ORLANDO, FL — Along with What’s in Store Live education sessions and keynotes from a celebrated lineup of influential figures, attendees of IDDBA 2026, held June 6-9 in Orlando, FL, got to bear witness to the Cake’d Challenge live cake decorating competition.
Of the four finalists who went head-to-head in two rounds of competition, Debbie Spies, cake decorator and wedding cake designer at LoveCakes by Dorothy Lane Market, was crowned this year’s winner.
The contest was broken out into two parts, the first of which tasked decorators with choosing a holiday at random and decorating four different baked goods accordingly. The second half challenged entrants to decorate a three-tier cake inspired by the state of Florida.
Debbie’s approach to the second part of the contest was inspired by collages, blending different elements tied to the Sunshine State into one cohesive design and designating different focuses for each tier. The bottom tier featured ocean elements as a nod to Florida’s beaches, while the second tier leaned into the flora and fauna throughout the state, integrating elements such as manatees and birds of paradise. To top it all off, the decorator finished her cake with a Cape Canaveral- and NASA-inspired tier, complete with a mini Artemis rocket.
Participating in the event was a new experience for Debbie, and one that proved valuable in more ways than one.
“It feels good to get great feedback and to know I’m doing well,” she said. “It’s an affirmation of my skills and that I’m in a great place.”
With more than a decade of experience as a cake decorator, participating in IDDBA’s Cake’d Challenge offered an opportunity to push her skills in an unexpected direction.
“This has been a great challenge, and I’m excited to do it again,” Debbie said, “especially just to push myself forward to learn and create more.”
Associate editor Maddie Lambert contributed to this story.
