ACC students competed in a variety of categories at the 9th Annual Sugar Art Show & Cake Competition.

ACC Culinary Arts students had a great showing at the Capital Confectioners’ 9th Annual Sugar Art Show & Cake Competition, held in late February in Austin.

Culinary student Deanne LeMaistre received first place in chocolate/taste and top honors for all-around taste, which earned her $1,000 in prize money.

“The cake competition is just one example of the hands-on experience our students receive,” says Chef Stephanie Harrington, associate professor of culinary arts. “I’m very proud of the way our students performed in the competition.”

Other ACC winners included:

• Hoang Nguyen, first place confections, first place buttercream 1-tier technique, and third place special techniques
• Katelyn James, second place special techniques
• Kathy Psencik, third place adult beginner sculpted cake
• Ashley Atkinson, second place professional wedding tiered

This fall, the Culinary Arts Department will begin offering an associate degree in baking and pastry, in addition to the certificate in that area currently offered. The degree will focus on the different areas of baking, including chocolate/candy making, wedding cakes, and plated desserts. Students in the degree program will be required to complete a practicum/internship in a bakery setting.

“We wanted to create this new degree because we have so many students interested in baking,” Chef Harrington says. “This degree will provide students with more training than they would receive with the baking and pastry certificate, making for a better-rounded individual in the field.”

For more information about the baking and pastry degree and other department offerings, visit austincc.edu/cularts.