2026 Homemade Chocolate Cake Contest
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 2026.
3. The Cake and any Fillings and Frostings must be made from scratch with edible ingredients. No prepackaged ingredients may be used (ex: no pre-made mixes, cookie dough, pie crust, frosting, etc.). Any decorations must just be edible.
4. Cake recipe must feature chocolate or cocoa as a main ingredient.
5. Entry must be a layered chocolate cake (composed of two or more individual cake layers that are stacked vertically, with each baked layer separated by a suitable edible filling). No internal supports permitted. The finished overall size of the cake, including decorations, shall not exceed 12” high by 12” wide by 12” deep.
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. The Cake entry and its recipes will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.
9. Recipe(s) must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of 8-1/2” x 11” sheets of paper. Recipe must list all ingredients, quantities, and preparation instructions. Entrant’s name, address and phone number must be printed on the back side of all pages.
10. 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.
11. Judging Criteria:
Flavor - 35 points (aroma, taste, good balance of flavorings)
Inside Characteristics - 25 points (texture, moist and tender crumb; not soggy or dry)
Frosting - 20 points (taste. texture, even color)
Overall Appearance - 15 points (surface, shape, finished size, color)
Creativity - 5 points
TOTAL - 100 points
First Place Winner is eligible for the 2027 PA Farm Show competition.
Premiums for the
PA FARM SHOW competition:
1st $500, 2nd $250, 3rd $100, 4th Rosette, 5th RosetteSPONSOR: Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs
2026 PA Incredible Angel Food Cake Contest
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 Angel Food Cake contest at any other fair in 2026.
3. The Cake and any Fillings and Frostings must be made from scratch with edible ingredients. No pre-packaged ingredients may be used (ex: no pre-made mixes, cookie dough, pie crust, frosting, etc.). Any decorations must just be edible.
4. The recipe shall include eggs that were produced in Pennsylvania, if possible.
5. The entire cake entry must be submitted for judging on cardboard or other food safe disposable setting. No internal supports permitted. (All pans, plates and dishes are considered to be disposable and will not be returned.)
6. The Cake entry and its recipes will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned.
7. Recipe(s) must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of 8-1/2” x 11” sheets of paper. Recipe must list all ingredients, quantities, and preparation instructions. Entrant’s name, address and phone number must be printed on the back side of all pages.
8. 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.
9. Judging will be based on the following criteria:
Flavor (smell, taste, good balance of flavoring) - 40 points
Inside Characteristics (texture & lightness) - 30 points
Overall Appearance (surface, shape, size, color) 20 points
Topping, Icing or Decoration - 10 points
TOTAL - 100 points
First place winner is eligible for the 2027 PA Farm Show competition.
Premiums for
PA FARM SHOW Angel Food Cake Winners:
1st $500, 2nd $250, 3rd $100, 4th Rosette, 5th RosetteSPONSORS: Pennsylvania Egg Farmers and the
Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs
38th Annual 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 2026.
3. The Apple Pie, including fillings and crust, must be made from scratch with edible ingredients. No prepackaged ingredients may be used (ex: no pre-made mixes, cookie dough, pie crust, frosting, etc.) Any decorations must just 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 Pie entry and its recipes will become the property of the Fair or PA Farm Show and will not be returned
7. Recipe(s) for the Pie and Crust must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of 8-1/2” x 11” sheets of paper. Recipe must list all ingredients, quantities, and preparation instructions. Entrant’s name, address and phone number must be printed on the back side of all pages.
8. 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.
9. Judging will be based on the following criteria:
Flavor - 35 points
Filling (consistency, doneness, moistness and flavor) - 25 points
Crust (color, flavor, texture, doneness) - 20 points
Overall appearance - 15 points
Creativity - 5 points
TOTAL - 100 pointsFirst place winner is eligible for the
2027 PA Farm Show competition.
Premiums for
PA FARM SHOW Apple Pie winners: 1st $500, 2nd $250, 3rd $100, 4th Rosette, 5th Rosette.SPONSOR: Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs