Sweet Sweepstakes
The festive TABLE Annual Holiday Bake Off in a grand location united five professional bakers, five students from CCAC’s Culinary Arts Program, a panel of judges, and an enthusiastic crowd of tasters. For those of us with a sweet tooth, the afternoon felt like a heavenly sugar high. Better yet, try hosting your own winter bake off at home with friends and make it an annual holiday tradition.
Inside the Mansions on Fifth
Inside the Gilded Age interiors of Mansions on Fifth Hotel, seasoned and novice bakers gathered for a cheerful holiday bake off. This year, TABLE’s second annual competition featured five professional chefs and five students from the Community College of Allegheny County’s Culinary Arts Program.
Unlike last year’s cookie competition, this event invited creativity with desserts ranging from tarts to elaborate cakes. Some took the festive theme seriously—arriving in red and green tartan, Christmas jumpers, and other holiday regalia. Contestants arrived early to finish dessert prep and garnishing. They then placed one dish on the grand entryway’s central table and another on the tasting table, where guests sampled and voted for their favorites.
Community, Creativity, and Competition
As guests trickled in, conversation flowed, appetizers circulated, and desserts quickly disappeared. Meanwhile, the four judges — TABLE’s Keith Recker and Star Laliberte, along with chefs Kevin Hermann and Jackie Page — slipped away to deliberate on flavor, texture, and creativity. In the meantime, we caught up with the contenders, who varied in experience but shared a deep enthusiasm for baking.
The Winners
The winner of TABLE’s Annual Holiday Bake Off, according to both judges and guests, was Karen Unger, who works at Allegheny Country Club. Inspired by her workplace, she created a Holiday Pavlova featuring matcha pavlova, vanilla bean mascarpone, lemon curd, pomegranate seeds, and candied pistachio and lemon peels. It took her six tries to perfect the recipe, yet Unger says baking is all about learning and persistence.
JUDGES’ & PEOPLE’S CHOICE 1ST PLACE
A Holly Jolly Opera Torte
Second-place winner in both professional and people’s choice categories, Andrea Carros-Schrenk, certified executive pastry chef and CCAC instructor, made a Holly Jolly Opera Torte. “I love pistachio,” she said. “This was a good excuse to make pistachio buttercream.” She noted that the competition was an excellent learning experience for her students, adding, “It’s always fun to see what people come up with.”
JUDGES’ & PEOPLE’S CHOICE 2ND PLACE
A Caribbean Christmas Tart
Third place in the judges’ category went to Chef Dianne DeStefano of Lilith for her Caribbean Christmas Tart, featuring passionfruit curd and chocolate mint truffle. Inspired by her business partner Jamilka Borges’s Puerto Rican roots, she developed the combination after creating a similar wedding cake. Though she’d participated in other events, this was her first competition, and she loved how it connected local culinary talent.
JUDGES’ CHOICE 3RD PLACE
Festive Flair and Flavor
Alyssa Zimmerman and Marla Harvey of Georgie’s Corner Bakery & Café embraced the “holiday chic” dress code and created a Black Forest Cherry Yule Log (Bûche de Noël), earning third place in the popular vote. They used three types of cherries since cranberries were hard to find, and every element of their “Christmas log” was edible. Both praised the event’s focus on community and fun.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE 3RD PLACE
Meanwhile, Nate Bateman and Julia Lombardi from Altius entered a Winter Spice Cake with dark gingerbread, cranberry compote, and rosemary whipped ganache. Although they’d made forest cakes before, these new flavors delighted the crowd—and their generous servings didn’t go unnoticed.
The Students of CCAC Shine
Josiah Moore, a second-semester Baking & Pastry Arts student, made Spiced Orange Cranberry Bars inspired by lemon bars but with seasonal flavors. “I’m very proud of what I made,” she said.
Lene Pietrusza baked Vegan Brownies with Peppermint Icing, determined to craft a dessert that plant-based eaters would love. When candy canes proved hard to find, she substituted peppermint sticks from Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop in the Strip.
Another student, Caitlyn Lowrey, made Pistachio Tarts that looked snow-covered, a project that took four days to complete. She loved watching the confidence of professional chefs and said the event was “super fun.”
Recent graduate Nelly Anderko created German Christmas Market in a Cake, a genoise with orange buttercream and mulled wine jelly — a nostalgic nod to her German roots. “This is what we’d have at Christmas,” she said.
Finally, Rachel Walton, last year’s defending champion of TABLE’s Annual Holiday Bake Off and executive pastry chef at DiAnoia’s Eatery, presented her Chocolate Mousse Olive Oil Cake with Beet Caramel. Though short on prep time, she hoped her Thanksgiving-inspired dessert would charm the judges again.
Winners of TABLE’s 2025 Holiday Bake Off
Judges’ Picks
- Pavlova — Karen Unger (CCAC student)
- Opera Cake — Andrea Schrenk (CCAC instructor)
- Caribbean Christmas Tart — Diane DeStefano (Lilith)
Popular Vote
- Pavlova — Karen Unger (CCAC student)
- Opera Cake — Andrea Schrenk (CCAC instructor)
- Bûche de Noël — Marla and Beth (Georgie’s Corner Bakery & Café)
Story by Corinne Whiting
Production and Styling by Star Laliberte
Photography by Laura Petrilla
Linens by Party Mosaic
Florals by Mother Child Floral Design
Shot on location at Mansions on Fifth
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