Nearly 300 community members, students, and employees enjoyed Ivy Tech Fort Wayne Library's 2025 Edible Book Festival on Mar. 31. Guests came out to judge "edible books" based on design, funniest interpretation, and taste.
This year's winners were:
- Best Design - Maggie Nussbaum (Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess)
- Best Tasting - Anastasiia Fomina (Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne)
- Funniest Interpretation - Ruth Davis and Angel Moschel (Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger)
A surprise fourth award was announced at the end of the event, given to an Ivy Tech staff member called the Book Bite. Career Coach Carrie Black received the honor for her cupcakes and cream cheese fruit dip based on the TV-show, Reading Rainbow.
Best Design Winner Maggie Nussbaum strived to create a carved cake, and she felt Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess was her best bet. Her lemon flavored ham-shaped cake and egg-styled cupcakes stole the show. The cupcakes incorporated several flavors like vanilla, chocolate, carrot cake, and strawberry to appeal to picky eaters.
"I just wanted to hit all the target audiences," Nussbaum explained. "I'm a really picky eater, so I picked things I knew everyone likes."
Nussbaum has been a part of Ivy Tech's baking and pastry arts program, and she wasn't the only one. Katelyn Campbell made mini sweet and savory dishes based on what she's learned in class.
Campbell based her treats on the Boxcar Children series with blueberry bread pudding, biscotti, caramelized onion tarts, and cherry slump.
"I love baking, being creative, reading books, and putting my own spin on things," Campbell says. "I enjoy messing around with different things I never make, and I enjoy seeing people enjoy the treats."
The Edible Book Festival doesn't only bring participants from the school. 16-time participant Melinda Allen works as a cake decorator at Walmart.
A long line formed around Allen's sparkly Hello Kitty sweet and savory dishes. Her theme was dedicated to her granddaughter and included cake, cupcakes, melons, and pizzas.
"The book is Hello Kitty Delicious, and it's a cute little story about all the different things that are so yummy," Allen says. "So, it sent me down a path that beside cakes and cupcakes, what can I do to incorporate more."
The Edible Book Festival is an annual, worldwide event that happens on April 1. To learn more about this exciting day, visit the Ivy Tech Fort Wayne Library website.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
