Knoxville, TN Dozens of area bakers have labored over the stove this snowy winter in hopes of taking home the grand prize. The 6th Annual Great Cake Bake to benefit Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Knox County is set for 12 - 5 p.m. on February 28 in the Tennessee Terrace at UT's Neyland Stadium (Gate 19). Entry tickets, available at the door, are $10, and children under the age 12 get in free. Free parking is available in Lot 9.
Participants will be able to ooh and aah over the competition cakes, most of which are available for sale; taste cake samples from showcase bakers; vote on their favorite cake; purchase a variety of baked goods from area bakeries; decorate cupcakes; and participate in children's crafts and activities. WVLT's Chef Walter will be available for a meet and greet.
Event organizers are pleased to welcome new sponsor, Food Network, to be a part of this year's festivities. Other generous sponsors include Sugarbakers Cake, Candy and Wedding Supplies, Food City, Wilton, Satin Ice, Rosa's Catering, Children's Hospital, Knoxville News Sentinel, WVLT-TV8, B97.5, and Friends of the Library.
NEW THIS YEAR: Top division winners will receive fabulous new prizes. Top winners in the professional fondant category have the chance to win a year's supply of products from Satin Ice (a $500 value). The People's Choice winner will receive a Keurig 2.0 Brewer from Green Mountain Coffee. Top winners in the Junior and Teen divisions will win passes to Dollywood. All winners will receive prize packs from Food Network and/or Sugarbakers, and Friends of the Library.
Returning for a second year is the DIAPER CAKE DIVISION. Handcrafted cakes made of diapers have become a popular centerpiece for baby showers everywhere. Diaper cakes will be available for sale.
The Great Cake Bake is designed to highlight the regions’ best cake decorating skills in a public exhibit. It's a sweet way to support the Imagination Library program—making sure Knox County children will continue to get free books in the mail, every month, until age 5.
“Imagination Library is one of the best ways to give your little ones a great start in life," Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett said. “By sending books in the mail every month, we are helping families put a priority on learning to read. Programs like the Imagination Library foster children’s natural curiosity and encourage our young people to read, and the Great Cake Bake is a good way to support those efforts.”
Divisions include: Junior (under 12), Teen (age 13-18), Beginner, Intermediate, or Professional. Categories are: All Occasion Cakes, Wedding Cakes, or a single brilliantly decorated cupcake. The decorated cakes will be separated into different groups: buttercream frosting only and fondant/gum paste/mixed sugar art. There’s a place for every cake!
For more information about the Great Cake Bake, please contact Danielle Velez at (865) 215-8784 at dvelez@knoxlib.org.
About Knox County’s Imagination Library:
A program of the Knox County Public Library, Imagination Library mails one free, age-appropriate book each month to all registered Knox County children from birth to age 5. Currently, over 1,500,000 books have been sent to over 45,000 children since the program began in 2005. 70% of children under age 5 in Knox County are signed up for Imagination Library, helping prepare our youngest citizens for success in school.
The Great Cake Bake is made possible through the generous support of Food Network, Food City, Sugarbaker's, Friends of the Library, WVLT, Knoxville News Sentinel, and B97.5.
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Photos and winners from the 2014 event are available here and can be requested for publication.
