• 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
• Supply 4 small cakes for judging
• Exhibits to be on firm white paper/plastic plate/glad wrapped
• 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

By Andrea Ball of The Green Gourmet

This cake is made beautifully moist and fragrant thanks to the South Australian extra virgin olive oil which replaces the usual butter. Choose a fruity, late-harvest olive oil (we used Nangkita), and be sure to measure your oil in grams on a scale, which isn’t the same quantity as mls in a cup!

What you’ll need

150g blanched almond meal
100g unbleached plain flour

50g poppy seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon fine salt

200g full cream natural Greek yoghurt
60ml fresh orange juice

125g raw caster sugar
Grated zest of 1½  oranges
3 extra-large pasture-raised eggs
1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence
125g Australian extra virgin olive oil (see note at top of recipe)

Topping

25g demerara sugar
Grated zest of 1½ oranges
Pinch of flaky salt
50g slivered almonds

What to do

Preheat your oven to 180°C (not fan-forced). Grease the base and sides of a 22cm round springform cake pan with a little olive oil and line the base with compostable baking paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond meal, flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, bicarb soda and salt until everything is evenly distributed.

In a small bowl or measuring jug, stir together the yoghurt and orange juice

Place the sugar and orange zest in a separate large bowl and rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is damp and fragrant, then crack in the eggs and add the vanilla. Use electric beaters on high speed to whisk the mixture until light and creamy – a couple of minutes.  

Turn the mixer speed down to medium and gradually drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is voluminous, like mayonnaise!

Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add half the yoghurt and orange juice and mix on low speed. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture, finishing with the second half of the yoghurt and orange juice.

Spoon into your lined cake pan and smooth the top of the cake with a spatula.

For the topping, place the demerara sugar and orange zest in a small bowl and rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is damp and fragrant. Add the pinch of flaky salt and slivered almonds, stir, and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake. 

Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 170°C and cook for another 15 minutes (a total of 35 minutes) until light golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Place the cake in its tin on a wire rack to cool for 1 hour, before turning out. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Serve while still slightly warm or at room temperature with a spoonful of crème fraiche on the side.

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.