Local bakeries and candy shops are competing for a sweet prize: the chance to name one of the Maryland Zoo’s endangered African penguin chicks.
Six businesses – Codetta Bake Shop, Cake by Jason, Diablo Doughnuts, Goetze’s Candy Company, Mouth Party Caramel, and WAFFIE – have entered their penguin-themed artwork made entirely out of desserts in “The Great Penguin Bake Off.”
This season, 11 endangered African penguins have hatched at the zoo, according to the zoo’s Facebook page. Eight penguins have already been named: Mochi, Brookie, Custard, Churro, Eclair, Pound, Strudel, and Cannoli.
For the bake off, Federal Hill’s Codetta Bake Shop entered a cheesecake with shortbread crust topped with a chocolate cupcake, covered in vanilla and black cocoa buttercream.
Diablo Doughnuts, located in Baltimore’s Brooklyn neighborhood, created a chocolate-dipped doughnut with sprinkles and candy pieces, designed to look like a penguin.
Baltimore-based Goetze’s Candy Company used their Oreo caramel creams to sculpt penguins with candy wrapper scarves.
Timonium’s Cake by Jason fashioned a “penguin bakeshop” scene, with penguins making a variety of desserts and the “head chef” penguin next to a wedding cake with a penguin couple on top.
WAFFIE – a specialty waffle shop in Hampden – created a penguin waffle stack painted with liquid chocolate and marshmallow fluff.
Mouth Party Caramel, a caramel shop in Timonium, entered vanilla caramel penguins dipped in chocolate.
The public can vote for their favorite artwork now through March 21. The business with the most votes will help the zoo’s penguin care team name one of the new chicks.
