Featured article
Sweet Victory: Inside Dessert Wars Orlando
Photos by Alina Alex
Choose Auto, Full quality 1080p or 720p.
A home baker who almost talked herself out of entering walked away with $5,000 and the title of Dessert Wars champion in Orlando. The sold-out festival brought more than 50 dessert vendors under one roof, and the crowd got a say in who won.
From stuffed cookies and baby bundt cakes to caramel cheesecake and candied nuts, the room ran on sugar and energy. "I am seeing a lot of happy faces walking around here today," said judge Bailey Bokover of Fox 35 Orlando. "This place is sold out."
Book coverage for your eventHow the competition works
Guests are the first round of judges. They taste their way through the vendor tables and vote for their favorites, and the top five vote-getters advance to a panel of five judges.
The stakes are real: $1,000 for third place, $2,500 for second and $5,000 for the champion, or $8,500 in total prize money. Judging in Orlando included Christina Lavalley, known to her followers as "The Cake Girl," who has competed at Dessert Wars herself. "My experience at Dessert Wars has been competing on the other side," she said. "Now actually being the judge, I can't wait to try all the desserts."
Local food creator Kyla, better known as Orlando Queen, came to sample the city's small businesses in one place. "I'm already loving everything," she said, "especially these stuffed cookies."
The vendors behind the tables
Brine's Baking Boutique, which specializes in gourmet baby bundt cakes, came in fast. The business just marked five years serving Central Florida and Tampa Bay, and owner Brine said her crew moved a thousand cakes in the first two hours. "The energy here at Dessert Wars is always unmatched," she said. Her advice to vendors on the fence: "Just go for it. It's a great way to get your brand out there."
The youngest story of the day belonged to Sweet Danica, a young teen baker who only started last November. After her friends loved the sweets she brought to a school Thanksgiving event, she turned family recipes from Pakistan into a business, including a pavlova with a crisp meringue shell. Her whole family, some from as far as Miami, came out to support her. "It's very unique," one taster told her. "I haven't seen anything like this anywhere else."
Other vendors brought their own origin stories. One baker learned to bake during COVID and started by giving cakes away free to families who couldn't afford them, before turning it into a business. "This has been the best turnout that we've had since we've been doing this," her teammate said. RP Can of Orlando brought candied pecans, cashews and walnuts, "a small snack with a big taste," while a caramel cheesecake table drew lines all afternoon. "They were made with so much love," its vendor said.
The fans who travel for it
For some guests, Dessert Wars is a tradition. One woman's journey began in December 2023, when 10 friends chose the festival to celebrate her 50th birthday. They came from Orlando, Atlanta, Little Rock, Birmingham and Texas, and the group has since attended the Atlanta and Charlotte events.
Her best friend Tasha made the trip from Atlanta again for this one. "If it comes to your city, make sure you go," she said. "If it doesn't come to your city, drive. It is worth the drive, it is worth the flight."
And the winners are
Before naming names, the lead judge reminded the room that everyone who showed up was already a winner. Then the results came in
| Place | Vendor | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| First | Cantrece | $5,000 |
| Second | Angeline Cookies | $2,500 |
| Third | Sweet Danica | $1,000 |
For Sweet Danica, a third-place finish in her first months in business was a remarkable debut. The final two vendors were called to the stage together before Angeline Cookies was announced in second, leaving Cantrece as champion.
She hadn't expected it. "I came in with no expectations. I just wanted to showcase my treats," Cantrece said. "I honestly, truly didn't believe that I would win." Her son Clyde stood beside her. "She's been putting so much work in for this very moment," he said.
Her advice to future vendors was unexpected: don't get intimidated by the elaborate displays in past videos. "I knew I was coming in on the plain side and just wanted to bring my goods," she said. "I didn't do anything fancy to my table, and I came out a winner."
Next stop: Tampa
Dessert Wars heads to Tampa on Saturday, October 24, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Florida State Fairgrounds, with the same $8,500 prize pool on the line. Tickets are available at dessertwars.com.
As one Orlando vendor put it: "Make the drive to Tampa. It's definitely a really cool event to be a part of."
