Naples Chocolate Cake Contest
Saturday, February 10th, 2024
at Morgan Hose Building (22 Mill Street, Naples)
during Vintage Vines & Valentines in Naples, NY
'Bake-Off' Style Competition
9-11am • Drop of your Cake
11am • Judging
1pm • Prizes Awarded
1-4pm • Doors Open to the Public for Cake Sale
New for 2024!
✓ We will have a surprise judge visiting from Naples history! ~ Hint: she was the prize-winning chocolate cake baker at multiple Naples Fairs in the 1880s!
✓ Prizes & certificates will be granted to top bakers in 3 categories:
• Best Cake Overall
• Best Appearance — To give you an edge in this category, brush up on your decorating skills at our Cake Decorating Workshop Sat., January 27th
• Best Use of Local Product(s) — This optional category encourages bakers to celebrate Naples' well-known foodie reputation by incorporating delicious Naples products into your cakes in creative ways. Go subtle, go bold! There are so many possibilities... And here are some of our favorites:
Arbor Hill Chocolate Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Sauce
Hollerhorn Single Barrel Bourbon
Naples Brewing Company Longest Night Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
Naples Brewing Company Maple Blueberry Breakfast Stout
Naples Brewing Company First Anniversary Stout
Naples Herbs & Art Earl Grey Tea
Visit these great Naples locations in person
and try one of their products to enhance your chocolate cake!
Contest Rules
1. Submissions must be home-made, contain chocolate in some form, and meet the definition of a cake. This definition includes but is not limited to chocolate layer, birthday, sheet, cheese, Bundt, angel food, and chiffon cakes. Tortes and gateau will also be considered.
New in 2024 — For an added challenge, bakers are encouraged to compete for Best Use of Local Product(s) (this category is optional). Local product(s) used will be recorded when your cake is delivered.
• No Boozy Cakes. If alcohol is being used, then the alcohol has to be incorporated into the cake. The alcohol cannot be added after the cake is baked. For example, you cannot have a chocolate-rum-soaked cake.
• Use of local ingredients must be incorporated into the cake or filling. For example, you're not drizzling the cake with Chocolate Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Sauce straight from the bottle.
2. Bring your chocolate cake and entry form to the Morgan Hose building on Saturday, February 10 between 9:00 am and 11:00 am for judging. The Cake Committee will register your submission. Extra printed Entry Forms will also be available on site the day of the event (though forms filled out in advance will ease the intake process that day.) You will also be asked to describe your cake's dominant flavors, for cake sale purposes.
3. Do not put your name on your cake or your cake plate. If there are identifying marks, the cake will be disqualified from the contest. Only the Cake Committee will know the identity of the baker. The Cake Committee will assign a number to your submission (by placing a sticker on the bottom of your cake plate) that will be used for judging and to allow you to retrieve your plate after the contest.
4. All cakes will be judged by an impartial panel of judges, based on taste, texture, and appearance. Judges may give a score of up to 10 points for each category for a maximum judge’s score of 30. [*Note: Cakes using local products will be judged with an additional point system based on how well taste and appearance are enhanced by the local product(s). These points will not be considered in awards for Best Cake Overall or Best Appearance Overall]
5. The judging will begin at 11:00 am at the Morgan Hose Building. Winners will be announced at 1:00 pm at Morgan Hose.
6. Cakes will be sold by the slice at Morgan Hose from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm as a fundraiser for the Historical Society. Unsold slices will be donated.
7. The winners will be announced and awarded their prizes and certificates at Morgan Hose on Saturday, February 10 around 1:00pm. You do not need to be present to win. Winners will be announced on our Facebook and Instagram accounts, and featured in our Spring 2024 newsletter.