Pilmico Flour’s Tropical Chiffon Cake wins at U.S. Wheat Associates’ Cake Contest

Chef Ritz Michael Cornel (left) and Chef Christopher Colarte (right) of Pilmico Flour receives 2nd place in U.S. Wheat Associates’ Cake Contest last November 18, 2022. 

Pilmico Foods Corporation garnered 2nd place in U.S. Wheat Associates’ Cake contest held last November 18, 2022, at the Mariott Manila Ballroom. The competition is in line with the organization’s 60th-anniversary celebration. 

Pilmico Flour team’s winning cake is a Tropical Chiffon Cake inspired by the fruit cart street vendors. Chef Ritz Michael Cornel and Chef Christopher Colarte made the cake with quality and finely-milled soft wheat Pilmico Wooden Spoon Cake Flour, fresh Filipino fruits, and nuts. 

Pilmico Flour’s Tropical Chiffon Cake is made with local Filipino fruits and Wooden Spoon Cake Flour.

“We wish to showcase the unique and delicious flavors from the Philippines – such as the tangy flavors of native calamansi and green mango –  that can be found in the backyards of Filipino homes, and sold by hardworking street vendors. This cake is made with only fresh, natural, and locally-sourced ingredients, which puts the flavors and textures of the fruit and nuts as the highlight of the cake,” Chef Ritz shared.

In addition, each cake layer was infused with summer fruits like banana peels and candied langka with castañas-flavored whipped cream. The cake was also topped with dried kamias, chico, balimbing fruit, and edible flowers. 

The judges, composed of representatives from various flour organizations, awarded Pilmico 2nd place in the Cake Contest. 

Pilmico Flour team together with members of U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Manila during their 60th anniversary celebration. 

Representatives from various flour milling companies, along with Ambassador MaryKay Carlson, the United States Ambassador to the Philippines, joined the celebration. A USQ Crop Quality Seminar was held during the morning of the event and attended by Pilmico Flour team headed by Elna Mosqueda, QA Manager Flour Operations, and Kristine Benitez, Quality Assurance Sr. Supervisor. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What competition did Pilmico Flour enter, and what result did they achieve?
Pilmico Foods Corporation entered the U.S. Wheat Associates Cake Contest held on November 18, 2022, at the Marriott Manila Ballroom – part of the organization’s 60th-anniversary celebration. Pilmico’s entry, a Tropical Chiffon Cake, was awarded 2nd place by a panel of judges composed of representatives from various flour organizations. The competition brought together flour milling companies in the Philippines and was attended by notable guests including the United States Ambassador to the Philippines.

Q2. What inspired the design and concept of the Tropical Chiffon Cake?
The winning cake was directly inspired by Filipino fruit cart street vendors – a deliberate creative choice to root the entry in an everyday, relatable local experience rather than a Western or fine-dining reference point. The concept honored the hardworking vendors who sell fresh local fruit across the Philippines, and the cake’s ingredients were chosen specifically to reflect the flavors, textures, and produce found in Filipino backyards and street markets. This gave the entry a distinctly Filipino identity while competing on an international platform.

Q3. What specific Filipino ingredients were used in the Tropical Chiffon Cake?
The cake was built entirely around locally sourced Filipino fruits and nuts. The layers were infused with banana peels and candied langka, paired with castanas-flavored whipped cream. The toppings featured dried kamias, chico, and balimbing fruit, along with edible flowers. The flavor profile was built around tangy native calamansi and green mango. The base was Pilmico Wooden Spoon Cake Flour, a finely milled soft wheat flour. Every element was fresh, natural, and locally sourced – with no imported flavors or artificial components.

Q4. Who were the chefs behind the winning Tropical Chiffon Cake entry?
The cake was created by Chef Ritz Michael Cornel and Chef Christopher Colarte, both representing the Pilmico Flour team. Chef Ritz provided the creative rationale behind the entry, emphasizing the team’s intention to highlight the unique and underappreciated flavors of Filipino fruits that are widely available but rarely elevated in formal baking contexts. Their combined expertise translated a street-vendor concept into a competition-ready chiffon cake that earned recognition from an international judging panel.

Q5. What are the key takeaways from Pilmico Flour’s performance at this competition?
Three broader points emerge. First, local ingredients can compete at an international level – the use of native Filipino fruits and flavors was central to the cake’s recognition, not a compromise. Second, flour quality is foundational – the Wooden Spoon Cake Flour was specifically noted as contributing to the cake’s quality and texture, underscoring that premium milling directly affects baked results. Third, the win reflects a wider philosophy of celebrating Filipino food culture: that the richness of local Philippine ingredients deserves a place in high-level culinary competition.