An annual Pound Cake Contest entered the conversation eight years ago when the first annual May Faire, a spring heritage festival, was held in Mathews. As time progressed features and programs of the event, sponsored by the Mathews Museum, were changed annually. But one part of that first Faire proved to be so successful it has been featured each year: The Pound Cake Contest.
For its debut, cakes were displayed and judged in the small jury room of the Mathews Court building. Cakes were placed on and underneath the one table and on and beneath the chairs. The following year the contest was moved to the hallway of the county office building. That’s where it has successfully remained.
In 2024 a change came about. Although called a pound cake contest not all entries were what is considered a true pound cake. So, in order to have more winners and fairer judging, awards would be given in a pound cake division and a creative cake division. The practice of annually donating the cakes, once jud...