Iowa State Fair 2025

It was another record year at the 2025 Iowa State Fair!

Iowa State Fair 2025

This year’s Iowa State Fair was just as busy as ever! For those of you that don’t know, the acclaimed Iowa State Fair has the largest state fair food department in the nation (read more about the food department at the Iowa State Fair here) with over 700 classes to enter.

I had a wide variety of entries this year which encompassed cakes, pies, cookies and bars, quick breads and yeast rolls. My total take home ribbon count was 33, which is a personal record! Many of my ribbon winning recipes are my favorite vintage and heritage recipes already featured here on the blog. However, by popular request this year, I’ve added a section to the blog for all featured recipes that have won a blue ribbon at the Iowa State Fair to-date. You can check out those recipes here.

I’ve linked featured blog recipes below from this year’s ribbon count – be sure to check back throughout the year as I continue to add more ribbon winning recipes! Until next year, Iowa State Fair!

Ribbon winner Lemon Cheesecake Layer Cake (after judging)

Featured Iowa State Fair Ribbon Winning Recipes

The following featured blog recipes won ribbons at this year’s Iowa State Fair

Cakes

Black Forest Cake Roll

The Black Forest cake roll is a delicious dessert that features a light chocolate sponge cake filled with whipped cream and a sweet amaretto cherry filling.

Check out this recipe

Whipped Cream Cake

A light and delicate vintage cake that gets its rich flavor from the use of freshly whipped cream in the batter, with a filling of freshly whipped cream and ripe strawberries and topped with even more freshly whipped cream and strawberries for garnish.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Depression Cake

Chocolate depression cake is a moist chocolate sheet cake that was popular during the depression – due to the cake containing no eggs, dairy or butter!

Check out this recipe

Frosted Gingerbread

An old-fashioned and warmly spiced soft gingerbread (with a secret ingredient!) topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting.

Check out this recipe

Cherry Amaretto Coffee Cake

Cherry amaretto coffee cake is a rich and flavorful coffee cake that combines sweet cherries with warm amaretto in a soft, buttery cake.

Check out this recipe

* This year’s coffee cake used hazelnuts and my canned peach pie filling instead of cherry and amaretto

Pies

Rhubarb Sour Cream Pie

Rhubarb sour cream pie features tart rhubarb, a sweet sour cream filling and a buttery crumb topping. Enjoy this pie at room temperature or chilled.

Check out this recipe

Blackberry Cream Pie

Blackberry cream pie has a light and creamy base inside a flaky pie shell, topped with a layer of velvety smooth blackberry purée and topped with sweetened whipped cream.

Check out this recipe

Yeast Rolls

Almond Sweet Rolls

Almond sweet rolls are soft yeast rolls swirled with a rich, sweet almond paste filling and topped with a luscious almond cream cheese frosting that adds a decadent finish.

Check out this recipe

Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls

Sweet potato dinner rolls are fluffy, soft dinner yeast rolls with just a hint of sweet potato flavor. These rolls are perfect for the cold weather season!

Check out this recipe

Apple Pastry Braid

A classic braided yeast pastry filled with an apple-cinnamon filling, drizzled with a powdered sugar icing and topped with toasted walnuts. Steps can be done in advance, making for an easy assembly. No kneading required!

Check out this recipe

*this year’s pasty braid used my cherry pie filling (for canning)

Cookies and Bars

Dutch Sand Cookies

Dutch sand cookies are an old-fashioned icebox cookie with a sand like texture and rich buttery taste. Freeze the cookie dough logs to slice and bake anytime!

Check out this recipe