Junior fair baking contest a sweet success
- Laurie Sidle, OSU Extension Wayne Co.
- October 13, 2023
- 435
A giant cheeseburger with all the fixings won Sarah Hagan the Best of Show in the Wayne County Junior Fair Baking Contest and Auction.
Her creation was actually filled with sweet treats that snagged $2,100 for the Wayne County Food and Fashion Board and Wayne County Junior Fair Board during the auction portion of the fundraiser.
Held during the opening weekend of the county fair, the event raised about $16,700 for the boards to fund scholarships and sponsor the baking contest, 4-H Style Revue and Awards Program, and leadership activities.
Purchasing Hagan’s Best of Show cake were Dave Acker Auctioneer, Jed Acker Auctioneer, and Jack and Trevor Gant Realty. Hagan created the confectionery delight by using cake layers for the buns, a large round brownie for the hamburger, sugar cookies for the French fries and colored frostings to add the condiments.
Hagan said she saw a picture of a similar cake online and then created her own version. She made a practice cake and took it to a potluck meal at her church, West Salem Mission. She said those who tried it liked it.
A veteran of the baking contest, Hagan said she made the decorated cake because she wanted to do something fun.
And fun was what it was really all about as junior fair youth age 8-18 brought their baked goods to the Fair Event Center, where a panel of six volunteer judges got the enviable job of tasting the entries and choosing the winners. The participants returned in the evening to receive awards and walk their entries in front of buyers. Auctioneer Seth Andrews volunteered his services to sell the baked goods.
Hagan’s champion cake also was first place in the decorated category for participants age 8-11. Lexi Long’s decorated cake was runner-up in the contest and first place in the decorated category for entrants age 12-18. It was purchased by Alan Michael Ulrich of Ulrich Farms for $300.
The Eric Johnson Chocolate Lover’s Award went to Izzy Pope for her second-place brownies, which were purchased by Cheryl Dye for $200.
Other winners were as follows:
—Cookies (age 8-11): Colton Plessinger, second, and Grant Baker, third.
—Cookies (age 12-18): Allison Mullen, first; Matthew Kennedy, second; and Madelyn Shamp, third.
—Brownies (age 8-11): Grant Baker, first, and Ruth Steiner, third.
—Brownies (age 12-18): Lucy Acker, first.
—Pies (age 8-11): Paisley Morris, first; Sophia Silvestri, second; and Grant Baker, third.
—Pies (age 12-18): Cameryn Wickens, first; Alaina Sheets, second; and Madeline Morris, third.
—Decorated Items (age 8-11): Avery Woodring, second, and Maria Hovest, third.
—Decorated Items (age 12-18): Joy Phillips, second, and Leonora Zemrock, third.
In the junior fair board category, Owen Grossniklaus captured first, second and third place.
All winners received cash awards, and every entrant received a coupon for an ice cream cone from the Wayne County Dairy Promoters red barn ice cream stand.
Also supporting our 4-Hers were buyers Dave Funk of Wooster Motor Ways, Daniel Allen, Kirk Sheets, Dave and Sharon Emler, Nancy and Dan Burkhart, Jackie Leatherman, Dale Sidle of Valley View Spray Service, Shana Shriver of Remember Back When, Rick and Julie Grossniklaus, Kathryn Varner, Carl Redick, Lori Arnold, Leah Faye Acker, Lisa and Dan Broome, Catalpadale Dairy, Bailey Family, Clint Walenciak, Randy Yates, Marcia Reichard, Keith Snoddy, Sarah Beck, Carrie Hovest, Joseph Pajak-Stenger, realtor Dianne Hange, Baker’s Acres, Madco Market, The Faithful Little Cupcake, Kevin and Marcia Trent, Kirk Morris of Morris Oil, Bob Winkler, Karen Silvestri, Samira Zimmerly, Andy Long, Doug Nieman, Ed and Priscilla Gresser, Steiner Lumber, and Leslie Dodaro.
Thanks to everyone who made the auction a sweet success.
Laurie Sidle is an Ohio State University Extension family and consumer sciences and 4-H program assistant and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or sidle.31@osu.edu.