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Sugarcraft Skills Competition 2025

Judged by BSG Judges – Co-ordinator of Judges: Jan Thorpe

Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th of March 2025

Doors: 11am-5pm

Ticket Price: Adult €10, Student €5 -Paid at Door. Children under 16 Free

Cork International Hotel, Cork Airport Business Park

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Categories

We have various categories available to suit all contestants

Beginner

This category is open to those who have never entered a Sugarcraft Competition in any category and have been involved in the craft for less than one year.

Novice

This category is open to those who HAVE NOT WON a gold award in the Novice section of a chosen class which is being judged to the BSG standard. E.g., if you have won gold in Novice Royal Icing, you cannot enter Novice Royal Icing again, but you can enter another Novice Class. No tutor/demonstrator/instructor of sugarcraft is eligible to enter any novice division.

Open

You may enter an open category as long as you don’t already have 3 golds in that particular class. 

Masterclass

Open to all those who have won a gold award in ANY sugarcraft division of a major
competition. Competitors are no longer limited to winning a maximum of three gold awards in any one class in
this division. In addition, competitors entering the Master division are not allowed to enter, at the same
exhibition, any exhibit of the same category at a lower division.

PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ARE ENTERING THE CATEGORY RELEVANT TO YOUR SKILL LEVEL AND PREVIOUS COMPETITION HISTORY

Sugarcraft Competition Classes

Closing Date for Entries: February 14th 2025 or as each class reaches capacity.

Instructions to Enter:

Entry Fee: €20 per adult (per entry) €10 per child (per entry)

No refunds for cancelled entries/no shows/refused entry due to late arrival.

Any questions are to be directly emailed to the show secretary at show@corksugarcraft.ie

Each adult entrant will be required to take a slot on the stewarding time table and will be contracted regarding the same. 

Class 1: Royal Icing

1A: Novice

Royal Iced Decorated Biscuits:

Theme: Baby Shower

3 homemade biscuits coated and decorated in royal icing only.

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1B: Open

Royal Iced Fruit Cake:

Theme: Birthday

A rich fruit cake covered in marzipan, coated and decorated with royal icing. All decoration to be done using royal icing only

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Class 2: Floral

Flowers must be botanically correct. A list of common or Latin names of all botanically
correct flowers and foliage used must be supplied alongside the exhibit. Where imaginary
flowers are allowed (Class 2C) they do not need to be named/listed but you are very
welcome to give them names and add to the list. Without the list the exhibit does not meet
the schedule requirements and will not be judged.

2A: Beginners

A Specimen Flower
A specimen single flower of the competitor's choice. Must include 1 full flower only plus associated bud and associated foliage. Can be made from any edible mediums.

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2B: Novice

A Potted Plant

Any one variety of plant in a pot showing flowers, buds and foliage for that plant.

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2C: Open

Go Wild

“Go wild” in the flowers or the design. Display must include at least 1 type of botanically correct flower and their associated bud and foliage, but Fantasy/Imaginary flowers are also allowed.

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2D: Masterclass

Competitor's Choice

Competitor’s choice of how many and which specimens of flowers are used, but the display must include buds and associated foliage of the varieties used. Other foliage may additionally be used.

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Class 3: A celebration Cake

This class is an amalgamation of our previous Royal Iced, Sugarpaste, and Carved Novelty classes. Dummies or real cake may be used. Any shape is allowed, so cakes may be carved if the competitor wishes. Competitors will gain more marks if a cake is carved rather than using a pre-shaped dummy, but carving is not a necessity. The cake may be coated and decorated in any edible medium i.e. sugar paste, royal icing, chocolate etc. In all classes the theme must be obvious, either by the nature of the decoration or by an inscription somewhere on the cake or board. Note: the use of ribbon on the cake/around the cake is not allowed. You can use your skills to create an edible ribbon, border or piped border if you wish. Ribbon is allowed on the edge
of the cake drum/board.

3A: Beginner

A Celebration Cake

Theme: Tools of the Trade

A single tier celebration cake decorated with any edible medium(s). Wires, tape, cotton and stamens may be used. No other artificial decorations allowed

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3B: Novice

A Celebration Cake

Theme: Throwback to the 80's

A single tier celebration cake decorated with any edible medium(s). Wires, tape, cotton and stamens may be used. No other artificial decorations allowed

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Class 4: Illusion Cake

An illusion cake is a cake that is decorated to look like anything other than a cake. 

Fool us into thinking that it can’t possibly be cake!!!

4A: open

Competitor's Choice

1 or multiple of any shape cake is allowed, cakes may be carved if the competitor wishes. No dummies, only real cake to be used. Rice Krispie treat and Chocolate biscuit cake are acceptable. Cakes may be coated in any edible medium i.e. sugar paste, royal icing or chocolate etc. and can be decorated in any edible medium(s) the competitor wishes. Only edible and food grade plastic internal supports are allowed. No artificial decoration allowed. No inscription necessary.

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4B: masterclass

Competitor's Choice


1 or multiple of any shape cake is allowed, cakes may be carved if the competitor wishes. No dummies, only real cake to be used. Rice Krispie treat and Chocolate biscuit cake are acceptable. Cakes may be coated in any edible medium i.e. sugarpaste, royal icing or chocolate etc. and can be decorated in any edible medium(s) the competitor wishes. Only edible and food grade plastic internal supports are allowed. No artificial decoration allowed. No inscription necessary.

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Class 5: Open Cake Top Ornament - Competitors Choic

A 3D Cake top ornament made from any edible medium or combination of edible mediums. Discrete edible or food grade supports only may be used. Wire, tape, cotton and stamens are allowed for decoration. No other artificial decoration allowed. To be presented on top of a 6” covered cake or dummy on an 8”/20cm covered drum. Cake dummy and drum should be neatly coated in any edible medium to compliment the ornament, but need not be decorated as it is the Ornament that is being judged. The ornament should be in proportion to the cake.


A cake top ornament is 1 single item that can be lifted up and placed directly onto a cake. It should be able to stand up by itself. It may be secured with some royal icing underneath, but it should be obvious that it could be lifted off in one piece. Do not secure your cake top ornament to the cake/dummy using internal supports. 

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Class 6: Sculpted Centrepiece Open

Theme: Traditions and Customs

A sculpted centrepiece to celebrate the cultural traditions and customs from anywhere in the world. To be decorated in any edible medium or combination of mediums. No restrictions on types/material of internal supports used as this is not an item intended to be eaten. Motorised parts may be used but mechanics must not be visible. The exhibit must be completely covered in edible mediums. Wires (must be taped), tape, cotton and stamens may be used. No other artificial decorations allowed. An explanatory note may be placed alongside the exhibit.

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Class 7: Wedding Cake

In these classes the use of ribbon on the cake/around the cake is not allowed. You can use your skills to create an edible ribbon, border, or piped border if you wish. Ribbon is allowed on the edge of the cake drum/board. A plinth can be a covered double board which is iced and the sides covered with ribbon, braid or any edible medium. 

7A: open

Wedding Cake

A wedding cake of two or more tiers decorated with any edible medium(s). Wires, tape, cotton and stamens may be used. No other artificial decoration allowed. Edible and food grade plastic supports only may be used. Pillars, cake stands, separators, plinths and double boards may be used for display but if cakes or dummies are stacked, a board/card must be used on the underside of each tier.

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7B: masterclass

Wedding Cake


A wedding cake of three or more tiers decorated with any edible medium(s). Wires, tape, cotton and stamens may be used. No other artificial decoration allowed. Edible and food grade plastic supports only may be used. Pillars, cake stands, separators, plinths and double boards may be used for display but if cakes or dummies are stacked, a board/card must be used on the underside of each tier.

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Class 8: Children

8A: Children 0-7yrs

Pizza

A cake board or drum decorated to represent the theme. Any edible mediums may be used. No artificial decorations are allowed. Maximum size 6”/15cm

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8B: Children 8-12yrs

Inspired by my favourite book

A cake board or drum decorated to represent the theme. Any edible mediums may be used. No artificial decorations are allowed. Maximum size 8”/20cm

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8C: Children 13-16yrs

Circus

A single tier celebration cake or dummy decorated with any edible mediums. Cake can be carved if the competitor wishes. No artificial decorations allowed

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Competition rules:

  1. All competition entries must be in place by 09:15 on Saturday and may not be removed before 17:30 on Sunday.  The committee will stage (set up) late arrival exhibits, only if the judging of that class has not already     
  2. Care must be taken to comply with the specifications given for each class. Exhibits that do not comply will not be judged.  Please pay particular reference to use of dummies, artificial decoration including ribbon around cakes, requirement for lists and overall size of exhibit.
  3. Cakes will not be cut unless indicated and dummies may be used unless otherwise stated. The judges may probe cakes to check materials used or for supports.
  4. Competitors have a max entry of  2 per class.
  5. Competitors will be issued with entry numbers for each exhibit, which must be clearly and securely attached to the front and rear of the piece. No personal identification to be displayed.
  6. All care will be taken of exhibits, but the organisers cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage.
  7. The judges will consider exhibits “damaged in transit.” Broken pieces should be left as found and not tidied up or taken away.  Please ask for ‘Damaged in Transit’ sign from Committee Members at the Show.  Signs should be returned/left on tables at close of the Show.
  8. All entries must be original, unaided and current work. The components must not have been used, either as a whole or in part, in any previous competition or classwork situation.
  9. BSG Judges will judge the entries under British Sugarcraft Guild rules, which have the same standard in every competition. Gold, Silver & Bronze Certificates may be awarded if merited. Copies of the current BSG Competition Guidelines booklet are available to purchse from BSG National Office, via the BSG Website online shop bsguk.org
  10. Wires must not be directly inserted into cake or dummy, posy picks or similar must be used. No straws or Safety Seal is allowed.
  11. Gold, Silver, or any other metallic/lustrecolour/dust/glitter/paint used must be edible and this must be stated on the pot or packaging.  Any such colour used, MUSTbe supplied in an envelope marked with the competitor number and placed alongside the exhibit.  If such colours are used and not supplied, the exhibit will be deemed ‘Not to Schedule’.  Rolkem colours are not edible and therefore not allowed.
  12. Where “Ribbon Insertion” is used, the ribbon must be made from an edible medium.
  13. Each class clearly states whether artificial (non-edible) decoration may be used.  The use of feathers or metallic cake jewellery or any jewellery is not permitted in any class.
  14. The board and board edges must be covered.  In all cases ribbon or other trim is permitted on board edges.
  15. In the case of Children’s divisions the definition of age groups are as follows:                                                                                                             A: Class 6A:       7 years or under:           Child’s   8th birthday falls after date of competition.                                                                   B: Class 6B:        8 to 12 years:                  Child’s  13th birthday falls after date of competition.                                                                   C: Class 6C:         13 to 16 years:                Child’s  17th birthday falls after date of competition.
  16. Where printed lists/names are required for floral classes, they must be clear and satisfy what the judges have asked for. Pieces will not be judged without the correct lists.
  17. Each entry must not fall outside or overhang the maximum base area for that class, otherwise it will be deemed not to schedule. Base area is the dimensions of a square within which the whole of the exhibit must fit. Take care that your piece fits with the area the whole way up. Boards can be any shape. There are no height restrictions.
  18. Some classes require you to select a size on the entry form. If your piece is not going to use all the space allocated on the schedule, please select a smaller size. If you change your mind and wish to use more space , please contact the show secretary so we can update the information.
  19. No polystyrene heads in models or buds in flowers are allowed where it states no artificial decoration allowed. The only class these will be allowed in is the Sculpted Centrepiece.
  20. No cocktail sticks or wooden dowels can be used in any class except for the Sculpted Centrepiece
  21. The decision of the judges is absolutely final.
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