Competitions

Take your sugar art skills to the next level by entering the Sugar Art Competition! All levels are encouraged to participate. Chef Nicholas Lodge will lead our judging team. Prizes will be given for each category for first, second and third place. Be sure to read through the rules listed below.

Display Only

Do you have a cake display (or 2) you would like to share with us but not use to compete with. We would love to put it on display. The more the merrier, after all this is a cake show! Participants will be entered in a special raffle for the display cakes only. Please sign up on the registration page with the “display only” button.

Categories for each Division:

• Novelty
• Cookies
• Sculpted

Special Categories:

Wedding Cake

Anything from traditional to contemporary – let you inner wedding cake designer shine! The wedding cake competition is open to all competitors no matter of skill level or age. Please see the general rules for all regulations. The entry fee for Wedding Cakes is $20.

A huge thank you to our prize sponsors!

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Competition Rules

MIDWEST SUGAR ART SHOW

Cake Competition

April 2-3, 2022

Sponsored by: Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa ICES (International Cake Exploration Societé) Chapters

Madison Area Technical College (MATC)

1701 Wright Street , Madison, WI  53704

Competition Co-Chairs-Suzanne Daly and Cheryl Weise, Wisconsin ICES

Emergency number day of show is Suzanne Daly’s Cell Phone: 608-235-4177

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Deadline for online registration is March 15, 2022

By registering for the contest you are agreeing to abide by the rules.

1. This competition will follow ICES Certified Judging Standards.

2. The competition is open to all sugar artists. Entries must be the exclusive work of the entrant.

3. 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 display is set up. Minimal adjustments, repairs, and additions of embellishments will be permitted within the allotted set-up window.

4. Entries must be set up at the designated room at MATC between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., Saturday, April 2, 2022. Entries must be removed between 2:45pm and 3:30pm on Sunday, April 3, 2022. The competition committee will dispose of any remaining entries, etc. after 3:30pm. Unclaimed prizes will be forfeited.

5. Cake dummies may be used and are encouraged in all categories other than Sculpted. Entries must be designed so that it could be made of real cake. Please see Sculpted Cake rules for that category.

6. All decorations must be made by the competitor. Purchased ready-made decorations may not be used. Only products classified as “edible” by the FDA are permitted on entries.  “Non-toxic products (example-disco dusts, shimmer dusts) may only be used on decorations that can be removed before the entry is consumed.  If luster dust is used on the portions of the cake intended to be consumed the luster dust must be FDA approved as edible. The judges reserve the right to request product information.

7. 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.

8. All entries must be the original design and work of the competitor. 

9. Competitors may enter more than one display per category.

10. No electricity will be available in the competition area.  

11. Entries must be made within the past year.

12. The Show Committee and Judges reserve the right to reclassify entries.

13. Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa ICES along with Madison Area Technical College will not be responsible for damaged, lost or stolen items.

14. Entries will be judged on workmanship, originality, color coordination and artistic appearance.

15. Judging of the entries will be completed by teams of qualified judges selected by the Show Committee.  Judges reserve the right to remove or disqualify any entry they feel violates rules or doesn’t meet requirements. Judge’s decisions will be final. Consensus judging will be used.

16. First, second and third place will be awarded at the discretion of the judges. Prizes may not be awarded in all categories.

17. For the Student/Vocational Divison Only-Entries from other shows may be entered in this competition as long as the display has been substantially re-worked.  All other division entries must be original.

18. An entry fee of $10.00 will be required for the first entry, and $6.00 for each additional entry pre-registered by March 15, 2022. The entry fee for the Wedding Cake Competition is $20.00 Entries will be accepted on the day of the show, until 9:45 a.m. All set up must be finished by 10:00am.

19. There will be a $35.00 fee for returned check charges.

20. No personal or business identifying marks, advertisements, etc., will be allowed to be displayed along with the entry.

21. Photos of the entry may not be posted online prior to the competition.

22. Entries may be photographed by the show committee and used for future promotional purposes.

23. By registering for the competition, you are agreeing to abide by these rules and regulations of the Midwest Sugar Art Show.

24. Awards and prizes will be presented at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 3rd.

DIVISIONS AND CATEGORIES

DIVISIONS:

YOUTH: AGE 4-16

All youth attending the competition must be accompanied by an adult. All youth entrants and one parent/guardian must sign the entry form signifying that they have read the rules and will abide by them. The age of all youth entrants must be included on the registration form. Each competitor must ice and decorate at least 80% of their own entry.  One parent/guardian may minimally assist with techniques that may be considered unsafe to a young competitor.

STUDENT/VOCATIONAL: AGE 17+

This division includes high school culinary arts students as well as adults enrolled in a vocational culinary/baking arts program, or has graduated from a vocational program within the past year. Proof of high school culinary/vocational enrollment (graduation) must be provided with registration. Competitors in this division must do all of the work on their entry themselves, including baking (if applicable), icing, and decorating.  

NON-PROFESSIONAL:

 Any competitor who is age 18 or older – If you are an adult and you do not fit into the Professional category you will compete in the non-professional category.

• is self-taught through online classes, books, etc.
• has been decorating primarily as a hobby.
• has taken less than 25 hours of sugar art classes.

PROFESSIONAL:

 Any competitor who is age 18 or older and meets at least 2 of the following criteria

• has been decorating for more than four (4) years.
• has taken 25 or more hours of sugar art classes, including online courses.
• creates cakes for sale as a business.
• is an ICES Certified Sugar Artist.
• teaches (or has taught) classes in advanced cake decorating and sugar art techniques (beyond basic icing/piping skills).

MASTERS:

NOT SURE WHICH DIVISION YOU BELONG IN (NON-PROFESSIONAL OR PROFESSIONAL)? YOU KNOW BEST – USE YOUR BEST JUDGEMENT.

CATEGORIES:

NOVELTY

A cake that shows an obvious occasion, has an unusual design, shows originality and uniqueness, may be fun and whimsical. Shaped, cut out or sculpted cakes, i.e. train, car, etc., new and innovative ideas belong in this category. 2D cutout cakes or unusually shaped cakes can be made of Styrofoam so long as they can be easily made of cake. Anything else would be considered a sculpted cake. This cake may be no more than two tiers.

SCULPTED

A display using at least 70% edible materials, of which 50% must be cake. Real cake must be altered at least 25% from original shaped pans.  Armatures are allowed, but must be covered with an edible medium. At least three (3) in progress, step-by-step photos showing the actual carving of the cake must accompany the entry. Any icing mediums are allowed (fondant, buttercream, etc.).

COOKIES

Display must include at least six real cookies that all contribute to a single theme.  The cookie display is judged on appearance only.  Cookies must be decorated with edible mediums only, such as fondant, gumpaste, royal icing, buttercream, modeling chocolate, etc. The cookie display must be presented on a plate or platter provided by the competitor.

WEDDING CAKES

A cake consisting of three or more tiers of different sizes, at least 2 inches thick.  Styrofoam dummies are recommended. The tiers may be stacked, separated, or offset.  Maximum base board allowed in this category is 24”, and there is no height restriction.  Wires, floral tape, stamens and ribbons are permitted in floral/gum paste work and trim on cake board, but all other decorations must be created from an edible medium, such as fondant, royal icing, modeling chocolate, buttercream, etc.  Non-edible structural pieces are allowed. A minimum of 4 different techniques must be used to decorate the cake.

CHEF NICHOLAS LODGE GUMPASTE FLOWER COMPETITION:

This category will be judged based on creativity and artistry, visual impact, proportion, use of color and assembly. Competitors should pay particular attention to the realistic representation of the flower. The exhibit must fit within a 14” square.  There is no height restriction.

• The spray or arrangement should contain at least three different varieties of flowers (although these may come from the same family). Buds and leaves should be included where appropriate. Other types of foliage and berries may be included but should be used to enhance and not dominate the display or arrangement. 

• Flowers may be wired into a spray or bouquet and displayed in a suitable container, or may be arranged into a container, using oasis, glass beads or any other suitable medium.

• No other artificial or commercial item/decoration is permitted, apart from the stand/vase/support and material etc. used for display purposes.

• All elements included in the piece must be made by the competitor. Petals, leaves, fruits and buds are to be made from gum paste.

Register your entries!