If a messy kitchen is a happy kitchen, then Jennifer Gray is delirious.
The St. Albert founder of Over the Top Cakes just received word that her lobster boil-themed cake is the grand prize-winner of Canadian Living’s Crazy Cakes Contest.
Gray is the recipient of a paid seven-day trip to Orlando for four that includes airfare, accommodation and a car rental.
“When I heard the news, I was completely shocked. I hadn’t even told my family. Some friends knew. I’d put it on my Facebook page in case friends wanted to vote for me. But I didn’t make it a big deal,” Gray says.
Canadian Living ran a national cake contest in the spring that attracted about 1,400 entries. Entrants were simply required to send in a photo of their creation with a bit of information.
Colleen Tully, Canadian Living’s web food editor and contest curator, immediately realized Gray’s entry was a strong contender.
“At first glance, it was one of the most colourful and creative. Secondly, it was so adventurous and Canadian. She captured the lighthouse and the coastal houses. Even the details of waves crashing up to where the lobster is eating corn were great,” says Tully.
Gray’s lobster boil cake was originally created for the Alberta Progressive Conservative Association’s annual Lobster Boil in 2010.
When the commission arrived, Gray’s initial idea was to design a pot of lobsters. But if anything, Gray is as much a whimsical storyteller as an extraordinarily talented pastry artist and the first idea was just too boring.
“What I wanted to do is make the party look like it was for the lobsters. I had one lobster eating corn on the cob at a picnic table. Another lobster lay in a hot tub with bubbles and a rubber duck. And the other lobster was scuba diving in the waves. There was a lighthouse and jelly bean houses in the background made from Rice Krispies treats and covered in fondant. The base was all cake and everything was edible,” Gray says.
Canadian Living organized the contest so readers could vote online. As the entries came in, Tully made a short list of 100 exceptional cakes and whittled that down to her top 10 personal choices. Adding the 10 cakes that had received the most online votes, she sent the 20 entries to editorial staff for a final selection. One grand prize-winner and 10 honourable mentions are posted on www.canadianliving.com.
“I was so pleased with this year’s win. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it and I’m so glad the staff felt the same way,” Tully says.
This competition isn’t the first time Gray has been noticed by the influential media. Over a year ago, she was invited by the Food Network to send in a demo tape. Although Gray never heard back, she plans to try again.
As of January 2012, Gray is partnering with another St. Albert decorator to make Over The Top Cakes a full-time career, creating wedding cakes and sculpted one-of-a-kind cakes. For anyone wanting decorating tips, Gray also plans to teach a class on “Purse Cakes” in the new year. For more information, visit www.overthetopcakes.ca.
