Food Articles & Product Announcements

Wilton Enterprises: Wilton Announces "Decorate to Celebrate!" Contest Winners

What makes a celebration special? That´s the challenge behind the "Decorate to Celebrate" contest sponsored by Wilton Industries, a leader in cake decorating and celebrating since 1929. This year, contestants from across the U.S. and Canada answered the challenge with over 1,000 entries showcasing creative cakes, cupcakes and mini cakes, cookies and other treats.

A panel of cake decorating experts carefully reviewed each photo entry and selected 24 finalists based on creativity, appearance, technique and the overall use of materials. Finalists were then posted on www.wilton.com for voting and this online community registered more than 60,000 votes to name their winner.

Grand Prize Winner

The "Best Overall" Grand Prize winner, Cookie Garden Spring Celebration, was created by Karina Kappel of Naperville, Ill. She received a $5,000 cash prize, plus a trip to attend the internationally-renowned, two-week Masters Course at The Wilton School of Cake Decorating and Confectionery Arts in Darien, Ill.

Kappel´s stunningly realistic garden of cookie flowers and butterflies was inspired by her desire to combine her love of cooking with her love of art. With a personal story as unique as her grand prize entry, this mother of two and competitive figure skating coach, holds a master´s degree in scientific and medical illustration. Her goal was to create cookies that were truly authentic. She says these cookies are as botanically correct as she could make them.

While searching for the tools needed for her project, Kappel visited www.wilton.com to check out their cookie cutters, icing colors and perhaps find a few "tricks of the trade."There she saw the notice for "Decorate to Celebrate." "It´s crazy luck that I even heard about the contest" she says. Having never before entered a cooking or decorating contest, she entered this one on a whim, never really thinking she´d win. Kappel considers making these life-like cookies a hobby. "It´s really just a fun art project for me" she says.

First Place Winners and Runners-Up:

Prizes were also awarded in each of the four contest categories. First place winners received $1,000 in cash prizes, plus $500 in assorted Wilton products and runners-up were awarded $500 in assorted Wilton products.

Cakes:

First Place: Connie Adams, Mattoon, Ill. – Garden Party Birthday Cake
Runner-Up: Joann Campbell, Woburn, Mass. – Victorian Tea Party

Cookies:

First Place: Loretta M. Litan, San Diego, Calif. – Gingerbread Taj Mahal
Runner-Up: Carmen Zampini, Kirkland, Quebec, Canada – Bridal Shower Royal Icing Cookies

Cupcakes and Mini Cakes:

First Place: Heather Haynes, Clarksville, Ind. – Mini-Bakery
Runner-Up: Victoria Kuchuk, Holland, Pa. – Christmas Cupcake Ornaments

Other Decorated Delights (tart, sandwiches, appetizers, etc.):

First Place: Patricia Ammann, Sioux Falls, S.D. – Mosaic Tiered Breakfast Buffet
Runner-Up: Natalie Snow, Fruit Heights, Utah – Pile of Petals

To view photos of all winning entries as well as other entries showcased, visit www.decoratetocelebrate.wilton.com.