–26, 2012

Tiffany Lynn Young Events Angry Birds, Austin, cake show, sugar, That Takes the Cake, The Capital Confectioners Club of Austin 0 Comments

Sweets lovers, unite!

It’s that time of year again. No, not Mardi Gras, although it’s that, too.

It’s time for Austin’s annual That Takes the Cake sugar art show and cake competition — put on by The Capital Confectioners Club of Austin — and the Spooners can’t wait to attend. Last year’s super hero theme was a blast and this year’s Cake-a-lot: Knights of the Turn Table is sure to be another crowd pleaser.

It’s too late to enter the cake competition if you haven’t turned in your registration already, but there’s still lots of fun to be had. General admission tickets are $10 for the day or $18 for both days and allows you to see all the cake creations, watch celebrity and expert demos and shop with national and local vendors.

This will be my third time to attend, with my mom, who drives from Texarkana, to take classes and enjoy the show. Last year there was a really good cake entry decorated as “Angry Birds.” Everyone that went by it would point out, look it’s “Angry Birds!” My mom asked me, “How does everyone know the name of their cake entry? Everyone must really like that one.” I had to explain to her that it’s a game. Mom’s are funny!

If you get a chance to attend, send us a tweet pic of your favorite cake with the hashtag #ohspooning.