NEW ORLEANS — The International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA)’s annual Cake’d Challenge came to a close on June 3 with an award ceremony at the 2025 conference in New Orleans.
Held on the What’s in Store Live (WISL) stage, four cake decorators from IDDBA member retailers were tasked with creating showstopping cakes using mystery ingredients provided by WISL sponsors.
The four finalists included:
- Lisa Dowling | Market of Choice
- Sara Riveria | B&R Stores, Inc.
- Lindsey Shaub | Festival Foods
- Dilini Subasinghe Liyanage | Jewel Osco
“It’s with great pleasure that we gather today to celebrate the artistry and the skill of our phenomenal cake decorators,” said David Haaf, IDDBA president and CEO. “Their dedication and passion have culminated in remarkable creations to participate in the cake challenge. These four individuals submitted cake portfolios and were the top candidates selected out of 125 entries.”
In the first round, participants crafted four different types of cakes, including a cupcake arrangement, a full sheet cake, a 5-inch cake up to three layers and a 10-inch cake up to three layers, incorporating two mystery ingredients into the bakes.
In the second round, dubbed the Holiday Showdown, each participant selected a holiday and decorated four cakes based on their chosen theme.
Lindsey was crowned the grand champion, taking the prize for her Christmas- and New Orleans-themed treats. The fan favorite award recipient was Lisa, who crafted an Easter-themed collection.
“This was a really tight race, and I want to express my gratitude to each and every one of you for being here at IDDBA and supporting our decorators,” Haaf concluded.
