Some of the area’s finest bakers are busy sifting, stirring and flexing their culinary muscles as they get ready for the state Farm Show in Harrisburg. All four of the winners from the Carbon County Fair will be making their way to the state capitol this weekend, where they will compete for the top prize among dozens of winners from across the commonwealth, hoping to be crowned best of the best.

We thought we’d share a little about each competitor, as well as their winning recipe.We wish them all the best and hope that they each bring home a blue ribbon.For more information on the Pennsylvania Farm Show, visit

http://www.farmshow.state.pa.us/.Christina TomsicMaking the annual trip to the state Farm Show is nothing new to Christina Tomsic of Palmerton, but it’s still just as exciting. This year, like last year, she’ll be representing Carbon County as the winner of the Angel Food Cake Contest. Her winning entry is a Salted Caramel Apple Angel Food Cake. Tomsic said she was honestly surprised to have won last August.“The angel food cake recipe that I created this year I felt was pretty “safe” compared to the other things I entered this year.”Tomsic said her apple pie entry had cheddar cheese and green chili peppers in it, among other spicy ingredients. And her chocolate cake had cookie dough balls baked inside the cake with cookie dough frosting.“I was thrilled to see I won a chance to go to the state fair again because my family loves taking the trip to Harrisburg to support me, as well as take part in all the amazing food there.”In addition to two angel food cake wins, Tomsic won first place in the chocolate cake contest a few times. She’s won second place numerous times in several of the other baking contests. She’s yet to win the big prize at the state fair.Last year Tomsic’s winning angel food cake focused on pumpkin. She wanted something different this year.“I immediately started thinking what other flavors would be least expected in an angel food cake, and I thought apple pie. I knew that I couldn’t put apples in the cake itself, so I needed to figure out a way to get that apple pie flavor. And for the frosting, what doesn’t go better with apples than caramel, and I’m a sucker for anything salted caramel.”Sounds like a winning combination.“I’m excited to be going to Harrisburg again. Like I said before, my family loves coming with me, and we make an entire day out of it. Even if I don’t win again there, having all of them with me to support me through is enough of a win for me.”Salted Caramel Apple Angel Food CakeCake:1 1/2 cups egg whites (PA Preferred), about 10 eggs1 1/2 cups powdered sugar1 cup cake flour1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon almond extract1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup sugarApple glaze:1/3 cup butter, cubed2 cups powdered sugar1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon3 to 4 tablespoons apple juice or ciderSalted caramel frosting:1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter1/2 cup heavy cream2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract1 cup packed light brown sugar1/2 teaspoon salt3-4 cups powdered sugarCakePlace egg whites in a large bowl. Sift powdered sugar and flour together; set aside. Add cream of tartar, vanilla and almond extract and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time.Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 375 F. for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.Salted caramel frostingIn a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, cream, vanilla, brown sugar and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts and the mixture comes to a low simmer; about 4 minutes. Remove the mixture from heat and let it cool for 2 minutes, then transfer the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.Add 2 cups of powdered sugar to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed until well combined. Add in another 1-2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until thick and fluffy; 4-6 minutes. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.Apple glazeMelt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the powdered sugar and cinnamon until blended. Add apple juice slowly until glaze is thin enough to achieve a drizzle consistency.Drizzle over cake.Ashley NothsteinAshley Nothstein of Lansford, won the PA Preferred Chocolate Cake competition at the county level with her S’mores Cake.“Last year I placed second with a different chocolate cake,” said Nothstein. “It was chocolate icing and chocolate filling.”The person who won had raspberry filling in her cake, so Nothstein decided to up her game.“I was looking for something a little more exotic. Since it was summer, I thought s’mores sounded really good, so I figured I’d give that a try.”She was shocked when she won.“You want to win, but when you actually do, it’s a little surprising.”Nothstein said her chocolate cake is rich and moist.“It’s my favorite recipe, the only one I make. I make it with different icings, but I always use this one for the cake part.”Her filling is not one, but two layers: a layer of graham cracker buttercream, then a layer of marshmallow buttercream. Then I do the outside of the cake in this really fudgy chocolate icing.”Nothstein is excited about heading to the Farm Show.“It’s my first big competition, and it’s all the way in Harrisburg. I know it will be more steep there than at the county level. That makes it a little more scary.”S’mores Cake1 1/2 cups Hershey’s Cocoa powder3 cups all-purpose flour3 cups sugar1 tablespoon baking soda1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon salt3 PA Preferred eggs1 1/2 cups milk1 1/2 cups coffee3/4 cup vegetable oil2 teaspoons vanilla extractPreheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour cake pans. In your stand mixer, sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder together. Add in the sugar and salt.With your mixer on low speed, add eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla, coffee, vegetable oil and milk. Mix on medium for 2 minutes until combined.Fill pans 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes until set.Chocolate frosting1 cup butter, room temperature2/3 cup water1 cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder, sifted (you can use regular cocoa powder)8 cups powdered sugar1 teaspoon vanillaMarshmallow cream4 ounces cream cheese1/2 cup marshmallow cream1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugarGraham crackerbuttercream8 ounces cream cheese1/2 cup butter, softened4 cups powdered sugar1 cup graham cracker crumbs (fine crumbs)1 teaspoon vanilla2-3 tablespoons whipping cream or milkTo make the frostings, blend well with a mixer. Assemble the cake with a layer of cake, then a layer of graham cracker buttercream, then a layer of marshmallow buttercream, then the second layer of cake. Cover the entire cake with hocolate frosting.Cathy JamesAlthough Cathy James of Palmerton doesn’t like apple pie, she’s good at making them. Good enough to earn a blue ribbon at the Carbon County Fair and a trip to the state Farm Show.Why does James make pie if she doesn’t like it? Two reasons: her husband, Carl, and her standard poodle, PJ, who loves apple peels.“PJ tries to steal the peelings from the corer,” says James. “That’s why I named it PJ’s.”James puts an apple, similar to the one for Apple computers on the top, only reversed so that it’s not an exact replica, and calls it a “megabite” pie, rather than “megabyte.” Twelve refers to the number of apples in her pie. Pretty clever.This is the second time James entered the county fair. She was surprised when she won.“I won fourth-place last year, but my pie was pretty sloppy. I’m no Suzy Homemaker. I make apple pie because my husband likes it so much, and he says it’s the best. I assume he says that because he has to.”Since the county judges also thought it was the best, we assume he’s not just saying it to be nice.For this year’s entry, James came up with the idea of adding caramel. She also used a cream cheese crust.“It was my aunt’s recipe,” she said. “Usually I use that or make regular crust. It makes it flakier. It’s a thicker crust.”PJ’s 12 Megabite Caramel Apple Crumb PieCrust1 1/2 Cups organic flour6 oz. cream cheese cold1/2 cup unsalted butter cold1/8 cup organic sugarCut in cold butter and cream cheese. Kneed into a ball but do not over-knead. Refrigerate for at least a half-hour. Bake for 20 minutes in pie tin at 400F.Caramel1/4 cup salted butter1/8 teaspoon salt1/2 cup brown sugar well packed1/3 cup half and half2 teaspoons vanilla extractIn a small saucepan melt butter with salt. Add brown sugar and whisk until combined for about 2 minutes. Whisk in half and half. Blend until creamy. Add vanilla extract at end. Put aside to cool.Apples1 tablespoon organic flour1/3 cup light brown sugarPeel and slice 12 applesSteam till softToss with flour and brown sugarTake apples and fill baked crust over half way and top with the caramel. Add remainder of apples until filledCrumbs1/2 cup butter1/2 cup organic sugar1 cup organic flourAdd together in mixing bowl and blend by fork till a crumbly constancy and refrigerate until needed. Cover top of apples evenly and bake pie for 50 minutes at 400F.Icing1 cup powdered sugar2 tablespoons half and half1/2 teaspoon caramel extractBlend sugar, half and half, and caramel extract in a bowl. Refrigerate till needed. Drizzle icing sparingly over top of crumbsServe Warm!Joshua JohnsonRounding out the competition is the youth category, PA Preferred Chocolate Cookies, Brownies and Bars. This year’s winner is 16-year-old Joshua Johnson of Lehighton.Joshua, who is one of 10 children, is the son of Bob and Theresa Johnson.“I honestly didn’t think I was going to win,” said Joshua. “I through it together kind of quick. When my parents came walking up to me at the county fair and told me I’d won, I was kind of surprised.”He and four of his brothers all entered the competition this year. While he placed first, his older brother, Caleb, 18, came in fifth.Joshua said it was a “brotherly competition.”Joshua’s recipe came from one of his mother’s old magazines, but he said he made some changes to it.“I just added a couple different ingredients into it, like chunks of dark chocolate and then put in some other things.”While this is the first year he’s competed, he said he’ll probably enter again next year.“I’ll do it and see what I get.”A junior, Joshua is home-schooled. In the future, he hopes to attend Williamson College of the Trades to study carpentry.Joshua is excited about Saturday’s competition. One thing that might help him is one last special ingredient he adds.“Every cookie that I bake, I bake with love.”Double Chocolate Cookies1 1/2 cups flour1/2 cup cocoa1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon salt3/4 cup white sugar10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled2 large PA Preferred eggs1 teaspoon vanilla4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, shopped into 1/2 inch piecesHeat oven to 375F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.Whisk flour, cocoa, soda and salt together in bowl and set aside. Whisk white sugar and brown sugar together in large bowl. Whisk in butter until incorporated. Whisk in PA Preferred eggs and vanilla until smooth. Gently stir in flour mixture until soft dough forms. Stir in chocolate.Drop 2 tablespoons of dough in mounds onto sheet. Bake until edges are set but centers are still soft and puffy, about 14 minutes.Let cool slightly on sheets before serving.