Do you ever dream of baking a show-stopping dessert but feel overwhelmed by complicated recipes or a lack of time? It’s a common dilemma for many home bakers: the desire to create something delicious and impressive from scratch, only to fall back on store-bought options when faced with a busy schedule. Fortunately, the secret to creating truly exceptional treats doesn’t always lie in complex techniques. As the video above showcases, some of the most cherished and award-winning dessert recipes from county and state fairs are surprisingly easy to make.
This article dives deeper into those blue-ribbon winning strategies, revealing how you can whip up delicious, crowd-pleasing desserts with minimal fuss. We’ll explore four fantastic recipes that prove simplicity can lead to spectacular results, offering insights and tips to ensure your baking success. Get ready to impress your friends and family with these easy dessert recipes that have already earned their stripes!
1. The Five-Time Blue Ribbon Winner: Peaches and Cream Pie
Imagine a pie that tastes like a dream, yet requires no traditional pie crust rolling. That’s the magic of this award-winning peaches and cream pie, a recipe so simple that its creator, Nicole McLaughlin, affectionately notes, “Anybody can do that. Even me.” This innovative pie uses a unique crust that forms as it bakes, making it an incredibly accessible option for beginner bakers and a time-saver for seasoned pros.
The ingenuity begins with the crust itself, a simple mixture of flour, a small box of Cook & Serve pudding mix (approximately 1/4 cup if using a large box), baking powder, salt, milk, softened butter, and one egg. The key to its success, as with many baking endeavors, is ensuring your cold ingredients like butter and eggs are brought to room temperature before mixing. This allows for better emulsification and a smoother batter. Once mixed, the batter is poured into a well-greased pie plate—a 9.5 or 10-inch plate works perfectly, resulting in a slightly thicker slice if you opt for a smaller size.
The filling combines drained canned sliced peaches with a luscious cream cheese mixture. Remember to reserve three tablespoons of the peach syrup to add a burst of peachy flavor to your cream cheese, sugar, and softened cream cheese blend. Layer the peaches over the crust, then spoon the cream cheese mixture over them, leaving a one-inch border so the peaches peek through enticingly. A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar over the top adds that quintessential pie aesthetic and a hint of warm spice. Bake this delight at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 35 minutes, then cool it for 20-30 minutes before a crucial two-hour chill in the fridge. This chilling period allows the pie to set beautifully, yielding a perfect slice that’s somewhere between a pie and a cheesecake—a true champion with five blue ribbons to its name!
2. County Fair First Prize: Too Much Chocolate Cake
For the ultimate chocolate lover, the “Too Much Chocolate Cake” is a dream come true, having secured first prize at a county fair. This bundt cake is a testament to how humble ingredients, particularly a boxed cake mix, can be elevated to extraordinary heights. It promises a rich, gooey, and moist chocolate center without the need for any frosting, relying instead on a decadent infusion of chocolate within the cake itself.
The recipe cleverly starts with one pack of Devil’s Food Cake Mix and one pack of instant chocolate pudding mix, laying a solid foundation for intense chocolate flavor. To this, you add a cup of vegetable oil, four eggs, and a secret weapon for moistness: one cup of sour cream. Sour cream adds an incredible richness and tender crumb to cakes, making it a fantastic addition to any boxed mix. A third cup of warm water helps bring everything together, resulting in a perfectly blended batter. The final touch, living up to its name, is two full cups of chocolate chips (a whole bag!) stirred in, ensuring a chocolatey bite in every mouthful.
This simple batter is then poured into a very well-greased bundt pan, ensuring every crevice is coated for an easy release. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 to 55 minutes, checking for a clean toothpick. The patience truly pays off here; after baking, the cake needs to cool in the pan for at least an hour and a half before inverting. This prolonged cooling prevents breakage and helps maintain the cake’s structural integrity. Before serving, a light dusting of powdered sugar adds a touch of elegance. This cake proves that an un-iced cake can be incredibly satisfying, delivering an abundance of chocolate in the best possible way, as confirmed by its blue ribbon win.
3. The Classic Kentucky Blue Ribbon All-Butter Pound Cake
When you think of classic American desserts fit for a state fair, an all-butter pound cake often comes to mind. This Kentucky Blue Ribbon winner embodies that timeless appeal, offering a delightfully sweet, tender, and moist cake that’s perfect for any occasion. It’s a scratch-made recipe that teaches fundamental baking techniques, ensuring a rewarding experience for those looking to hone their skills.
The foundation of this superb pound cake is the creaming of three sticks of perfectly softened butter with three cups of sugar. Allowing your butter to sit out overnight or for several hours is crucial to achieve the ideal room temperature, which is key for a light and fluffy texture. While the butter and sugar cream, prepare your dry ingredients: three cups of flour (remember to spoon it into your measuring cup for an accurate, aerated measure, rather than scooping directly from the bag), one teaspoon of baking powder, and half a teaspoon of salt. This careful measuring technique prevents over-packing the flour, which can lead to a dense cake.
Eggs are added one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, followed by alternating additions of the dry ingredients and one cup of milk, starting and ending with flour. A splash of vanilla extract completes the batter. Once combined, spread the batter evenly into a thoroughly buttered and floured bundt pan. This meticulous greasing and flouring process, including the center tube, is vital for a clean release. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour to an hour and a half, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. After a short five-minute cool in the pan, invert the cake onto a wire rack, then flip it back over to present the beautifully domed top. This pound cake, with its perfect texture and balanced sweetness, is an absolute delight, whether enjoyed plain with coffee or dressed up with whipped cream and fresh berries.
4. North Carolina State Fair Winner: The Two-Way Brownie (Brookie)
Sometimes, the goal isn’t just baking; it’s about “zhuzhing up” a convenient shortcut to create something extraordinary. The Two-Way Brownie, a North Carolina State Fair winner, perfectly encapsulates this philosophy. It’s a “brookie” (brownie-cookie hybrid) that uses a boxed brownie mix and store-bought cookie dough as its base, proving that even pre-made ingredients can be transformed into a blue-ribbon dessert.
The recipe begins with a specific recommendation: Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix, prepared according to package directions, typically requiring two tablespoons of water, half a cup of oil, and two eggs. This simple start is then elevated by stirring in milk chocolate chips, adding an extra layer of richness and chewiness that makes the brownies taste far from their boxed origins. The next ingenious step involves layering pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough squares (like Toll House) over the brownie batter. The video notes that using pre-cut squares can be even smarter than a log of dough, as they fit perfectly for individual brownie-cookie portions.
Once assembled in a baking dish, bake the brookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 36 minutes, or until set. The result is a fudgy brownie topped with a perfectly baked cookie, creating a delightful contrast in textures and flavors. An optional sprinkle of sea salt after baking enhances the chocolate, bringing out its depth, and a drizzle of caramel can take it to yet another level. This two-way brownie exemplifies how strategic additions to convenient ingredients can lead to an über-rich, satisfying, and award-winning treat, making it an ideal easy dessert recipe for any occasion, especially when time is of the essence.
Blue Ribbon Q&A: Your Fair-Winning Dessert Questions Answered
What kind of desserts are featured in this article?
This article showcases four easy, award-winning dessert recipes from state and county fairs, including a no-crust peach pie, a rich chocolate bundt cake, a classic all-butter pound cake, and a brownie-cookie hybrid (brookie).
Do I need advanced baking skills to make these desserts?
No, these recipes are specifically chosen for their simplicity and are perfect for beginner bakers. Many include clever shortcuts or straightforward techniques to ensure success.
What makes the Peaches and Cream Pie easy to bake?
The Peaches and Cream Pie is easy because it doesn’t require a traditional rolled pie crust. It uses a simple batter that forms its own crust as it bakes, making it accessible for anyone.
Can I use store-bought mixes or ingredients for any of these recipes?
Yes, some of these award-winning recipes strategically use convenient ingredients. For example, the chocolate bundt cake starts with a boxed cake mix, and the ‘brookie’ uses a boxed brownie mix and pre-made cookie dough.