Special Baking Contests

CONTACT: Wanda Stamm | Phone: 570-966-5714

Section 1 – Baked Products — Special Baking Contests

Blue Ribbon Apple Pie Contest

1. Open to any individual who is a Pennsylvania resident; only one entry per person.
2. Entrants may NOT have won 1st place in this Blue Ribbon Apple Pie contest at any other fair.
3. Entry to be a pie that must include at least 60% apples in the filling. It does not need to be a “traditional” two crusted apple pie and it can have a variety of fillings.
4. The entire pie must be submitted for judging in a disposable pie pan. (All pans, plates and dishes are considered to be disposable and will not be returned.)
5. The recipe for the pie and pie crust must be submitted with the entry. It should be submitted on one side of 8.5″ by 11” paper. The recipe must list all the ingredients, quantities and the preparation instructions. Entrant’s name, address and phone number must be printed on the back side of all the pages. (All recipes and pies will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.)
6. Refrigeration is not available at the Fair or PA Farm Show. Entries that require refrigeration after baking must indicate so in the recipe. Those entries will not be sold, auctioned or otherwise distributed for consumption after judging for food safety reasons.
7. Judging will be based on the following criteria:
   

   Judging Criteria	Points
   Flavor	30
   Filling: consistency, doneness, moistness and flavor	25
   Crust: color, flavor, texture, and doneness	20
   Overall Appearance	15
   Creativity	10
   TOTAL POINTS	100

First Place Winner is eligible for the PA Farm Show competition.

At the PA FARM SHOW level, this contest is sponsored by:
PA Department of Agriculture –www.agriculture.state.pa.us
PA State Association of County Fairs – www.pafairs.org

PA Farm Show Competition Prizes:
1st – $500, 2nd – $250, 3rd – $100, 4th & 5th – Ribbon

PA’s INCREDIBLE! Angel Food Cake Contest

1. Open to any individual who is a Pennsylvania resident.
2. Entrants may NOT have won 1st place in this Angel Food Cake contest at any other fair.
3. Entry must be an Angel Food Cake made from “scratch”.
4. Pennsylvania produced & packed eggs are requested to be used if at all possible. Please look for the PEQAP or PA Preferred logo or PA packaging dates on the carton.
5. Refrigeration is NOT available at the Fair or PA Farm Show. Entries that require refrigeration after baking must indicate so in the recipe. Those entries will not be sold, auctioned or otherwise distributed for consumption after judging for food safety reasons.
6. The entire Cake entry must be submitted for judging on cardboard. (All pans, plates and dishes are considered to be disposable and will not be returned.)
7. Recipe(s) listing the ingredients and the preparation instructions must be submitted with the entry (printed on one-side of 8-1/2″ x 11″ size paper). Entrant’s name, address and phone # must be printed on the back of all the pages. (All recipes and cakes will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.)
8. Judging will be based on the following criteria:
   

   Judging Criteria	Points
   Flavor: smell, taste, flavoring	30
   Inside Characteristics: texture & lightness	25
   Overall Appearance: surface, size, color	20
   Creativity	15
   Topping, Icing or Decoration	10
   TOTAL POINTS	100

First Place Winner is eligible for the PA Farm Show competition.

At the PA FARM SHOW level, this contest is sponsored by:
Pennsylvania’s Egg Farmers
PA State Association of County Fairs – www.pafairs.org.

PA Farm Show Competition Prizes:
1st – $500, 2nd – $250, 3rd – $100

Homemade Chocolate Cake Baking Contest

1. Participant must be an individual amateur baker who is a Pennsylvania resident. One entry per person.
2. Entrants may NOT have won 1st place in this Homemade Chocolate Cake contest at any other fair.
3. Entry must be a layered chocolate cake made from “scratch”. Pre-made mixes are not acceptable ingredients.
4. Entry must be frosted and frosting must be made from “scratch”.
5. Cake recipe must feature chocolate or cocoa as a main ingredient.
6. The entire cake entry must be submitted for judging on cardboard or other food safe disposable setting. (All pans, plates and dishes are considered to be disposable and will not be returned.)
7. Recipes must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of 8-1/2” x 11” paper. Recipe must list all ingredients, quantities, and the preparation instructions. Entrant’s name, address and phone number must be printed on the back side of all the pages. (All recipes and cakes will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.)
8. Refrigeration is not available at the fair or PA Farm Show. Entries that require refrigeration after baking must indicate so in the recipe. Those entries will not be sold, auctioned or otherwise distributed for consumption after judging for food safety reasons.
9. Judging will be based on the following criteria:
   

   JUDGING CRITERIA	POINTS
   Flavor: aroma, taste, good balance of flavorings	30
   Texture: moist and tender crumb, not soggy or dry	25
   Inside Characteristics: even grain, evenly baked, free from air pockets	20
   Outside Characteristics: consistent shape/size/surface, overall appeal	15
   Frosting: taste, texture, even color	10
   TOTAL POINTS	100

First Place Winner is eligible for the PA Farm Show competition.

At the PA FARM SHOW level, this contest is sponsored by:
PA State Association of County Fairs – www.pafairs.org.

PA Farm Show Competition Prizes:
1st – $500, 2nd – $250, 3rd – $100, 4th and 5th – Rosette Ribbon

PA Preferred™ Junior Baking Contest:
Cookies, Brownies and Bars

Resource: Sample List of PA Preferred™ Products

1. Participant must be an individual amateur baker (age 8 through and including 18 years old) who is a Pennsylvania resident. One entry per person.
2. Entrants may not have won 1st place in the PA Preferred™ Junior Baking Contest at any other fair.
3. Entry must be a plate of six (6) individual sized portions of the baked entry item.
4. Entries must be made from scratch. Pre-made mixes are not acceptable ingredients.
5. PA Preferred™ ingredients must be used in the recipe. A comprehensive list of acceptable products will be available on the PA Preferred™ website. Recipes are to include three (3) out of the five (5) items listed here:
   – Grains such as flour or oats
   – Fruit such as peaches, apples or berries
   – Vegetable such as zucchini or carrots
   – Dairy such as milk, cream or butter
   – Eggs
6. Entry must be submitted for judging on a food safe disposable setting. (All pans, plates and dishes are considered to be disposable and will not be returned.)
7. Recipe(s) must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of 8-1/2” x 11” paper. Recipe must list all ingredients, quantities, and the preparation instructions. PA Preferred^TM ingredients are to be identified in writing as “PA Preferred” along with the brand name in the recipe (ex: PA Preferred Eggs – Weis brand; PA Preferred Milk – Galliker’s brand; PA Preferred Berries – Strite’s Orchards). Entrant’s name, age, address and phone number must be printed on the back side of all the pages. PA PreferredTM product labels should be attached to the recipe. (All recipes and cookies-brownies-bars will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.)
8. Refrigeration is not available at the fair or PA Farm Show. Entries that require refrigeration after baking must indicate so in the recipe. Those entries will not be sold, auctioned or otherwise distributed for consumption after judging for food safety reasons.
9. Judging will be based on the following criteria:
   

   Judging Criteria	Points
   Flavor: aroma, taste, good balance of flavorings	30
   Texture: appropriate for the type of cookie-brownie-bar	25
   Inside Characteristics: even grain, evenly baked, free from air pockets	20
   Outside Characteristics: uniform size, shape, appearance; overall appeal	15
   Creativity	10
   TOTAL POINTS	100

First Place Winner is eligible for the PA Farm Show competition.

At the PA FARM SHOW level, this contest is sponsored by:
PA Dept. of Agriculture’s PA Preferred™ program – www.papreferred.com.

PA Farm Show Competition Prizes:
1st – $500, 2nd – $250, 3rd – $100, 4th and 5th – Rosette Ribbon

UPDATED: Jul 12, 2021 @ 3:44 pm