Who's The Sweetest of Them All?

A holiday dessert competition

The Humane Society of the United States

The confections were varied and delicious. Scroll for more images and recipes. Michelle Riley/HSUS
This mocha almond fudge ice cream cake won first prize. Michelle Riley/HSUS
Pineapple flowers decorated this cheerful "hummingbird cake." Michelle Riley/HSUS
This crunchy apple crisp won second place in the contest. Michelle Riley/HSUS
This peanut butter power pie honored The HSUS and satisfied peanut lovers. Michelle Riley/HSUS
This prizewinning pumpkin mousse hid spicy richness under sweet marshmallows. Michelle Riley/HSUS
The red velvet cake with pecan frosting tasted as good as it looked. Michelle Riley/HSUS
Now you see them, now you don't: spice squares. Michelle Riley/HSUS
The architect of this gingerbread creation was anything but in the doghouse. Michelle Riley/HSUS

We who toil at The Humane Society of the United States love animals, but we love food almost as much. And we always enjoy a bit of friendly competition. At our annual holiday potluck, our recent tradition is to hold a dessert contest.

Entrants this year delivered goodies of all kinds anonymously, and a panel of celebrity judges drawn from our staff sampled each one, then convened in private to vote. It was a sacrifice, but some judges needed to return for a second taste of a few items in order to be sure of their opinions.

Chief Operating Officer Michael Markarian announced the first-, second-, and third-place winners to enthusiastic applause, and thanked the judges for performing their difficult duty.

Best of all for the hungry audience, after the judges delivered their verdict, the rest of us descended on the contest entries. Even for the heartiest of eaters, choosing among the variety of temptations was a dilemma.

Many of those who submitted desserts for the contest shared their recipes. May your holidays be sweet!

For Your Baking Pleasure

Mocha almond fudge ice cream cake from Catherine Hess
Crunchy apple crisp from Linda Winter
Pumpkin mousse with marshmallows from Dr. Michael Greger
Peanut butter power pie from Paul Shapiro
Gingerbread cookies from Claire Reintgen
Hummingbird cake with pineapple flowers from Rebecca Hallenbeck
Red velvet cake with pecan frosting from Karen Anderson
Enticing spice squares from Nancy Peterson

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The Humane Society of the United States is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions to The Humane Society of the United States are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The HSUS's tax identification number is 53-0225390.