The expression 'too pretty to eat' was never more true.
On a recent Saturday afternoon, amateur and professional bakers gathered at Winnipeg's Millennium Library for a spectacular cake competition with a bookish bent.
A parade of meticulously decorated, literary themed cakes were centre stage during the third annual Books 2 Eat.
The friendly competition pitted amateur bakers and professional pastry chefs in cake decorating contests. They were given one task: create an "edible piece of art" inspired by books.
The Cat in the Hat, Thumbelina, The Princess and the Pea, Lord of the Rings, Alice in Wonderland, the Wizard of Oz and Charlotte's Web, among many other childhood stories, were all transformed with flour, sugar, eggs and icing into spectacular cakes.
The deliciousness was in the details. Perfectly precise fondant butterflies, toads, lilies and cattails, a yellow-brick road and sparkling ruby red slippers dazzled the crowds milling about the tables.
The free, public event ran the first Saturday in April and attracted cake makers and curious cake lovers. Here are some of the 2013 entries:
Books 2 Eat is just one event held on one day in Winnipeg. The rest of the year, find Winnipeg's cake bosses and the cake of your dreams at any one of the following cake and dessert boutiques.
High Tea Bakery
2103 Portage Avenue
204-775-0264
www.highteabakery.com
Sweet Impressions
669 Stafford Street
204-237-0743
www.sweetimpressions.ca
Chocolate Zen Bakery
553 Osborne Street
204-287-CAKE
www.chocolatezen.ca
Dessert Sinsations
505 B St. Mary Avenue
204-284-4661
www.dessertsinsations.com
Baked Expectations
161 Osborne Street
204-452-5176
bakedexpectations.ca
Cake-ology
85 Arthur Street
204-612-9866
www.cake-ology.ca
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