ORLANDO, FL — In addition to a star-studded lineup of speakers, IDDBA 2026 will once again host the Cake’d Challenge live cake decorating competition on the show floor.
Applicants were asked to submit photos that showcased their skills at decorating five different types of baked goods. After a panel of industry judges sifted through and ranked the submitted portfolios, four finalists were selected to showcase their talents at the upcoming event, set for June 7-9 in Orlando.
The 2026 Cake’d finalists are:
- Lisa Dowling, cake decorator from Market of Choice, boasts more than 20 years of cake decorating experience and is competing for the second year in a row.
- Sara Riviera, master decorator at Super Saver Foods, is a two-time Cake’d competition finalist and has been decorating cakes since 2003.
- Max Schultz, cake decorator at Safeway and mixed-media artist, has made hundreds of one-of-a-kind painterly cakes.
- Debbie Spies, cake decorator and wedding cake designer at LoveCakes by Dorothy Lane Market, has been decorating cakes for more than a decade and holds a pastry degree from the Midwest Culinary Institute.
The competition is broken down into two rounds. In the first, each baker will draw a holiday a random and make four baked goods inspired by that occasion: a cupcake arrangement of at least 18 cupcakes, 5-inch layer cake, 12-inch cookie cake and a half-sheet cake. In the second, the cake decorators are tasked with decorating a three-tier cake inspired by Florida. Additionally, they must incorporate two different mystery ingredients. The winner will receive a trophy and industry-wide recognition.
