Throughout Acadiana, in almost any given month, you are sure to attend a cook-off competition or eat your way through a festival dedicated to one of our many unique southern dishes. Gumbo champions have vied for the best roux, jambalaya victors have prevailed, and boudin top dogs hold steadfast in their class. But what about those of us hankering for something a little sweeter?

The First Annual New Iberia Baking Competition will be just the event to fill that sweet tooth void. On March 18, home bakers, pro bakers and kid bakers will battle it out to determine whose confections are the sweetest. The newest foodie competition is the recipe of Diana Colletti, the 2012 winner of The Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.”

Originally from California, Colletti began baking as an outlet from her rewarding yet stressful career as a native tribe gaming purchaser. She brought her home-baked cakes to share with delighted co-workers and posted her creations on Facebook. “Producers from The Food Network must have found me on Facebook,” Colletti recalls. “They reached out asking me to be on the show as a home baker, so I sent in an audition tape.” She won the competition and opened a bakery with her prize money.

Seven years later, Colletti and her husband, a native of Jenerette, moved across the country to the bayou so their sons could be close to their grandparents. Colletti gifted her California bakery to her head baker, and the family planted roots in New Iberia.

Colletti settled into her new southern life and became president of the New Iberia Senior High football booster. But just as unexpected as her baking career was, so too was this new role. “My husband attended the spring football meeting, and they didn’t have a booster. The meetings weren’t really going anywhere, so I just started doing the business side of things to keep the ball rolling.” Colletti soon found herself voted in as president and immediately put her purchasing skills to work.

“We want to raise money for the football team to provide more reliable transportation,” Colletti explains. “There have been times when buses have broken down, and we’ve had to forfeit games. We also want to feed the kids before games. We’ve had team family BBQs before a game, and it’s important that the players see us as a community supporting them. It instills values and makes the boys feel a part of something big.” Colletti had already helped head up fundraisers through lottery tickets and with the support of local restaurants. “Then I thought, why not do a baking competition?”

So how will the competition work? Colletti explains there will be three levels – kids, adults and pros. Each baker can enter one of three categories: cakes and cupcakes, cookies and bars, or pies and pastries. Finally, each entry will be judged on presentation, flavor and originality.

“It’s amazing that we have people putting on events like this for our community,” praises Stacey Dempsey, owner of The Frosted Apron and one of the judges. “I love helping and giving back – and of course baking – so I knew I wanted to be a part of this competition.” Competitors will bake their sweet treats at home and bring 100 bite-sized samples to share with the judges and the hungry patrons who will also vote on their favorite dessert for a People’s Choice Award.

Bakery owners and pastry chefs are a few of the participants at the pro level. One participant, Ashleigh Decondris recently turned her baking hobby into a bonafide cottage food bakery. “I’ve been running my professional home bakery, Ginger Snap Creations, for a little over a year now,“ says the Berwick resident. “This will be a great opportunity to showcase my gingersnap creations in New Iberia.” Decondris is a newbie to the competitive baking scene and eager for the judges to taste her signature chocolate chip, ginger molasses and sugar cookies.   

The youth level is open to aspiring bakers ages 9 to 18. “It’s important that our youth is learning skills in the kitchen,” says Dempsey. “Baking is hands-on, creative and mathematical. It promotes confidence, and the kids are so proud of their final products. It always impresses me, when I’ve judged in the past, that a kid can make something so delicious.”  

The competition winners will receive prizes, as well as Acadiana’s newest title, “Best Baker.” In addition to Colletti and Dempsey, the other judges who will sink their sweet tooth into the sugary goodies are “Acadiana Eats” host, Gerald Greunig and local photographer, John Weatherall. “Anything encouraging kids’ involvement in the community and promoting the NISH football team is a win-win for everyone,” says Dempsey. ■