First Lady Cathy Justice requesting recipes from across the state for June 20th event
By Matt Young, WV Press News Sharing
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In honor of the 159th annual celebration of West Virginia’s admission into the Union, First Lady Cathy Justice recently announced that her office is hosting West Virginia’s first “Birthday Cake Contest” to select “the official WV birthday cake, served every year on June 20th to celebrate our statehood.”
“This is just another way that we can celebrate West Virginia and the creative people who make their homes here,” Justice said at the time of the announcement. “The Governor and I are so excited to see all the wonderful entries and choose a recipe that truly honors West Virginia.”
West Virginians still wishing to enter must do so quickly, as the final day to submit recipes is Tuesday, June 7.
Visit governor.wv.gov/birthdaycakecontest for additional details, including a full list of contest rules and directions for submitting your recipe.
Residents of the Mountain State are encouraged to submit their original cake recipes for consideration. In addition to the use of “ingredients and methods that remind participants of West Virginia,” submissions must include:
- Itemized list of all cake ingredients.
- Directions and steps for preparing cake batter.
- Itemized list of all icing/glaze ingredients.
- Directions and steps for preparing icing/glaze.
It is also recommended that participants “suggest special toppings or decorations for their cake, give details about their recipe, and explain why it is the best cake to be designated as West Virginia’s official birthday cake.”
The grand prize winner will be announced and the recipe will be served during the annual “West Virginia Birthday Celebration” at the Culture Center in Charleston on June 20. While the exact time for this year’s celebration has not yet been determined, the event will be open to the public free of charge.
As West Virginia’s First Lady, Justice – herself a former educator – has targeted the state’s educational-development as her primary focus-area. A staunch advocate for programs such as “Communities In Schools” and the “First Lady Student Art Series,” Justice has been a strong proponent of initiatives designed to highlight education, diversity, art and culture throughout her husband’s six-years as governor.
“West Virginia is so rich in cultural heritage,” Justice told members of the media on Sunday. “Sharing traditional family recipes that have been handed down for generations is something we like to do. I thought it would be interesting to give everyone an opportunity to participate in coming up with an official ‘West Virginia Birthday Cake’ recipe that we could call our own. It’s a way of honoring our statehood – year after year – that reminds us of home.”
