Ready to get baking?

Whether you’re a seasoned baker, a weekend hobbyist, a young creator, or part of a school, club or business team, we’d love you to join in the fun at this year’s Almond Blossom Festival Baking Competition.

From traditional cakes and biscuits to creative almond-inspired masterpieces, there’s a category for everyone. Take a look below and choose the category that’s right for you!

Festival Cake

Bake the official Almond Blossom Festival Cake using the recipe provided. Open to bakers of all ages, this category celebrates tradition, technique and consistency, with all entrants creating the same cake for judging. Recipe is below or email [email protected] to get your copy!

Open Section (18 Years and Over)

Open to all bakers aged 18 years and over. Entrants may choose from one of the following categories:

• Almond Cake – Any cake featuring almonds as a key ingredient. Traditional recipes, family favourites and original creations are all welcome.
• Almond Biscuits – Any biscuit featuring almonds as a key ingredient.
• Baker’s Choice – Any baked item featuring almonds as a key ingredient that does not fit within the Almond Cake or Almond Biscuits categories. Slices, breads, macaroons and other almond-inspired baked creations are all welcome.

Junior Section (12–17 Years)

Designed to encourage young bakers to develop their skills and confidence in the kitchen. Entrants may choose from one of the following categories:

• Almond Cake – Any cake featuring almonds as a key ingredient.
• Almond Biscuits – Any biscuit featuring almonds as a key ingredient.
• Novelty Bake – A broad and flexible category featuring almonds as a key ingredient. This section encourages creativity, imagination and fun, with entrants invited to create unique presentations and original almond-inspired creations. Both baked and non-baked entries are welcome.

Little Bakers Section (5–11 Years)

For young bakers beginning their baking journey. This section celebrates participation, learning and creativity. Entrants may choose from one of the following categories:

• Small Almond Cake – A simple cake featuring almonds as a key ingredient.
• Almond Biscuits – Any almond-based biscuit.
• Novelty Bake – A broad and flexible category featuring almonds as a key ingredient. This section encourages creativity, imagination and fun, with entrants invited to create unique presentations and original almond-inspired creations. Both baked and non-baked entries are welcome.

The Great Almond Community Bake-Off: Schools, Clubs & Businesses Challenge

A single entry representing a school, club, organisation, or business. Each entry may be any baked creation, must feature almonds as a key ingredient, and should reflect the spirit, creativity, fun and identity of the participating group.Completely novel almond-inspired creations are all welcome.

FESTIVAL CAKE ALL AGES 1. Open 2. Juniors	OPEN 18 YEARS & OLDER 3. Almond Cake 4. Almond Biscuits 5. Bakers Choice (any baked goods containing almonds excluding cakes and biscuits)
JUNIORS 12 – 17 YEARS 6. Almond Cake 7. Almond Biscuits 8. Almond Novelty (A broad and flexible section using almonds. Encourages creative, unique, fun presentations, or  imaginative entries. Baked or non baked items accepted)	LITTLIES 5-11 YEARS 9.  Small Almond Cakes 10. Almond Biscuits 11. Almond Novelty (A broad and flexible section using almonds. Encourages creative, unique, fun presentations, or  imaginative entries. Baked or non baked items accepted)
12. Almond Community Bake-Off	ENTER VIA LINK

• One entry per person per section
• Oven baked goods only *except for Novelty
• Almond Cake size 20cm diameter maximum *unless otherwise specified for the Festival Cake section
• Festival cake recipe will be supplied
• Iced or Un-iced allowed
• Supply 4 biscuits for judging – applies to almond biscuit entries
• Supply 4 small almond cakes for judging -applies to the Littlies Section only 
• Exhibits to be on sturdy disposable white plates/ glad wrapped. If entrants choose to deliver in or on reusable plate or container, it is owners responsibility to collect on Sunday.
• Exhibit ticket must be attached to entry on delivery to convenor (supplied)

Almond ingredient variations permitted
* Festival Cake will be judged on adherence to recipe

1. Whole Almonds
2. Crushed/Slivered/Flaked Almonds
3. Almond Essence
4. Almond Meal

Flour variations any grain
Self-Raising Flour
Plain Flour

*Disclaimer: Please be aware all exhibits on display will not be refrigerated. It will be the individual’s responsibility if consumed
*Judging: No discussions will be entered into if exhibitors wish to question the Judge’s decisions

Certificates awarded to 1st 2nd & 3rd place

Pear, Ricotta and Almond Cake

Ingredients

• 250g full-fat ricotta (well drained)
• 120ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 160g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 150g ground almonds
• ½ tsp salt
• zest of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp fresh grated ginger
• 220–250g pear (peeled and 1/2 reserved for topping)
• 30g flaked almonds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan-forced. Grease and line a 23 cm loose-based round tin or spring form pan with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, hand whisk together (or use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) the ricotta and olive oil until smooth.
3. Add the vanilla and sugar and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition until the batter is smooth.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the ground almonds and salt, then whisk gently to combine.
6. Fold the dry ingredients into the batter one-third at a time, mixing until smooth.
7. Add the lemon zest, grated ginger and diced pear, gently folding until evenly distributed. Keep half a pear aside to decorate the top.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Thinly slice the reserved pear and arrange on top, then sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
9. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until golden and a skewer comes out clean .
10. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Download the recipe card here

During the warmer months of February and March is harvest time or commonly known as’ knocking time’. Until recent years the method used was to knock the base of the boughs with a rubber waddy and the almonds would fall through onto a hessian sheet spread on the ground. The odd remaining almond on the tree was knocked off by using a long wooded pole. After completion the hessian was pulled into a long trailer called an almond boat or shovelled into bags. Now modernised ‘knocking’ is done with a hydraulic tree shaker which clamps to the tree base and vibrates. A mobile sweeper then forms rows of almonds on the ground for collection.

Mr. G Max Herriot of Willunga invented and patented an almond cracking machine in 1942. His cracking machine was made locally and sold to almond orchardists world wide. The cracker consists of revolving discs with stuyds which the almonds pass through in turn cracking the shell.

The festival has been the Willunga Recreation Park’s major fundraising event since 1969, when a local committee decided to raise money to build the Festival Hall. Today, proceeds from the festival continue to fund the maintenance and the continual upgrading of our park facilities. This week long event continues to be influenced, managed and powered by the generous donations of time, knowledge and dedication of volunteers within the Willunga community.

The Willunga Recreation Park is “home” for many sporting clubs, markets, service and social organisations. These include the Willunga Football, Netball, Tennis, Cricket, Basketball and Table Tennis sporting clubs, the Willunga Quarry, Green Light and Artisan markets, Willunga Girl Guides, Meals on Wheels, Willunga RSL and CWA and Cinemallunga.

Part of the land is leased to Willunga CFS and the park is designated as an emergency centre when the need arises, as was recently the case with the fires in the Willunga Hills. It also provides sporting and Festival Hall facilities for the Willunga Primary School.

The idea for such a park in Willunga was conceived in 1855 when the first Willunga Show was held on the land later earmarked for the Recreation Park. In 1875 a meeting of residents determined that a public park be provided for the use of local residents and, in January 1876, eight (8) acres of land was purchased for the sum of 96 pounds ($192). This land eventually became known as Willunga Recreation Park.

In 1876 the oval was established and the Show Hall was built for 360 pounds ($720), followed by the oval pavilion in 1903. The Almond Blossom Festival began in 1969, with the aim of raising funds to build the Festival Hall [basketball stadium], which was opened in 1979.

Willunga Recreation Park has maintained its status as a multi-purpose park for the use of the residents of Willunga. Its management is the responsibility of the Willunga Recreation Park Incorporated (WRPI) volunteer committee on behalf of the community.