CAKE & BAKE 2025 inspires with international variety, cake competition and star line-up

Where sugar art, expertise and community meet – a complete success for the scene and the public

From March 22 to 23, 2025, the baking and cake decorating community came together at CAKE & BAKE, the largest trade fair for cake decorating and baking in Germany. The event in Dortmund attracted both national and international participants and offered a comprehensive insight into the latest trends, techniques and products in the industry. Germany’s largest cake competition delighted visitors with around 150 impressive and creative creations in various categories.

Dortmund, 25.03.2025 – The international cake fair CAKE & BAKE was once again a magnet for amateur and professional bakers from Germany and abroad. Held in parallel with CREATIVA, it impressively demonstrated just how much enthusiasm there is for the art of baking, cake design and creative sugar work. Once again this year, the event impressed with a top-class stage program, numerous hands-on activities and the largest competition show of its kind in Germany.

Sabine Loos, Managing Director of the Westfalenhallen Group: “In recent years, CAKE & BAKE has become a permanent fixture in the international cake art calendar. The interplay of creative diversity, international exchange and the enthusiasm of our community makes this trade fair an extraordinary experience. It impressively demonstrates that baking is far more than a craft – it is an art form that connects people worldwide.”

Satisfied visitors and strong exhibitor response

The positive mood was also reflected in the results of the visitor survey: according to an independent survey, around 92% of respondents said they were very satisfied or satisfied with their visit to the trade fair. The variety of exhibitors, the hands-on activities and the stage program with prominent guests were particularly highlighted. The overall concept of the trade fair, with the cake competition as the emotional centerpiece, was also rated positively across the board.

The feedback from exhibitors was just as positive: Many were impressed by the quality of the discussions, the professionally interested audience and the high number of visitors on both days. CAKE & BAKE thus confirmed its position as the leading platform for cake art and creative baking in German-speaking countries – with growing international appeal.

International presence

Away from the CAKE & BAKE Stage, the diverse selection of international exhibitors from countries including the UK, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Romania and the Czech Republic impressed visitors with a wide range of products that left nothing to be desired. A special highlight was the International SugarArt Collaboration, which presented an impressive exhibition on the theme of “Beach Time” under the direction of Tortenkünstler Deutschland e.V.. More than 30 international cake artists created extraordinary showpieces for this. In addition, the stand attracted numerous visitors with a series of entertaining events, making it a central meeting point for the community.

Germany’s biggest cake competition

Around 150 impressive showpieces were presented as part of Germany’s largest cake competition. In a total of thirteen categories – including special categories for children (7-11 years) and teenagers (12-17 years) – the participants put their skills to the test. Under the strict rules of Tortenkünstler Deutschland e.V., the aim was to demonstrate the highest levels of precision, creative design and technical skill. The decisions were made by a 15-member jury made up of renowned personalities from the scene. The prominent members included chief judge Jennifer Holst, her deputy Doreen Zilske and competition coordinator Marina Dewald.

Jennifer Holst was extremely satisfied: “It was a great pleasure to judge these impressive creations. The cakes were extremely varied and there were many creative ideas. Some of the categories were outstanding and the entire organization ran smoothly.” The best showpiece of all entries, also known as Best of Show, went to Pornprapa Saenglert, who completely won over the judges in the “B: One-tier motif cake” category. In the junior categories, Noemi Hes and Jaden Schmitt won Best of Category.

The best-of-show showpiece by Pornprapa Saenglet

Copyright: Messe Dortmund/Wolfgang Helm

Diverse stage program & prominent guests on the CAKE & BAKE Stage

The CAKE & BAKE Stage was the center of the action on both days of the fair and the rows of spectators were filled to capacity. Kabel 1 presenter Madita van Hülsen kicked off the colorful program. On Saturday, content creator Carlo Sommer, also known as CasaCarlo, provided entertainment while decorating with his impressive Instagram community of 500,000 followers. The stars of Das große Backen and Das große Promibacken – including Bettina Schliephake-Burchhardt, Manuela Wisbeck, Patrik Schäfer and Raheem Haidar – impressively demonstrated their craftsmanship on stage. Reality TV star Julian F.M. Stoeckel and his companions Eva Jacob, known from the Jacob Sisters, and singer Stefanie Simon, wowed the visitors with “Glamor and Glitter”. Another highlight followed on Sunday: entertainer Ross Antony delighted the audience at the Super Streusel stand.

Workshops & education for all levels

The trade fair offered numerous exciting offers and highlights for baking professionals and beginners alike. Cake artists such as Robert Haynes, Roger Hassler, Marianne Daubner and Anita Willems presented their art and gave the audience valuable insights in their demonstrations. The diverse workshops also met with great interest. Both international artists such as Kristina Rado and the training courses offered by the exhibitors – including Saracino – were very popular and were always well attended.

Save the Date 2026

The next CAKE & BAKE will take place in March 2026 (March 25 to 29, 2026) again parallel to CREATIVA. Advance sales will start in fall 2025 at cakeandbakemesse.de

All the winning cakes from the 2025 cake competition can be found on the official website of the Cake & Bake trade fair. >> https://www.cakeandbakemesse.de/tortenwettbewerb-2025

The voices of the exhibitors at CAKE & BAKE 2025:

Nicola Keysselitz, Agent Germany & Austria, Saracino srL.

“The atmosphere at the trade fair was simply amazing – the visitors were engaged and very interested. It’s our first time with the Saracino Factory and the new concept was incredibly well received. Many visitors took advantage of our offer and there was a lot of positive feedback. At a trade fair like this, you can get the brand directly into people’s hands – a great platform and opportunity to present yourself. CAKE & BAKE is definitely the number 1 in Germany when it comes to trade fairs in our industry, and here are the important participants who make the difference.”

Teuni Arends, Owner, Tasty Me B.V.

“The trade fair is well attended, there are a lot of people here and the atmosphere is great. We’ve been here since 2016 and know that the right target group is here – that’s exactly why we’re at the trade fair. CAKE & BAKE is the perfect place to present new products and exchange ideas with the right partners and customers.”

Anna-Lisa Weiß, candidate, The Great Bake

“People are very interested in getting to know the faces behind the TV show. This is exactly why we are at CAKE & BAKE. It’s the perfect place to get in direct contact with viewers and further strengthen the connection between the show and its audience.”

Kemal Akgül, Co-founder, Cookiecutterfabrik

“We carried out many exciting activities at our stand. The flash mob in particular was very well received. There was a great atmosphere in Hall 3 and our campaigns were extremely well received. Our aim was to meet the community at CAKE & BAKE – and we definitely achieved that. We will definitely be back next year.”

Katharina Schönenberg, Head of Marketing, coox GmbH

“CAKE & BAKE offered us the opportunity to address a completely new target group and thus gain many new customers. We received direct, valuable feedback from visitors, especially for our products and the Wunderform, which was very important to us. The trade fair was an extremely successful brand-building measure for us and we really enjoyed the direct contact with customers.”

Richárd Csalló, Sales Manager, FRACTAL COLORS KFT.

“The organization of the CAKE & BAKE was excellent, and the support we received was very helpful, such as reminders and smooth communication. We are from Hungary, and two years ago we participated here for the first time. Since then, the event has grown, attracting more visitors, and continues to develop. As an international exhibitor, this is a great fair to be part of.”

Jeannine Zuck, Teamlead, Cookit by BOSCH

“Great atmosphere, a pleasant audience and interested visitors who were happy to see the products live. We were part of the program and the organization was excellent. It was a lot of fun and the audience was enthusiastic. It was our first time here and it was a great experience at CAKE & BAKE.”