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Read the Directions.

I have been working all week on an elegant and complex four-tiered “cake” for the Fairfax Chocolate Lover’s Festival. As with all of the show/competition cakes I have worked on that will be displayed over multiple days, I made it out of styrofoam core “cake” decorated with all authentic sugar and chocolate detailing. As Friday drew closer, I was more and more excited to bring it to the show. Then it happened.

I pulled out the rules & regs to check the event address and saw the large bolded text noting that “all materials must be edible”. Hmmm, is styrofoam edible? I mean rice cakes are classified are edible, how different can that be? … Panic and justification mode? You bet!

No worries. I have a few hours. More than enough time for a collegiate-style all nighter of baking madness.

  • Best chocolate cake recipe into the oven? Check.
  • Emergency flowers pirated from original cake? Check.
  • Cocoa butter prepped for custom transfer sheets? Check.
  • Sweet dreams of sugarplums? No way. Nap and big mug of coffee? Check!

I am happy to report that I dropped a cake on the table at the buzzer. Whew!

Moral of this story: READ THE RULES CAREFULLY!!! Lesson learned. Done and done.

chocfestival_cake_twitpic

(Photo taken from @cakeshowNCACS twitter stream. If you aren’t following them, go now!)

Posted in Musings and Inspiration.

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