Mathews May Faire made its successful debut to the festival world in 2017. Sponsored by the Mathews Museum, the one-day event provided music, entertainment, historical information, many places to eat, and the court green was covered with vendors offering everything from A to Z.

In the historic courthouse, the room once known as the witness waiting room was filled with entries for the first May Faire Pound Cake Contest. With a large number of cake entries and in such limited space, the judges almost had to sit on the floor. A young lady from Middlesex, Maria Saunder Hubbard was the first, first-place winner. With the contest over and with permission from the bakers, cakes were sold for $10 each.

The cake contest has carried on each year since then, except in 2020 and 2021 when May Faire was canceled due to the Covid pandemic. In 2022 the contest was back on schedule and a popular part of the Faire’s activity. It was then held in the County Administration Building with plenty of space until 2026 when it was moved to the museum.

Several changes have been made, including adding categories. Most recently, a class was added for bakers 14 and younger; with six entries this year it proved very successful.

Here are the 2026 first place winners.

Pound Cake: Elizabeth Setterholm of Hayes, who says this is the first time she has ever entered a cake contest. “A daughter of a friend brought me the announcement in the Gazette. It is a family recipe that we worked on until we got it just right. We made a-many of them. I believe the secret is using the same good ingredients each time.” She loves to bake, especially rolls. They are always given away as Elizabeth cannot eat them.

Creative Cake: Robin Dehoux is an old pro at making cakes. Over three times of entering the May Faire contest, she has won two first places and one third place. “My recipe comes from Rose Ingram. She always was known for her coconut cakes. One day Charles asked her if she could add pineapple, and she replied ‘I think so.’ It has become Charles’s and my favorite cake.”

Junior baker: Kaden Ormsby, 14, son of Krista and Will Hargis, is an eighth-grade student in the Family and Consumer Science class at Mathews High School. His mother says Kaden always loved to fool around in the kitchen. He loves to play basketball. Asked if he had given thought as to what he would like to do in the future, he said that he wants to join the armed services, serve his time, remain in the Reserve, and then become a police officer. Kaden has shared one of his other cake recipes that he likes to make.

PINEAPPLE COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Robin Dehoux
1stick margarine
1 stick butter
½ c. Crisco
2½ c. sugar
Mix together and add:
6 eggs
2¾ c. flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt

Add to mixture alternating with:

¾ c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
Put in four layer pans and bake at 350℉. for 15-20 minutes.
Coconut Pineapple Filling
1 lg. can crushed pineapple
2 c. sugar
4 Tbs. cornstarch

Cook until thick and add 2 Tbs. butter and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Spread on layers and sprinkle with frozen coconut. Save enough and add 2 c. 10X sugar and a little coconut for top layer.

POUND CAKE
Elizabeth Setterholm

1 lb. Land O’Lakes salted butter
2 c. Swans Down cake flour, sifted
1 lb. sugar
10 eggs
2 Tbs. lemon extract or to taste

Let eggs and butter set at room temperature a day ahead of cake making. Put butter in electric mixer beating until light and fluffy. Add sugar one-fourth at a time, beating after each addition. Mix well. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix well. Add flour one-fourth at a time and then add extract. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured 10-inch tube cake pan. Bake in a 350℉. oven for 1 hour (I cook mine about 1 hour 20 minutes). Check for doneness by inserting a skewer. When cake is done, remove from oven and give it a shake making sure it is not stuck to the pan. Let cool about 10 minutes and place cake on serving plate.

WATERGATE CAKE
Kaden Ormsby

1 (18.25-oz.) package white cake mix
3 eggs, not cold
1 c. vegetable oil
1 can 7-UP, mini can
2 (3-oz.) pkgs. instant pistachio pudding
1 c. frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 c. cold milk

Combine cake mix, eggs, oil and soda drink and 1 box of pistachio pudding. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 350℉. (175 degrees C.) for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool completely. While cake is baking, mix 1 box pistachio pudding, whipped topping and milk. Chill. Ice cooled cake with chilled frosting. Let cake sit and cool before icing.

Robin Dehoux and her winning Creative Pound Cake.