Baking Contests

Dept 11 – Youth Baking Contests

Dept	Sec	Class	Description	1st	2nd	3rd
11	10	11580	PA Preferred® Junior Baking Contest Cookies, Brownies and Bars	$20	$15	$10
11	11	11585	Gingerbread Men Contest	$7.50	$5	$4

Dept 11  – Section 10 – Class 11580
Junior Baking Cookies, Brownies and Bars Contest

2023 PA Preferred™ Junior Baking Contest
Cookies, Brownies and Bars

The goal of the PA Preferred® Baking Contest is to encourage young people across the Commonwealth to participate in Pennsylvania’s agricultural fairs by showcasing Pennsylvania grown and produced products in their contest entries.

RULES:

1. Open to any individual amateur baker (ages 8 through 18 at the time of the fair’s contest) who is a Pennsylvania resident. One entry person.
2.  Entrants may NOT have won 1st place in this PA Preferred® Junior Baking contest at any other fair in 2023.
3. Entry must be six (6) individual sized portions of the baked entry.(cookies, brownies or bars).
4. Entire entry must be made from scratch. No pre-packaged ingredients may be used (ex: pre-made mixes, cookie dough, pie crust, frosting, etc.). All ingredients and decorations must be edible.
5. At least two (2) PA Preferred® ingredients must be used in the Some examples of qualifying ingredients are PA Preferred® grains (such as oats or flour), butter, milk, eggs, fruits and/or vegetables.
6. A PA Preferred® logo is not required because not all PA Preferred® products carry the label. The name of the
   ingredient and the source is sufficient (see attached example). Contact RA-AGPAPreferred@pa.gov for any
   assistance with qualifying ingredients.
7. Entry must be submitted for judging on a food safe disposable setting. (All pans, plates and dishes are considered to  be disposable and will not be returned.)
8. Recipe(s) must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of 8-1/2” x 11” paper. Recipe must list all
   ingredients, quantities, and the preparation instructions. The name of each PA Preferred® ingredient or locally purchased ingredient must be clearly listed clearly along with the source that made/grew the product (ex: PA Preferred Milk – Galliker’s brand or Apples – Smith Farm Orchard). Entrant’s name, age, address and phone number must be printed on the back side of all the pages. (All recipes and cookies-brownies-bars will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.)
9. Refrigeration is not available at the fair or PA Farm Show. Entries that require refrigeration after baking must indicate so in the recipe. Those entries will not be sold, auctioned or otherwise distributed for consumption after judging for food safety.
10. Judging Criteria:

Judging Criteria	Points
Flavor (aroma, taste, good balance of flavorings)	30
Texture (appropriate for the type of cookie-brownie-bar)	25
Inside Characteristics (even grain, evenly baked; free from air pockets)	20
Outside Characteristics (uniform size, shape, appearance; overall appeal)	15
Creativity	10
TOTAL POINTS	100

                    FAIR PREMIUMS:  1ST = $20       2ND = $15       3RD  – $10

                     First Place Winner is eligible for the 2024 PA Farm Show competition.

                    Premiums for the 2024 PA FARM SHOW competition
                   First Place – $500.00 Second Place – $250.00 Third Place – $100.00
                    Fourth Place – Rosette Ribbon    Fifth Place – Rosette Ribbon

SPONSOR:   PA Preferred™

Released by PA State Association of County Fairs: January 2023
2023 Participating Fair and 2024 PA Farm Show Contest Rules

Dept 15 – Adult Baking Contests

Dept	Sec	Class	Description	1st	2nd	3rd
15	1	15405	Pennsylvania’s Incredible Angel Food Cake Contest	$40	$35	$30
15	1	15406	Blue Ribbon Apple Pie Contest	$40	$35	$30
15	1	15407	PSACF Chocolate Cake Baking Contest	$40	$35	$30
15	1	15408	Gingerbread Men Contest	$7.50	$5	$4

Dept 15 – Section 1 – Class 15405
Pennsylvania’s Incredible Angel Food Cake Contest

1. Open to any individual amateur baker who is a Pennsylvania resident. One entry per person.
2. Entrants may NOT have won 1st place in this Angel Food Cake contest at any other fair in 2023.
3. Entire entry must be made from scratch. No pre-packaged ingredients may be used (ex: pre-made mixes, cookie dough, pie crust, frosting, etc.) All ingredients and decorations must be edible.
4. Pennsylvania produced & packed eggs are requested to be used, if possible. Please
   look for the PEQAP or PA packaging dates on the carton.
5. The entire cake entry must be submitted for judging on cardboard or other food safe
   disposable setting. (All pans, plates and dishes are considered to be disposable and will not be
   returned.)
6. Recipe(s) listing the ingredients and the preparation instructions must be submitted with
   the entry (printed on one-side of 8-1/2″ x 11″ size paper). Entrant’s name, address and
   phone number must be printed on the back of all the pages. (All recipes and cakes will become
   the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.)
7. Refrigeration is NOT available at the Fair or PA Farm Show. Entries that require
   refrigeration after baking must indicate so in the recipe. Those entries will not be sold,
   auctioned, or otherwise distributed for consumption after judging for food safety reasons.
8. Judging will be based on the following criteria:

Judging Criteria	Points
Flavor: smell, taste, flavoring	30
Inside Characteristics: texture & lightness	25
Overall Appearance: surface, size, color	20
Creativity	15
Topping, Icing or Decoration	10
TOTAL POINTS	100

     PRIZES: 1st = $25   2nd = $15  3rd = $10

                    First Place Winner is eligible for the 2024 PA Farm Show competition.
                Prizes for the PA State Angel Food Cake Winners:1st = $500 2nd = $250 3rd = $100

Sponsors: Pennsylvania’s Egg Farmers & PA State Association of County Fairs

Revised for 2023 fair

Dept 15 – Section 1 – Class 15406
Blue Ribbon Apple Pie Contest 

1. Open to any individual amateur baker who is a Pennsylvania resident. One entry per person.
2. Entrants may NOT have won 1st place in this Blue Ribbon Apple Pie contest at any other fair in 2023.
3. Entire entry must be made from scratch. No pre-packaged ingredients may be used (ex: pre-mademixes, cookie dough, pie crust, frosting, etc.) All ingredients and decorations must be edible.
4. Recipe must include at least 60% apples in the filling. It does not need to be a “traditional” two crusted apple pie and it can have a variety of fillings.
5. The entire pie must be submitted for judging in a food safe disposable pie pan. (All pans, plates and dishes are considered to be disposable and will not be returned.)
6. The recipe for the pie and pie crust must be submitted with the entry. It should be submitted on one side of 8 ½” by 11” paper. The recipe must list all the ingredients, quantities, and the preparation instructions. Entrant’s name, address and phone number must be printed on the back side of all the pages. (All recipes and pies will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.)
7. Refrigeration is not available at the Fair or PA Farm Show. Entries that require refrigeration after baking must indicate so in the recipe. Those entries will not be sold, auctioned or otherwise distributed for consumption after judging for food safety reasons
8. Judging will be based on the following criteria:
   

   Judging Criteria	Points
   Flavor	30
   Filling: consistency, doneness, moistness and flavor	25
   Crust: color, flavor, texture, and doneness	20
   Overall Appearance	15
   Creativity	10
   TOTAL POINTS	100

PRIZES: 1st = $40; 2nd = $35; 3rd – $30

NOTE:

Creativity is essential to a varied competition. Do not limit your contest to a “traditional” two-crusted apple pie.
We are looking for a variety of fillings in the pies; the pie must include at least 60% apples in the filling.

The recipe for the pie and pie crust will also need to be submitted when entering at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

Each Fair must submit the Contest Summary Report verifying the winning apple pie baker. This person will then be eligible to enter the state competition at the 2024 PA Farm Show and will receive the Official Certification Form from the PA Fairs Special Baking Contest Committee.

NOTE: If an individual has already won 1st place at another fair in 2023 for this Blue Ribbon Apple Pie contest, that individual is now considered qualified through that Fair to compete at the 2022=4 PA Farm Show and is no longer eligible to enter this contest at any upcoming Fairs.

Premiums for the 2024 PA FARM SHOW competition will be as followed:

First Place – $500.00     Second Place – $250.00 Third Place – $100.00 Fourth Place – Rosette Ribbon       Fifth Place – Rosette Ribbon

2023 Participating Fair and 2024 PA Farm Show Contest Rules

PSACF Release:  February 2023

Dept 15 – Section 1 – Class 15407
Chocolate Cake Baking Contest

    SPONSORED BY: PA State Association of County Fairs 

RULES:

1. Open to any individual amateur baker who is a Pennsylvania resident. One entry per person.
2. Entrants may NOT have won 1st place in this Homemade Chocolate Cake contest at any other fair in
   2023.
3. Entire entry must be made from scratch. No pre-packaged ingredients may be used (ex: pre-made mixes,
   cookie dough, pie crust, frosting, etc.) All ingredients and decorations must be edible.
4. Cake recipe must feature chocolate or cocoa as a main ingredient.
5. Entry must be a layered chocolate cake.
6. Entry must be frosted and frosting must also be made from “scratch” (no pre-packaged frosting).
7. The entire cake entry must be submitted for judging on cardboard or other food safe disposable
   setting. (All pans, plates and dishes are considered to be disposable and will not be returned.)
8. Recipes must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of 8-1/2” x 11” paper. Recipe must list all
   ingredients, quantities, and the preparation instructions. Entrant’s name, address and phone number must
   be printed on the back side of all the pages. (All recipes and cakes will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.)
9. Refrigeration is not available at the fair or PA Farm Show. Entries that require refrigeration after baking
   must indicate so in the recipe. Those entries will not be sold, auctioned or otherwise distributed for
   consumption after judging for food safety reasons.
10. Judging Criteria:

Judging Criteria	Points
Flavor: aroma, taste, good balance of flavorings	30
Texture: moist and tender crumb, not soggy or dry	25
Inside Characteristics: even grain, evenly baked, free from air pockets	20
Outside Characteristics: consistent shape/size/surface, overall appeal	15
Frosting: taste, texture, even color	10
TOTAL POINTS	100

Premiums:   1st = $40    2nd = $35     3rd = $30

First Place Winner is eligible for the 2024 PA Farm Show competition.

Premiums for the 2022  PA  FARM  SHOW  competition
First Place – $500.00                      Second Place – $250.00    Third Place – $100.00
Fourth Place – Rosette Ribbon             Fifth Place – Rosette Ribbon

Revised for 2023 Fair.