Oh, the places frosting will go! Cake Wars returned to Ocean Beach on August 19 for its fourth competition. The Ocean Beach Association (OBA) again sponsored this community cake decorating challenge, and this year’s theme was Dr. Seuss. Thirty teams were each given a basic sheet cake and tickets that could be exchanged for frosting and candy toppings. Additional tickets could be had through Dr. Seuss trivia knowledge.
Returning judges OBA President Maria Silsdorf and Ocean Beach and Police Sergeant Andrew Becher were joined by Ocean Beach Youth Group Drama Director Kimberly Hale. Hale is the current resident expert on all thing Seuss-related after staging an adorable performance of Seussical Jr. at OBYG. (This reporter also feels like an expert after hearing her son “Horton” practice his role all summer). Competitors were evaluated on criteria including originality, team spirit, storytelling, and cleanest area.
As the judges reviewed each cake and discussed the creative process with each team, young competitors stealthily snacked on candy decorations until a communal sugar rush overtook the room. While some teams carefully crafted letters with red rope licorice, others employed the less conventional “lick hand, smear frosting, lick hand” approach. When the winners were announced, the all-ages champion, The Cooking Bakers, proudly took the stage to display their One Fish, Two Fish cake. The winning teams from the kids-only division, Batch 67 and 67 Kings, had already taken “smashing” success quite literally and had consumed their cakes in large handfuls. The one speck that they left was even too small for a mouse.
