Amy's Top 5 Food Network Challenge Ideas

Week after week, the masses tune in to watch talented cake designers construct elaborate monster cakes vying for the the 1st place title and that phat $10,000 check. The variety of talented cake artists are each well deserving as they tackle the various challenge themes. I like the themes (most of the time) but thought it would be interesting to come up with my own list of Food Network Cake Challenge themes. So here it is:

Cake Challenge theme #1 - Cakelets
Okay, I am a bit biased with this one but to me, palm sized masterpieces are not only totally cool but intriguing and fun. Competitors would have to create various cakelets to compliment a specific theme, like say, fashion or a holiday. The table display would consist of a scene for the cakelets to be showcased.


Cake Challenge theme #2 - Dinner
I am a total foodie. I love everything about food...good food, that is. This challenge would involve the main course and all of its side dishes sculpted out of cakes. The "menu" for the dinner would be up to each cake designer. They could go with Mexican, Italian, Chinese, a festive Thanksgiving spread, or a crown roast fit for the Queen.......Presentation would consist of a dressed table with place settings and a centerpiece with the "dinner" as the main attraction.

Cake Challenge theme #3 - The Three Budget Brides
Cake Designers will have to roll up their sleeves and be resourceful. The task at hand is not an easy one. The theme consists of 3 Bride's budgets. Challengers will have to make 3 separate cakes that stay within each of the 3 bride's budgets . Each of the cakes will have to feed 75 people along with incorporating the same color scheme for each. Bride budget #1 is $500.00
Bride budget #2 is $1500.00 and Bride budget #3 is $4500.00. The challenger that best designs a tasteful looking cake to satisfy each budget wins!


Cake Challenge theme #4 - Copycat
This challenge may sound easy but quite the contrary. A photo of an object or scene is given to each challenger. Everyone will receive the exact same photo. The cake challenger that best replicates the object in the picture wins. May sound tricky but it would be an interesting study in perspective and individual style. This challenge theme is especially intriguing to me.



Cake Challenge Theme #5 - The Family Room
Just thinking about this theme has my wheels spinning. The family room is the place in each house that everyone comes to hang out, watch a movie, play a game, serve some cocktails, and shoot the breeze. Styles of family rooms have changed drastically throughout the decades. Now picture this: Each challenger is to design a family room from a certain era. Sculpted cakes resembling couches, chairs, and side/coffee tables anchor the room. Then there are the rugs, lamps, and decor. This challenge has nothing to do with bigger is better rather, it is all about the execution and accurate representation of the era. Now, THAT'S a challenge that I'd pay to see.

Now, this is just my personal opinion but tell me it wouldn't be cool to choose a FN Cake Challenge theme. If you could, what would you choose?