Benguet to bake huge carrot cake

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Benguet province, home of the Ibalois and Kankanaeys (indigenous peoples) and the Vegetable Bowl of the country is raring to outsmart Baguio City’s Tossed Salad Fest last month by a rare feat — making the biggest Carrot Cake to celebrate its 101st Foundation Day on Nov. 23.

Benguet Provincial Tourism chair Ma. Midge De Leon explains that the cake, a first in the country, will feed about 5,000 people from all walks of life who would grace the foundation day celebration.

During the 92nd Baguio Day celebration on Sept. 16, at least 4,000 queued at the Baguio Convention Center to partake of the first Biggest Tossed Salad Fest organized by the city government and the tourism department.

The big cake with carrots as the main ingredient which will be individually baked by various establishments would be designed by a chef who would do the decorations and final touches.

De Leon said that all owners of restaurants, bakeries and hotels and inns in Benguet who met here last Wednesday this week would be organized to share in this endeavor, slated to be another tourism come-on.

Organizers from the provincial government, the Department of Tourism-Cordilllera, business leaders and non-government organizations said this rare feat will also promote Benguet’s vegetable industry.

Around 15 tons of freshly picked highland vegetables are transported from vast vegetable gardens in the Northern towns of Benguet daily to the La Trinidad Trading Post.

The cake’s icing design has not been finalized yet. — Artemio A. Dumlao