The 2015 winning cake of NOMA’s Edible Book Day Contest was inspired by Laura Numerof’s children’s book If You Feed a Mouse a Cookie.

Edible Book Day is an international celebration of literature, art, and food on April 7. Museums, libraries, and universities throughout the world participate to create a program for creative individuals and community groups to highlight their artistic, baking, and decorating skills. Local community groups and individuals are invited to bake and decorate cakes inspired by books through the integration of text, literary inspiration or form.

Ribbons will be awarded for the three best cakes in each category, and one “People’s Choice” ribbon will be awarded. This year’s judges are Charles Brown, City Librarian/Executive Director, New Orleans Public Library, and Susan Larson, host of The Reading Life on WWNO-NPR 89.9 FM. Brett Gauthier, corporate executive pastry chef for the Ralph Brennan Group, will assist the judges and present a cake-decorating demonstration at 6 p.m. Visitors to NOMA for the Friday Nights at NOMA programs will be encouraged to vote in the People’s Choice category.

Contestants should fill out an entry form by March 31. Ribbons will be awarded in six categories: Funniest/Punniest, Best Visual Presentation, Most Creative, Most Like a Book, Students (for those taking baking and pastry art classes), and Professional Categories (restricted to those in the culinary industry). Photos of the winning cakes will be posted to NOMA’s Facebook page.

APRIL 7th SCHEDULE

4:30 p.m. Set-up of cakes in the elevator lobby outside Café NOMA.
5:30 p.m. Judging and People’s Choice voting begins.
6 p.m. Café NOMA cake-decorating demonstration with Brett Gauthier.
6:30 p.m. People’s Choice voting ends.
7 p.m. Winners announced inside Café NOMA.

For additional information, contact NOMA Librarian Sheila Cork: scork@noma.org | 504.658.4117