County Fair Cake Entry
 

Oh Boy! Oh Boy! Our local, county fair is back for this year. They didn't have one last year, due to covid and I missed the one before that, because I was traveling. A few years back, my dau and I decided that we would each enter our baked goods in the fair. It was a lot of fun and we both didn't realize just how much hard work it was going to be. We both placed second, so now we feel that we need to give it another try. We have a little friendly competition going on and we want those blue ribbons! :) I let her do pies, even though, frannnnkly, uh-hummmm, I think that I am the better pie maker. I took on cakes, which are not my forte, but I've learned a lot. I also now have a ton of cake making supplies in my cupboards.

So, I need a winning recipe! What kind of cake should I make? I know, you veteran QBers probably remember that I asked this the last time I entered. Please bear with me. I need some fresh ideas. Bring them on!

Thanks!

I'm thinking of going with my favorite, childhood cake: German Chocolate Cake. I was looking for good recipes and I came across one that looked like a very, dark, chocolate cake, which seemed a bit off to me. I read more about it and the author was claiming that it was named that because a German immigrant brought the recipe over from Germany. Wrong. I know from researching my old cookbooks that German Chocolate Cake was invented by a Texas homemaker, who used "German's Chocolate" brand of chocolate in her recipe and hence the name. It makes a lighter, chocolate cake and is still the required brand of chocolate for the classic recipe. I believe that they still put their namesake cake recipe on their outside label.

I'm still open to other ideas.

Thanks Tartan.

I'm also considering a tart, lemon cake, with elderberry and/or blackberry filling. Both elderberries and blackberries grow wild around here, so it would be a regional take, which the judges might like. Plus, it's more original. I do love German Chocolate cake though.

White cake with coconut frosting wins every time at our local fair if entered. It looks as good as it tastes. A four layer round cake with white fluffy icing coated in white coconut. It's traditional special occasion cake in the south.

Hummingbird cake is my favorite non-chocolate cake.

That's my favorite cake too. I entered it the last time and got second place. The judge said that my presentation was good, but the cake could use more flavor. I was surprised by that comment, I thought it tasted great, but I took as constructive criticism. Maybe I'll make that cake again, but try to add more flavor somehow.

That is what a local chef judge told my friend about her hummingbird cake, didn't have much of a flavor.

He suggested vanilla paste and Saigon cinnamon.

Whenever I have had parties for the family the one that is a big hit is the chocolate cake from the hershey's can with the chocolate frosting they also give the recipe for. I do have a mayonaise chocolate cake recipe my friend gave me that is good.
I remember when I was little my aunt used to make this yellow cake with a caramel frosting that was to die for.

Thanks, Onebyone. Hummm...those are expensive, gourmet ingredients. Do ya think that they are worth the cost? I'll have to consider those options.