Cake artistry took a glamorous turn during the 2023 International Dairy Deli Bakery Association’s annual convention in Anaheim, California.

In a creative twist, the theme of this year’s event was CAKE’D, playfully inspired by the popular television show Chopped. In IDDBA’s version, each decorator was supplied with a number of mystery products provided by sponsors.

IDDBA attendees watched as four retail decorators competed to make the best cake with the ingredients they had been given. At the end of the competition, IDDBA 2023 attendees had the opportunity to vote for their favorite cake on the IDDBA app.

The winner, who was announced the morning of Tuesday, June 6, was Bryant Myer, pastry chef at HyVee.

“I have worked for HyVee for almost 15 years. I found a love for baking and more specifically cakes after culinary school,” Myer shared. “I love making cakes because every cake is unique to the customer. I love new challenges and pushing myself to try and learn new skills and techniques!”

Other competitors in the special event were Lisa King, LeeAnn Parsons and Joyce Dunbar.

Dunbar began her food journey at the age of 13, working in a bakery making scratch-made bread and rolls and continued to work in the food industry her entire life. In 2018 and 2019, she was honored to take home the blue ribbon and a Best in Show at the Iowa State Fair. Currently, she is a baker and cake designer at Fareway in Dubuque, Iowa. When not at work, she turned her love of food and cake design into a home-based business, Crazy Lady Cakes!

“Being a self-proclaimed foodie, I continue to look for new and better ways to perfect my craft,” she says.

King is the owner at Cake Frolic in Wentzville, Missouri. King is a national teacher, national certified judge and award-winning sugar artist. She owns Cake Frolic, LLC and has been in love with sugar arts for 15 years.

Parsons is a cake decorator at Dorothy Lane Market/Love Cakes in Ohio, working for Dorothy Lane Market/Love Cakes. She has been decorating cakes for almost 30 years.

“I like to think out of the box and do different kinds of cakes. The more impossible, the more I am intrigued,” she says. “I love what I do and so proud to be able too!”