August 22, 2023 | Lancaster News, The (SC)
Author/Byline: Nicole Burgess USCL student | Section: The Lancaster News
Sylvia Hinson knew what she wanted her cake to do when she entered it in the S.C. State Fair’s cake baking contest last year — she wanted her cake to make people happy.
“My goal in this year’s design was for the cake to be as lifelike as possible, kid-friendly, interactive, make people happy, laugh and giggle,” she said.
But the sea turtle cake she designed wasn’t just fun for fair visitors.
Her cake also won the fair’s 2022 Sweepstakes Award, the first-place award and the Best in Show Award. And, of course, the cake sure made state fair visitors “laugh and giggle,” just the way she wanted them to.
Visitors had to look for the hidden message on the cake to find a clue to discover the turtle’s name.
That clue was hidden underneath the sea turtle’s body — a pumpkin, not something you’d ordinarily find on the seafloor or in a cake.
That hidden pumpkin was the clue to the sea turtle’s name — Pumpkin.
Transport an issue
After designing and baking the cake, Hinson’s next challenging task was delivering the cake from Sylvia’s Cakes & Things Shop in Elgin just outside of Lancaster to the state fair in Columbia.
The sea turtle cake was designed to appear floating. Traveling bumpy roads can be detrimental to the stability of a specialty cake like this. Hinson took special care to give Pumpkin extra support under its body and flipper to help stabilize the cake for transportation.
And that special care helped Pumpkin arrive at the fair with no mishaps during the 70-mile trip.
To help make Pumpkin more visible for all fair visitors, Hinson asked the fair officials to place the cake on the bottom shelf in the display — she especially wanted little visitors to be able to see Pumpkin better.
“It’s so much fun to see the little ones be able to get close to the cake,” Hinson said, “and then see their faces light up. They jump around and laugh and giggle.”
Hinson says that’s why baking brings her joy and inspiration.
“When I can create what the customer wants and be able to see their excitement when they see their cake is such a humbling feeling,” Hinson said. “My customers, children and grandchildren inspire me to keep baking and creating unique designs.”
Of course, Google and Pinterest help Hinson find ideas to create the unique designs, she said, along with suggestions from her husband, Rick, and coworker, Gail Hyatt.
Hinson started planning her design for this year’s entry right after last year’s fair, but you’ll have to attend the 2023 fair this fall to see what she created.
“It’s a secret not for publication,” Hinson said with a huge smile. She’ll be delivering that cake on Oct. 9, for the Oct. 11-22 fair.
Hinson is looking forward to this year’s competition, and she’s sure it will take as much time as it took to make Pumpkin — 42 hours for her, her husband and Hyatt, all working together.
“Winning the award is always exciting and fulfilling on doing a good job, but it’s also humbling to know I have been given the talent and opportunity to be creative,” Hinson said. “This gift has allowed me to be at home when my children grew up and earn an income to provide for my family.”
Last year wasn’t the first year she’s won an award at the state fair. She also won the previous year with a monkey cake named “Jocko,” based on her husband’s pet chimpanzee, but she says every time she wins an award it means so much to her.
“I have won many awards, but remember yesterday’s news doesn’t pay tomorrow’s bills,” Hinson said, especially since the top prize from the fair is only $12. “I never want to be arrogant and think I am the best. I am always honored and humbled when I receive an award.”
Making memories
Hinson loves the way her cakes make memories that people don’t forget.
“When you go to a party, you don’t remember the gifts, food, people attending, but you do remember the cake,” she said. “I designed a treasure box cake 20-plus years ago. Each time I see those children, now adults, they tell me they remember me baking their birthday cake. That’s the gift I receive back from what I do. I believe baking is my God-given skill and talent. It’s not something that will make me rich in money, but it does make me rich in joy.”
Hinson, 63, started baking about 50 years ago. She opened Sylvia’s Cakes and Things on Aug. 23, 1993, 30 years ago today.
Hyatt, who previously owned Gail’s Cake Specialties in Lancaster, joined Hinson on opening day and has continued working with her even though she is now 85. Hinson said Hyatt “can still pipe a cake like a champ.”
“Working keeps me young and active,” Hyatt said. “I love baking and seeing the happy faces when customers pick up their cakes and cookies.”
Sylvia’s Cakes and Things, at 2541 Kershaw Camden Highway, Lancaster, is open 8:30 a.m-5 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, and by appointment Tuesday and Sundays for pick-ups. Her number is 803-285-6040.
“Whenever people walk into the store, they light up with brightness from the smell of just gingerbread, cookies and cake,” Hinson said. “They always love it.”