I won a brownie decorating contest!

by Dorothy Reinhold on May 18, 2010


Print This Post Print This Post Rainbow Icing Brownie

I’m all puffed up because I won a brownie decorating contest. My edible masterpiece was praised for “simplicity, creativity, and best use of Wilton products.”

How unexpectedly fantastic is that!

There were 65 other contestants, all foodies from around the country, participating in Camp Blogaway, a weekend boot camp for food bloggers. The professional team from Wilton, which is the premiere cake decorating supplier on the planet, gave us a quick tutorial on how to use buttercream, an icing bag/pastry bag, how to fasten the metal tip on with a coupler, and the proper wrist, hand and arm action. It looks easy when they do it. It ain’t rocket science, but there’s a reason decorated cakes are pricy, and that reason is skill.

Which they had, and we didn’t.

Picture a dining hall full of loopy amateurs, fumbling with our pastry bags, sucking the buttercream out of the icing tip, and attempting to access whatever waning creativity we could muster. What did those cakes look like on “Cake Boss,” anyway? They seemed easy when he did them. Want a visual of me hard at work? Go here.

Bags of Wilton buttercream icing

The more icing options, the merrier!

Armed with a “No. 18,” (“If I was stranded on a desert island with only 1 tip, I would take the No. 18,” advised Nancy Siler, VP of Consumer Affairs for Wilton Enterprises.) I trust Nancy. You might have seen her on the public TV show “Bake Decorate Celebrate!” While I haven’t yet watched that show, you can bet I will now that I am a certified winner. Because winners don’t rest on their laurels, do they? Winners go on to win more (think Lance Armstrong). Winners continue to grow, winners have “stretch goals,” and winners never, ever quit, in pursuit of greatness. And with me, rest assured, there is plenty of room to improve.

I was ditzing around trying to decorate my cookie and my cupcake (oh yes, there were 3 items in the challenge), when I heard Nancy announce, “Time’s almost up! Finish up!” I panicked, looked at the colors splayed out on the table, and mustered the only design I could in the remaining minute. A rainbow it is, but not in a traditional shape. Voila! I feel certain that you, too, could achieve kitchen greatness with a rainbow hippie brownie.

Wilton Ultimate Decorating Set

How cool is this?

My prize is a simply amazing chest of decorating tools, called the Wilton Ultimate Decorating Set, with 177 pieces. Professional cake decorators probably own this, but the rest of us drool over stuff like it.

Based on my new pedigree, I’m pretty good with the No. 18. One down, 176 pieces left to master.

Thank you, Camp Blogaway, for a great weekend retreat with my food-obsessed colleagues, and thank you, Wilton, for recognizing the true and simple genius of the rainbow!

Decorated brownies

Winners must practice their craft on brownie bites. This is fun in a bag!

{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }

Angie @ Bigbearswife June 22, 2011 at 6:44 am

So pretty!!

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Jeff June 5, 2011 at 10:00 am

I’m totally into Wilton colors…we use them for easter egg coloring and frosting art. I made Mario one-up cupcakes for Trevor’s birthday last year: bright green with white dots.

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Dorothy June 6, 2011 at 8:58 am

Jeff,
They really are intense and pure colors, aren’t they? Really quality product.

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Kathy - Panini Happy June 5, 2011 at 9:08 am

Way to go – they look so fun and festive!

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Dorothy June 6, 2011 at 8:57 am

Thanks!

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Anita July 27, 2010 at 12:19 pm

Congrats! I just stumbled on this post from you BBQ pork crockpot recipe and thought it was wonderful news to read.

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Deborah June 2, 2010 at 7:39 pm

Wow Dorothy:
When is the cook book coming out. Most impressive.

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onionista May 24, 2010 at 9:19 am

Dorthory,
Loved your brownie decor idea! Congrats!

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bunkycooks May 23, 2010 at 7:29 am

Congrats on the win at camp! Now that you have the big box full of decorating goodies, you can open a bakery!

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sippitysup May 22, 2010 at 11:28 pm

Congrats! Well deserved…GREG

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David May 22, 2010 at 11:05 pm

Hi Dorothy,
You’ve done it again! Delicious, it tastes as good as it looks and it looks pretty good.

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Rashmi May 20, 2010 at 12:06 am

Your brownie looks delish! No wonder you won!! Its so simple and yet so original. Awesome congrats. It was lovely to have met you this past weekend. Keep in touch. Love your prize… so much fun.

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Kim at Rustic Garden Bistro May 19, 2010 at 9:15 pm

So when are you going to throw a cake-decorating party so we can all join in on the fun?

Beautiful brownie! Well-deserved win.

[K]

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dorothy May 19, 2010 at 9:55 pm

Kim, that would be super fun, wouldn’t it?
I certainly have enough supplies now!

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TasteStopping May 18, 2010 at 6:16 pm

I remember seeing your brownie among the myriad other entries, and I loved it! I’m a sucker for rainbows, I’ll admit. Probably more hippie than I care to own up to. And I’ve done my share of cake/cookie decorating, and I was still floundering to make any of my attempts appear attractive. Of course, with frosting that vivid, it all ended up looking pretty festive!

Congratulations on your win!

Best,
Casey

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Food-G May 18, 2010 at 3:40 pm

Hi Dorothy! What a beautiful brownie. Love rainbows. Great photos too. So happy to see your blog and to have connected. You didn’t tell me that you were a BLUE RIBBON PIE BAKER!! I truly admire that skill. Keep in touch : )
Ginny

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Patti at Camp Blogaway May 18, 2010 at 3:14 pm

We were very proud of you at Camp, Ms. D. So proud, in fact, it took all our effort to NOT eat your winning brownie ourselves. Congrats and we hope to see you at future Camps.

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Gisele May 18, 2010 at 3:00 pm

Congrats, Dorothy! Now- upward and onward.

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Cindy Epstein May 18, 2010 at 2:59 pm

Hi Dorothy,
You are just TOO MUCH FUN! I really enjoyed spending time with you at Camp Blogaway, and I’m delighted that you walked away with that fabulous decorating package from Wilton. Keep on squeezin’ the bag and always remember,” Knockers up!”
Best,
Cindy

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dorothy May 18, 2010 at 8:39 pm

Knockers up, baby! Love that expression!

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Erika - In Erika's Kitchen May 18, 2010 at 2:52 pm

So proud of you, Dorothy! And I am so coming over to check out the other 176 decorating tips….

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dorothy May 18, 2010 at 8:40 pm

We should totally do that. Break open that huge chest and try all the goodies out on some cookies or cupcakes or something fun!

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