photo source: Miriam's Kitchen
Over 100 friends, family, neighbors, cake lovers, volunteers, and passerbys, walked along the line of 14 coconut cakes in the basement of Western Presbyterian Church, home of Miriam’s Kitchen. Each baker guarded their coconut cake stations and answered questions or offered seconds. The public tasters compared notes, and hugged their voting tickets before placing 1 or more into the boxes for their favorite cake(s).
Guest judges, (counterclockwise) Joan Nathan, Andy Shallal, Brenda Rhodes Miller, Miriam Kitchen’s executive director Scott Schenkelberg deliberated in the kitchen.
Near the 4 PM hour the results were announced. Here are the 5 finalists receiving the most votes at the semifinals for the Makes-Me-Wanna SHOUT! Coconut Cake Challenge:
Coconut Cake (with optional Lemon Filling); Cream Cheese Frosting
Decoyise Brown (Waldorf, MD)
Coconut Cake with Pineapple, Bananas, Toasted Coconut, Sugared Pecans
Christine Perez (Washington, DC)
Coconut Cake with Key Lime Mousse Filling; White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Alexis Echols (Washington, DC)
Coconut “Oatmeal Cookie Cake”; Brown Sugar Frosting with Nuts
Lindsey Wahowiak (Washington, DC)
Chocolate Coconut Macaroon Cake
Stephanie Woodrow (Washington, DC)
Each of the five finalists received a $25 gift certificate donated by Giant Foods and Yes! Organic Market.
The baking talents of all the semifinalists raised over $1,800 for Miriam’s Kitchen. The proceeds from the Makes-Me-Wanna SHOUT! semifinals will provide at least one meal (breakfast or dinner) for all the guests who depend on Miriam’s Kitchen for support.
The Makes-Me-Wanna SHOUT! Coconut Cake Challenge Final Five Happy Hour is Wednesday, April 27, 5-7 PM. More information and cake stories to come.
Thanks to everyone for making the Makes-Me-Wanna SHOUT! Coconut Cake Challenge Semifinals a huge success!
photos provided by Miriam’s Kitchen
