2010 CalJava Wedding Cake Competition

Boundless creativity provided the midnight oil for Pennsylvania College of Technology's School of Hospitality students, who put in late, late hours to prepare their entries for the  fifth annual CalJava International Wedding Cake Competition.

Alan Budiman, of CalJava International, demonstrates coloring a gum-paste flower with luster dust during a demonstration for students in the Introductory Baking course. He is the son of Daniel Budiman, who conceived the contest.

Culinary arts and systems student Stephanie Jackson applies a base layer of butter cream during a lab with Budiman.

Freshman Nitoshia Kulish applies a butter-cream crumb coat in preparation for decorating with fondant during Budiman’s decorating demonstration.

Judges Alan Budiman, of CalJava International, which sponsors the cake contest; Tammie Holsinger, owner of Cove Party Supply in Roaring Spring; and Jennifer Eckert, who earned degrees in baking and pastry arts and technology management from the college in 2001 and 2004.

Judges offer advice to student Brittany Ellis.

Two doves and the letter “L” represent love on this entry’s topper.

The draping on this cake, “Steps to Eternal Love,” an honorable mention created by Abigail L. Schuler, of Waynesboro, takes cues from a wedding dress’s train.

The grand-prize cake, created by Allison K. Myers, of State College.

Peach cabbage roses and gold braids adorn a cake.

Frosted letters spell the happy ending on a fairy-tale cake.

The first-prize cake, fashioned by Samantha L. Liedtka, of Lock Haven.

Hand-made stencils among tools used to decorate this cake.

A modern take on pearls and lace, courtesy of third prize-winner Amy N. Elicker, of East Berlin.

Bright roses and hand-stenciled letters top Elicker's entry.

Delicate roses join yellow lace and silver stenciling.

Hand-made love doves.

A bold entry featuring hand-made roses, stencils, a fondant bow and roping won second-place honors for Gabrielle E. Bricker, of Etters.

Hand-made rings – complete with edible diamond – top an entry.

A hand-sculpted bride and groom.

A cheery entry from People's Choice favorite Lauren K. Harris, of Mont Alto.

A yellow flower sets off pink, piped beads in this close-up view of Harris's work.

Fondant transformed to fabric.

A “Pop-Up Fairy Tale”

Bold painted roses show off a student’s skill.

Lustrous white roses.

A unique cake topper is part of Liedtka's first-place finish.

Layers of daisies are fashioned into three-dimensional wonders.

Abigail Schuler rolls out black fondant in preparation for the contest.

Roses await placement on a contest cake.

Painstaking work on a cake topper groom.

Students add fondant to a contest cake during their last work session before the contest.