Austin’s very own Capital Confectioners Cake Club hosted the 9th annual Sugar Art Show and Competition on Saturday and Sunday, offering a sweet escape into the world of cake decorating for people of all ages. The theme this year was “Cake to the air; All Clear for Cake-off!”

The event was split up into sections with all of the competition entries on display right next to the entrance. Each cake submitted was placed into one of the sections, including children, teens, amateur adults and professional adults. The great variety of decorated cakes showcased an amazing, talented, and sometimes even laughable portrayal of the various skill levels of different people.

Some of the cake creations included an impressive tribute to Willie Nelson’s head and an homage to the city of Austin complete with flying bats, the longhorn symbol and an appropriately enough ‘Hey Cupcake!’ trailer.

Many of the cake entries paid respects to popular culture. There was a ‘Beauty and the Beast’ cake, a cake that was sculpted into the floating balloon house from UP, a colorful adaptation of the Candy Land board game, and even Harry Potter made his debut in cake form accompanied by his golden snitch and Nimbus 2000. Everything was edible.

The children’s section involved simpler designs, like a cake that resembled a hamburger or Barbie dolls with skirts made of cake. For a dollar kids could decorate a cupcake or cookie with the same icing the professionals use.

The show offered everything from classes for kids and adults, raffle prizes, awards, and even a speed wedding cake on-site competition. There were many vendors and booths set up which offered the opportunity to learn all about the art of cake decorating.

 

Vendors like the “Sugar ‘N Spice Patisserie’ and ‘Cake Connection’ allowed people to buy different spices and flavors like vanilla, cinnamon and lemon specifically designed to be mixed in with the batter of any cake to enhance or liven the flavor.

Many people were snapping photos and signing up for classes to find out more about cake decorating, with hopes that maybe next year they would have a decorated cake to submit of their own.

The event would not have been possible without the volunteer members of the Capital Confectioners Cake Club. The club is a non-profit organization that was formed to provide people who are interested in sugar arts the opportunity to share and network with others who have similar interests. Club members have all different skill levels from home hobby decorators to experienced pastry chefs. Anyone who is interested in sugar arts is invited to join the group, which meets the second Tuesday of each month. They can be located on Facebook and Twitter, and their website is www.capitalconfectioners.com.