Cake Wars: A recap of Bristol Community College’s Cake Show & Competition

XOXO Tantalizes Enthusiastic Crowds at Bristol Community College’s 11th Cake Show & Competition.

The Silver City Galleria was abuzz on April 7–8, when culinary aficionados, pastry students, and others came together to celebrate a specialized craft that everyone can enjoy—cake design.

And, while most of us love these fancy and delicious desserts, the event was more about the art-form and the development of a finished product.

Through the combination of concept and strategy plus milk, eggs, and lots of sugar, many of the artists found success.

This annual program provides a showcase where pastry chefs, cake decorators, sugar artists, baking hobbyists, and those with a sweet-tooth can celebrate, educate themselves, and become inspired.

According to a campus spokesperson, the annual BCC Cake Show and Competition is the premier cake event in the New England Region.

Since 2007, this time-honored event has become increasingly popular with friends, family, and a curious public. Hundreds of admirers of all ages descend on the multiple displays set up on rows of tables that allowed close inspection of the creations.

The event has grown over the years; and had a vendor and demonstration section, as well as a marketplace, which allowed for tastings. Because of this expansion, the school decided to move the competition to the Silver City Galleria to accommodate the large crowds.

This year’s culinary celebrities and master cake artists included Toba Garrett, Nicholas Lodge, Linkie Marais, and Lisa Raffael.

The baking and design contest is organized and hosted by the BCC Culinary Arts Program and serves as a fundraiser for SkillsUSA, an educational organization that supports career and technical education.

Money raised through the competition is used to send BCC/ SkillsUSA students to State and National SkillsUSA Conferences.