Bakers from 20 Hy-Vee stores throughout the region met at NorthPark Mall Thursday to compete in Hy-Vee’s annual Cake Designer Challenge.
The 27 designers made cakes, cookies and cupcakes and decorated them according to themes they chose.
“We’re just creating whatever we can,” said competitor, Freda Merrell. “To kind of let people know that Hy-Vee can do more than just your plain ordinary straight flat sheet cake.”
After three hours of decorating, judges picked the winners.
1st place: Melissa Ring – Burlington – High School Theme
2nd place: Michelle Juranko – Moline – Oriental Theme
3rd place: Emilie Davies – Sycamore – Las Vegas Theme
Runner-up Sarah Mozak – Iowa City – Arctic Theme
The three bakers who placed will go on to compete in the finals on March 27 at Jordan Creek Mall in West Des Moines.