Baked confections entered the show arena as animal science students raised money for the Block and Bridal scholarship fund Thursday.

This year’s cake auction included 25 cakes.

“The cakes we see range from flags of the United States to trains,” said Tara Wellman, co-chairwoman of the cake auction. “We see new and different ideas come in every year.”

In past years, cakes have been sold for between $15 and $400.

“Sometimes kids will go into a big group and buy a cake,” Wellman said. “Normally our big spenders are groups of faculty within the animal science department.”

Members of the animal science industry and Ames community also participate by bidding on cakes, said Wellman, sophomore in animal science.

This year, eight awards were given, ranging from “Best Club Theme” to “Most Patriotic.”

Jayma Appleby, co-chairwoman of the event and senior in agricultural education, said different judges are chosen each year to add variety.

Professors in the animal science department judged the cakes in the auction.

“We tried to pick people that would be interested in our field and would make it fun,” Appleby said.

Ryan DeJong, senior in animal science, participated in the auction for the first time. He entered a chocolate sheep cake.

“I wanted to make a cake that stood up so people would notice it,” DeJong said.

The sheep, complete with sugar-cube legs and a cardboard head, took about five hours to create, DeJong said.

“I’d be really happy if it brought in a lot of money for the scholarship fund,” he said.

The Dairy Science Club cake, titled “Golden Dairy Farm,” won first-prize overall, bringing in $150, Appleby said. The cake included marshmallow cows.

The cake that garnered the most money for the club was “A&A Farms” by Shelley Atwood, junior in animal science. The cake sold for $275.

It was made by Atwood and her mother and featured a row of black cows standing at a feed bunk, she said.

Wellman, sophomore in animal science, said last year the auction raised enough money to award five $500 scholarships.

“Since this is a newer program, we’re slowly trying to increase the number of scholarships we give,” Wellman said. “Our goal is to be able to give out seven scholarships each year. Hopefully we’ll reach that goal sometime within the next three years.”