Mother-daughter duo wins Connecticut election cake contest

Sophia Grestini of Amy's Cakes LLC in Cheshire, Connecticut, won the fifth annual Election Cake Bake Off held on Oct. 26 at the Old State House in Hartford. Grestini competed alongside her daughter, and their entry was selected by a panel of judges as the official Connecticut Election Cake of 2026. The winner receives a commission to bake the Old State House birthday cake in 2027.

The winning cake features four layers that alternate between sweet lemon blueberry and traditional spiced sponge flavors. The exterior is decorated with red, white, blue and gold accents. Specific symbols include an "I voted" pin, a ballot box and an American flag. On the second tier, handcrafted fondant figures of a donkey and an elephant represent the two major political parties. A bald eagle sculpted entirely from frosting sits atop the final tier.

The tradition of election cakes in Hartford dates to 1771. At that time, the region was one of the 13 original colonies and one of the few places where residents could elect their own officials. Early celebrations included parties, parades and community gatherings centered on these pastries. The original cakes were dense fruit cakes often soaked in alcohol. They were large enough to feed crowds and contained 30 quarts of flour, 10 pounds of butter, 14 pounds of sugar, 12 pounds of raisins, three dozen eggs and over a quart of wine or brandy.

Writer Amelia Simmons published a scaled-down recipe for the traditional treat in American Cookery. This book is widely recognized as the first American cookbook. The inclusion of the recipe helped preserve the culinary history of the early voting celebrations.

Nicole Sousa, the events and outreach manager at the Old State House, said the modern contest aims to recapture the joy of historical election days. Judges scored the entries based on presentation, creativity and taste. The rules required bakers to create a deliciously non-partisan, election-themed cake that inspires voters and celebrates American democracy.

Sousa stated that the bakers participated for the love of Election Day, baking and the idea of election cakes. She noted that the winning bakers had fun during the creation process. She described the event as joyous and said it should be a way to show contribution to the country and community. The contest is now in its fifth year of operation.

The Old State House hosted the event in Hartford. The competition involved professional pastry chefs and bakers. The winning entry will be recognized as the state's official cake for 2026. The baker's next major commission is scheduled for the Old State House's birthday celebration in 2027.