Hy-Vee cake decorator lands in Top 3 of Extreme Cake Challenge

​Heather Krumm, one of the Grinnell Hy-Vee cake designers, is shown with her Top 3 winning wedding cake in this year’s Hy-Vee Extreme Cake Challenge. Krumm, who was one of the 12 finalist in this year’s contest, received 2,389 public votes, which landed her in the Top 3 across the company. Krumm will be making another cake this week and voting for a final winner will began on the Hy-Vee Facebook page on Dec. 10. 

by J.O. Parker 

​  Heather Krumm, one of the Grinnell Hy-Vee cake designers, has been selected as a Top 3 finalist in this year’s Hy-Vee Extreme Cake Challenge!
   Krumm, who has worked at the Grinnell Hy-Vee since 2011, entered the contest with a three-tier wedding cake celebrating the Iowa-based grocery chain’s 90th birthday.
   Her design, she said, was old-style, traditional and elegant.
   “I did research and was looking at what wedding cakes looked like when the company first started,” she said of her design.
   Krumm’s entry was selected by corporate as one of 12 finalist from across the company. Hy-Vee has more than 200 stores in eight states. Photos of each entry were posted on Facebook and open to the public for voting through Sunday, Nov. 22.
   Krumm received 2,389 votes, which landed her in the top 3 across the company. The others are Megan Childs, Lee’s Summit (Missouri) East Hy-Vee, 2,845 votes; and Arthur Melika, Omaha 180th & Pacific Hy-Vee, 2,711 votes.
   Krumm said her cake decorating skills are self-taught. She said her decorating inspiration comes from her grandmother, who used to have a cake business when she was growing up.
   “She has been my inspiration,” Krumm said of her grandmother.
   Krumm said she has entered the contest each year since 2014 and has placed all but her first two years. Her best finish was second place regionally when the company offered the contest in house.
   Krumm said due to COVID, this is the first year that Hy-Vee has hosted the cake challenge on Facebook and opened the voting to the public.
   Krumm said she will decorate a second anniversary-themed cake this week and voting will open via Facebook on Dec. 10.
    “I will need all the votes I can get,” she said. “I will be going against some tough competition.”