The Lee County Historical Society held its second annual Heritage Cake Contest at Loachapoka Pioneer Park Saturday.
The contest raised $245 to benefit the Cook House at Pioneer Park and the museum grounds.
All recipes had to be at least 100 years old or handed down through three or more generations.
The cakes were judged on authenticity, taste, flavor, appearance and symmetry. Out of the 13 entered, it was 13-year-old Jack McGowin's sour cream pound cake that won first place.
"I wasn't expecting it," said McGowin.
McGowin said it was his first time baking the cake himself.
McGowin's mom, Julie McGowin, said her great-great-grandmother passed down the recipe, which is still in its original, written form.
"He did a good job," McGowin said. "He's thrilled."Frank Miller, a contest judge and Panera Bread manager, praised McGowin's cake.
"When I cut into it, it was like just cutting into butter," said Miller.
Lee Cannon, who has written recipes for Southern Living, and Eleanor Harris, a former home economics teacher at Auburn High School, were also contest judges.
"We didn't pick one because it looked better or tasted (better) ... they had to meet all the categories," said Cannon.
Cannon said her favorite part of the event was seeing how many people showed up.
"The atmosphere of this kind of a contest is so warm and cordial,"Cannon said. "There's nothing real structured about it. That's why everybody enjoys coming."
Attendees also enjoyed the history incorporated into the event.
Jim Warman, Auburn resident and former director of the Water Resources Research Institute at the University, said the contest helps others appreciate history.
"You can stumble through life not caring what's around you, but you miss a whole lot that way," Warman said.
Warman said he spent many nights helping his father in their family bakery in West Virginia as a young man.
"Whatever we're doing today, almost always ... we're standing on the shoulders of the people who went before us," Warman said.
McGowin said she incorporates history and fun into her children's education.
"This makes history more real to them when they interact with it and understand it," McGowin said.
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