Contest Winners
The Stunning Layer Cake That Won Our Hearts (& Recipe Contest)
Let's give a round of applause to this highly creative confection.
Our latest contest theme, Your Best Layer Cake (Redux), was a trip down memory lane, taking us back to the first Food52 recipe contest. We wanted our community of talented bakers to give us their most creative and delicious layer cakes and they did not disappoint.
With such an amazing array of cakes it was difficult to narrow things down, but after happily testing and tasting, we selected two delectable confections. On the one hand, Antonia James' Coffee Mascarpone-Filled Fudgy Olive Oil Cake with Almond Praline Mascarpone Topping is a creamy, dreamy, fudgy cake with a crunch from the almond praline. And on the other, GML's Pistachio Cake with Confiture Ispahan and Strawberry Swiss Buttercream is an elegant, creative, moist and tender pistachio cake with confiture Ispahan that is utterly delicious.
Determining a winner is never an easy task, especially with two amazing recipes. But thanks to our awesome community, who cast their votes to help us out, we have a winning cake. Cue the drum roll....
Pistachio Cake With Confiture Ispahan & Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Congratulations, GML—your cake was loved by all! We are excited to learn more about you and your winning recipe in the Q&A below. We want to congratulate the runner up AntoniaJames, whose Coffee Mascarpone-Filled Fudgy Chocolate Cake with Almond Praline Mascarpone Filling was also absolutely delicious.
What's your least favorite food?
Fast food burgers. In my mind, they’re an insult to American cuisine. Also…green bell peppers. I can’t even be in the room if they’re being chopped.
What is the best thing you've made so far this year?
This cake, of course!
Describe your most spectacular kitchen disaster.
There are so, so, so many. My first attempt at French meringue buttercream is noteworthy. The meringue evaporated away overnight and I woke up to a very ugly cake sloppily slathered in just slightly sweetened butter.
What is your idea of comfort food?
Anything with the magic combination of butter, cream, sugar, and flour. So basically, any cake, cookie, muffin, or biscuit. I whip up a mug cake or bake a single muffin a couple of times a week. Cake just never disappoints.
Apron or no apron?
Pink apron, always.
What's your favorite food-related scene in a movie?
All the scenes in The Big Night. All that gorgeous authentic Italian food. I think about that timpano all the time and have my eye on a Food52 recipe for it.
Who is someone you'd love to cook for, and why?
Once I brought a slice of cake to Aisha Momaney, the pastry chef at Gravitas, one of my favorite D.C. restaurants. Her carrot cake frosting is so spectacular, so I messaged her on social media and she very kindly shared her recipe. I admit, it’s a little weird bringing food to a restaurant, but I was proud and wanted her to taste her frosting on my cardamom cake. I really love the way she elevates basics and adds clever, thoughtful flourishes that make her desserts so memorable. She put streusel on the side of a cake once. Brilliant!
We hope you had a chance to make GML's delicious cake! You can congratulate her and our runner up AntoniaJames in the comment section.
Written by: sdebrango
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14 Comments
Contests re invigorated!! Thank you for submitting that beautiful and delicious cake. ❤️❤️❤️
Anything with rose water is a thumbs-up for me, GML - the description of that confiture alone is mouthwatering! In all, sharing cake with loved ones is something I'm sure we're all especially looking forward to this summer :))))
A side-note GML: any chance that Aisha Momaney would give permission for you to share that cream cheese frosting recipe? I have tried several and am always disappointed with what I end up with.....
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