Printer-friendly versions of the judges' score sheets.
Judges for the Masquerade Ball Cakes Category:
Melanie Judge
Melanie Judge has been decorating cakes since 2008. She discovered her passion during her graduate studies at the University of Florida. Ironically, she was pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical research, studying obesity. As a stress reliever, she began by taking Wilton Method courses at Michael's Craft Stores and was offered a teaching position the month after she finished the courses. Because her thirst for knowledge is not easily quenched, she scoured the public library shelves for cake decorating books and learned more advanced techniques, like extension work and gum paste flowers, on her own. Melanie thrives in competition, and in her short career she has won four Best of Shows, eight 1st Places, one 2nd Place, two 3rd Place, one Decorators’ Choice, and two Crowd's Favorite prizes. She has been published in many magazines, including the American Cake Decorating Magazine, Mailbox News, and the ICES newsletter. Today, Melanie enjoys actively blogging about her sugary life and is operating her own cakery called Ph.D.-serts & Cakes (www.phdserts.com) in Tampa, FL.
Carol Webb
Carol Webb has owned and operated her bakery, The Cakery ,for over 30 years. The Cakery is known for its award winning desserts and wedding cakes. She has a knack of taking the tedious & complicated techniques and making them simple for production-minded bakers/decorators.
Carol has been a member of I.C.E.S. for many years serving as Oregon State Representative, Treasurer and Secretary. She was the Co-Show Director for the I.C.E.S. Portland, Oregon convention in 2001.
She is a lifetime member of I.C.E.S.
As an international judge, demonstrator and teacher, you can see some of her works that have been featured in American Cake Magazine, Here Comes The Cake and I.C.E.S.Newsletter. She was a contestant on the Kathy Scott team for TLC Ultimate Cake Off. She was inducted into The Pacific Northwest Sugar Artist Hall of Fame in 2010
Ruth Rickey
Ruth is a former attorney and administrative law judge, who now owns Oklahoma City’s premier bake shop, called Ruth’s Sweete Justice Bakery. She made the switch to cakes in 1994 and quickly fell in love with the creativity decorating cakes offered. After being named the top bakery manager in the world for all the IGA stores, Ruth opened her shop in 1999.
Ruth has been seen on all 3 networks that have cake programming. She won WE tv’s Wedding Cake Wars, she assisted Pat Jacoby’s team twice in their victories on TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off and she has been featured in 3 different Food Network specials about the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show. Her cakes have graced the pages of national and international publications for years.
Ruth travels the country teaching and demonstrating numerous techniques in the world of sugarcraft. Ruth operates the Oklahoma Sugar Art Academy, which brings in instructors from around the world to teach in Oklahoma City. You will find Ruth at several cake competitions each year, where she regularly takes home lots of ribbons. Ruth has placed in the top 10 a half a dozen times at various wedding competitions from the east coast to the prestigious Oklahoma Sugar Art Show.
Ruth was recently given The Sweet Life Hall of Fame award at the National Capital Area Cake Show in Virginia. She is also one of only 16 ICES Certified Master Sugar Artists in the world!
Judges for the Mask Accessories Category:
Kelly Lance
My name is Kelly Lance and I am an art addict. Art of all kinds has been a part of my life from my earliest memories; mainly because my parents signed me up for any class that was offered in my area. They said it was to broaden my horizons, but I think it was because they kept me quiet and occupied. I spent 5 years of Saturdays with Mrs. Chambers and although I don`t think we liked each other much, we loved art and managed to rub along tolerably well until she retired. I may have worn her out.
I fell in love with the sugar arts when my daughter, Heather was little and I wanted to make her birthday cakes. It became obvious very quickly that I had Rembrandt aspirations and folk art tendencies. To remedy this, my friend and I took what was supposed to be one series of Wilton classes and ended up staying for all of them. I was hooked. I taught the Wilton Method for the next 5 years and then happened on ICES.
ICES has opened a whole new world and has allowed me to bring many of the techniques I learned in my early life into the sugar art arena. Since 1997 I have delighted in attending conventions, share days and finally cake shows. In 2008 I took the certification test and passed it even though it was one of the most nerve wracking things I have ever done. Since then I have been an adjudicator and this year the test administrator.
In 2010 I had the opportunity to see how television was made up close and personal when I was on “The Ultimate Cake Off” with Kathy Scott`s team. We had a blast! This year I was privileged to be a judge for the first ever ICES Cake Off at our convention.
My Husband, Scott and I enjoy traveling, teaching and judging all over the country. When we are not “on the road” I spend my time playing with my food and learning everything I can.
Judy Duke Judy Duke discovered her passion for cake decorating and sugar art 12 years ago when her daughter wanted to take the Wilton cake decorating classes. She took the classes along with her daughter. After taking the Wilton Method courses, she became a Wilton Method Instructor at JoAnn Fabrics and also at Michaels Craft Store. She always took great pleasure in sharing her knowledge of sugar art with her students. She also worked at Cakes Etc. where her and her daughter had taken the Wilton classes. But she did not stop there in her quest for knowledge of the art of sugar. To continue her sugar art education, she went to Florida ICES mini classes, Days Of Sharing in Florida and South Carolina, and classes at cake shops and attended the annual ICES Cake Conventions. She took classes from many teachers she admired, Judy had a cake shop, The Cake Boutique for eight years. When she had her shop, she had articles written about her and the beautiful cakes that were created at The Cake Boutique. Judy and her cakes were featured in the Palm Beach Post. She had a full front page in the Observer newspaper. Her cakes have been featured in Florida Bride magazine, The American Cake Decorating magazine, and ICES newsletters. She has demonstrated at many Days of Sharing in Florida. 
learning as much as she could from each one.
She is a member of ICES, and Palm Beach Sugar Artists cake club in Palm Beach County.
My name is Judi Smith and I live in Bellevue, Nebraska which is next door to Omaha. I have been decorating for over 35 years and teaching for more than 30 years. I was a Wilton teacher and am in their Hall of Fame for students taught. For the last 19 years, I have worked at David M. Mangelsen’s, a family owned craft store in Omaha, where I teach and buy the department. It is the largest cake department in the Mid-West and when the ICES convention was here in 2007, everyone wanted to take my department home with them. So, I have lots of cake toys to play with and teach a variety of classes that run the gamut from chocolate, gelatin flowers, cookies, buttercream, royal, fondant to gumpaste and beyond. I have been an ICES member since the late 1980’s, and I am again Rep for Nebraska. I was on the Omaha Show Committee in 2007 and created the 3’x 8’ “Heartland Village” in the cake room. I will also be on the Omaha Show Committee in 2015. I have taught two hands-on classes at ICES; one in St. Charles and one in San Diego, both of which I am offering at ICED. I have judged various cake shows and state fairs. I have taken classes from a host of wonderful teaches, that include Carol Faxon, Nicholas Lodge, Carol Webb, James Roselle, Gloria Griffen, Geraldine Randlesome and Earlene Moore just to name a few. I have been privileged to be a member Cheri Elder’s “Crew” that have worked on three of the ICES conventions life-size cake displays. In Detroit, in GM’s lobby, we did the “Dog Band” in a pink Cadillac that made USA Today; in Nashville we did the “Hill Billy Hay Wagon” and we were filmed by a local TV News crew. Lastly, I worked on the “Alligator Wedding” in New Orleans, where my picture was in “Cake Craft Magazine” from England showing airbrushing. I work in most mediums, but love buttercream, chocolate, gelatin, fondant and gumpaste the most. One of my favorite things to do is research to see what other art forms and craft skills can be added to my bag of cake tricks.
Judi Smith
Judges for the Icing Images Edible Icing Sheets Cakes Category:
(Note: Please email Icing Images to get your pre-printed images for this category at a discounted rate!)
Sidney Galpern
Sidney Galpern is a Certified Professional Chocolatier, Cake Designer, Sugar Artist, and Instructor. She graduated with honors from the prestigious Ecole Chocolat School of the Chocolate Arts in Vancouver, BC, and has the distinction as the youngest student to ever complete the program. She trained and interned with top professionals and chefs in New York City, Orlando, and West Palm Beach. Sidney's company was chosen for the ABC Television program Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Sidney has taught sugar and cake decorating to professionals and beginners across the state for the last 3 years as well as guest lecturing at Keiser University. She designs and manufactures her own line of pre-cooked isomalt and sugar tools as well as writing articles for American Cake Decorating Magazine and Florida Today Newspaper and currently is producing how to videos for About.com. In her spare time Sidney likes to volunteer at the Brevard Zoo, is cupcake ambassador for AVET Project, Inc. and volunteers at ICES Day's of Sharing. Sidney co-found the Brevard Cake Artist's Club and her shop, Simi Cakes & Confections, LLC, is located in Melbourne, Fl.
Sharon Low
Sharon Low is a Certified Master Sugar Artist, ’09 who achieved the title in the first group of certified master sugar artists at the Orlando, ICES Convention. She has been decorating cakes since she was 12 years old. Cake decorating started as a hobby for her, and eventually led to her owning her own cake business, Sharon’s Cake Art while living in Canada. She specializes in fondant, gumpaste flowers, pastillage creations, and figurines. Her cakes have been featured in “Wedding Cakes: A Design Source”, “Brides Magazine”, “ICES Magazine,” and in The Sweet Life’s “A Baker’s Dozen”. She has won grand prizes, and awards in several competitions. She has been an adjudicator in the ICES certification exam, a judge, and a demonstrator at the ICES conventions. She has taught cake decorating in different countries such as Puerto Rico, Canada, and Spain. She was the Cake Designer and Pastry Chef at Barton G’s, a renowned events and catering company in So. Florida. Sharon is also an accomplished educator, having almost two Master’s degrees in Education. She currently lives in So. Florida with her husband, and twin daughters.
Michelle Galpern
Michelle was always artistic; painting, drawing, graphics, and photography. She came from a long line of artists. Her Grandfather could whittle an airplane the size of your fingernail with a working propeller and her parents artistic in gold and jewelry. When her daughter, Sidney, opened her bakery and decorating school it took off and Michelle worked along side her learning the skills of the trade. Today they teach blown sugar and cake decorating throughout the state of Florida and beyond as well as co-own
Simi Cakes & Confections, LLC in Melbourne, Florida.
Icing Images LIVE Challenge Judges
Alethea Hickman
Alethea Hickman has been creating delectable treats and avant-garde cakes that are works of art for over 30 years. Her current venture began in 2002 when she opened Passion for Pastry in the Boca Raton and also in The Boca Town Center Mall, where she became legendary in the South Florida area. This award winning Pastry Chef’s specialties include
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Dessert Cake, Pies. Tortes
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Cookies, Pastries
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Holiday Desserts
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Designer Wedding Cakes
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Special Occasion Cakes
- Cupcakes and more
Alethea’s re-invention of the latest craze the “Cupcake” is at the top of her game. Offering the largest selection of flavors and designer cupcakes in the area.
Alethea’s notable experience includes Pastry Chef at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Pastry Chef at The Boca Resort in Boca Raton and Executive Pastry Chef at St. Andrew’s Country Club in Boca Raton.
Coming this fall to Glades Plaza (In the Brewzzi’s and Abe & Louie Plaza).
Some of Alethea's most recent accomplishments include:
- Guinness Book of World Records for the World's Largest Cupcake in 2011
- Competitor on the Food Network's The Challenge series episode Big City Cakes
- Featured in the TLC reality show Party Mama
- Winner of Best Dessert and Best Presentation awards from the Junior League of Boca Raton
- And articles of accolades to numerous to mention
Elena discovered her passion for cake decorating and design in 1974 at the young age of 14 while working for a local grocery store. Ten years later, she opened one of the first cake specialty shops in South Florida. Although many couldn't imagine how a bakery without pastries and bread would succeed, Elena’s vision of what specialty cakes should be happens to be one of the hottest trends in the market today and has attributed to her 28 years of growth. Her flair for decorating shows in all her creations. Elena’s emphasis on quality and custom design, with sugar art and amazing custom fillings, makes her edible creations one of a kind – a true Piece of Cake! Elena’s son Joseph was recently incorporated into the business and has proven that he will be an artistic asset in their new venture “Cupcake Freaks” which will surely impact this new craze. Elena’s work has appeared in Weddings Illustrated, Glamorous Weddings and Palm Beach Gardens (PBG) Magazine and she has trained with Nicholas Lodge in Atlanta, GA. Elena also appears in local commercials in the South Florida area for A Piece of Cake by Elena. Elena truly loves what she does and her creations have been featured in print, TV, radio, and motion pictures. There are multiple locations of A Piece of Cake by Elena in Florida with new stores opening every year. 
Elena Warren
Michelle McMurray
(AKA The Cake Critic)
Michelle McMurray de Luces is The Cake Critic. She is the voice of reason when it comes to desserts. Her belief that every dessert should be “that special moment” drives her to examine, sample, critique and report on confectionaries from coast-to-coast. When it comes to life’s simple pleasures, The Cake Critic knows her stuff. With her unconventional commentary, kitchen wisdom, a trained pallet, and business savvy, she is the ultimate voice on creating and marketing fine dessert creations.
Originally born in the Midwest, Michelle has a master’s degree in business and now calls North Carolina home, where she is married and raising three children. She also runs a successful web site, conducts national tours, maintains a full appearance schedule at conventions and local events, and writes about – what else—cake.
The Cake Critic began as a blog and has grown into a consulting business. Her contacts and experiences are the topic of internet and newspaper articles that run locally and internationally. Her web site, www.cakecritic.com, receives thousand of visits each month who view her critiques, ask questions and join in discussions about everyone’s favorite recipes and desserts.
Michelle loves to travel, collect cake plates and cake recipes, and spend time with family and friends. She enjoys cooking, home decorating, and visiting local bakeries to sample specialty desserts.
Alternate Judge: It all started with my interest and experience in floral decorating and design. Having worked in floral shops and gifts store, I learned about arranging and designing displays. I have had several opportunities to create wedding bouquets and centerpieces for family and friend’s weddings. This interest and experience eventually worked its way into cakes.
After taking the Wilton courses in 2008, I started to create cakes just for family and friends and found I had a new passion. During my time in the classes I had the pleasure of meeting Sidney and Michelle Galpern of Simi Cakes and Confections. I was honored when they invited me to work with them for events like the Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition, and I continue to work with them.
At this time, I am working on establishing my own home-based business: MiaBella Rose Cakes and Cupcakes. I am a member of ICES and a co-founder of the Brevard Cake Artists Club and attend the local Days of Sharing. I enjoy meeting other cake enthusiasts and learn from their knowledge and experiences both in person and on the web. When my friends call me at home and ask what I am doing, I almost always say, “I’m looking at cakes!”
Rosann Testa
Competition winners can look forward to unique, custom-made trophies and/or ribbons. The trophies were designed and created by BJ Trophies in Ocala, FL. The overall competition winners will get this amazing trophy with a 3-D replica of the competition logo on top! Competititors will vote for one person to win the Decorator's Choice trophy, and all show attendants (that's everybody else!) can vote for one person to win People's Choice!
But that's not all! We will also be awarding Grand Prize trophies (pictured below), 1st Runner Up trophies (pictured below), and 2nd Runner Up rosettes in the Masquerade Ball Cakes Category and the Accessories Category for the top 3 entries in each of the Novice, Advanced, and Professional Divisions.
Amazing Prizes!!! Marivi Bassabe, a retired professor from the School of Culinary Arts at Miami Dade College, thru Marivi's Custom Cakes Inc., is offering a one year mentoring as an award for the Youth Best In Show Winner. This mentoring includes 4 courses: Basic course of 6 week, a sugar flowers course of 10 weeks, a fondant course of 10 weeks and an advanced course of 10 weeks (108 hours of mentoring). At the end of the 36 weeks the student will be able to design and construct another award winner piece of art. Best In Show-Open:
Your cruise will take you to the Bahamas for 4 wonderful days of swimming, snorkeling and sightseeing! Best of all, while you are on board ship, you will have free access to eat, eat, and eat. Gourmet foods or just everyday fast food, whatever you choose, It’s all-free! Drinks on board however are not free, but inexpensive. Drinks with your meals are free. Icing on the Cake Dec-Products, is located in Ocala, Fl at: Icing on the Cake-Dec Products Owners What baker in the world whouldn't LOVE a Brand New KitchenAid Stand Mixer? Even if you have one in your kitchen already, one just never seems to be enough. Your kitchen will thank you for winning this wonderful mixer if you win the People's Choice category!KitchenAid's are amazing, you can use them to make practically anything. From Ice Cream to Pasta and yes, of course, everything cake related! 30" all plywood vanity with flush ends in a shaker style door with 5 piece false drawer front painted white with black knobs and with a 1/2" solid surface (Meganite) countertop and backsplash with an undermount black china bowl. Total Retail Value $1160.00 (installation and faucet are not included.) 
(Winners of the following categories are to recieve the prize as listed for the category they win.
All prizes are non-transferable and have NO monetary value)
Best in Show Youth Division: The Winner of this category will recieve an AMAZING Mentoring Package courtesy of Marivi Bassabe
Icing on the Cake Dec Products is proud to present a 4-day cruise to the winner of “The Best in Show- Open Winner”
850 NE 36th Terrace, Suite C at the Midway Plaza, 34470.
The hours are Monday- Friday, 10am to 6pm. Sat 10am to 4pm.
Stop by for any of your cake decorating needs.
Josie and Jerry Jennings
Thank you Cakes by Lisa for this Sweet Prize!
Donated by: Statewide Cabinetry & Installation Inc. 352-529-0093
We are committed to getting really amazing prizes for the the raffle and for competition winners so stay tuned for updates about what we've received! And if you'd like to donate a prize, please contact us at maureenwoodsfl@gmail.com or RLMENZ@yahoo.com.
The following are just a few of the prizes that will be raffled off at the show:
YummyArts "Holiday Treasures" Christmas Cookies DVD & Cookie Cutter Set
This prize is donated by Susan Carberry of the Cake Cottage. It is an amazing set that include the instructional DVD ($24.99 value) and 5 large cookie cutters ($9.99 value each). Susan is known for her impressive and detailed cookies so this is a prize that should not be missed! Get more information about the DVD at YummyArts.com.
Designer Stencils Assortment
Designer Stencils has donated an amazing variety of culinary stencils to the show raffle. If you've never seen their culinary stencils, you're missing out. And if you have seen them, you know that THIS is definitely a prize to WIN! Here is a small sampling of the stencils they've donated to the show raffle:
Patchwork Cutters by Marion Frost
Marion Frost at Patchwork Cutters has donated 7 of her instructional idea books and tons of her cutter sets! The total donation value is over $200! Every show attendee will have a chance to win some of these goodies at our raffle, and here are some photos of examples of what you can create with the products:
Autographed Copy of Satin Ice Sugar Craft Book
Mercedes Strachwsky, one of our show judges, recently teamed up with Satin Ice to create a new book called the Satin Ice Sugar Craft which is a must-have for all cake decorators. It's got great detailed photos of some of Mercedes' greatest cakes, from wedding cakes to children's cakes, including the cake that won Grand Prize at the 2009 Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show.
Elegant Lace Impressions by Carol Webb
Carol Webb, owner and creator of Elegant Lace Impressions, has donated 7 molds, valued at $24.00 each. Her molds are durable, flexible, and versatile. They are must-haves for any cake decorator!
American Cake Decorating Magazines, Subscriptions, and Decadent Details
American Cake Decorating Magazine is proving they are committed to helping make this show a success! Paulina McNamara, the Associate Publisher, is one of our volunteer judges, and now they've donated some amazing prizes. The first 300 show attendees will receive a complimentary copy of an American Cake Decorating Magazine. They are also donating 2 1-year subscriptions to the magazine and 50 copies of the book Decadent Details for the raffle. Awesome!
Judging & Prizes
