Illinois Country Cakes

Stl250 wanted to include all 15 counties in the St. Louis region. So out to the Illinois country side we went. It was just Vicki, she took the photos, and me. I had a planned route and because the drive was a long haul, it didn't matter to me if we got them all or not.

Aerie's Riverview Winery
Cake with a view

We knew there was going to be some view at the top of this mountain to the Aerie's Riverview Winery. We drove on the road that felt like it was 90 degrees up to the top. At the very top is a zip line with nine lines totaling nearly two miles long. As we drove back down looking for the cake, there were these cute little cottages and villas on both sides of the road.

Finally we approached the winery and there was the cake. It was just a little too late in the season to view beautiful fall colors, but still the view of the Mississippi and the Great River Road was almost breath taking. I could imagine summer and early fall time visitors sitting on the outside deck sipping the local wine and taking in the view.

Cake artist - Rich Brooks



Calhoun County Community Foundation
Preservation cake

The Calhoun County Community Foundation works on projects to help preserves the county. While trying to find what types of projects they have done, I fould that in November 2015 there will be A Calhoun Community Foundation’s 2016 Calendar Exhibit which features a collection of photographs of scenic Calhoun County. I gues the proceeds go tothe foundation for their projects.

Cake artist - Lindsay Harmon

Jersey County Courthouse 

 The Jersey County Courthouse was built in 1894. It stands so tall Vicki had to go across the street to take its picture. The 124 foot tower  is topped by an octagonal cupola, terminal towers at the front corners, and a raised front porch. The building's limestone exterior used stone quarried at the nearby city of Grafton.

Cake artist - Theresa Hopkins












Southwestern High School
Home of the cake

Southwestern High School is representing Macoupin County. Macoupin County was formed out of Greene and Madison Counties and was named after Macoupin Creek. This region was inhabited by Illinoisan Indians when the first white settlers arrived.

Cake artist - Theresa Hopkins



Madison County Courthouse
Lake cake

Madison County was established in 1812 and named for President James Madison. The largest city in the county is Granite City.

Madison County sits along side of the Mississippi River and has one of the largest natural freshwater bodies in Illinois, Horseshoe Lake.

Cake artist - Nicole Cooper



Southern Illinois University @ Edwardsville
Top cake

Southern Illinois University @ Edwardsville as a foundation built on hands-on and life experiences that provide the students to thrive in the world.

U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges of 2015 lists SIUE among the best Regional Universities Midwest for the 11th consecutive year and among the top 15 public universities in that category. It also lists SIUE among the 2015 “Up and Coming” among Midwest regional
universities.

Cake artists - Autumn Huff, Heather Kniffel, & Carol Dappert

World's Largest Catsup Bottle
Roadside cake

The World's Largest Catsup Bottle, standing at 170 foot,  was built in 1949 for the G.S. Suppiger catsup bottling plant - bottlers of  Brooks Catsup and is a water tower. It was saved from demolition and restored to its original appearance.

The community holds a World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival where some little tyke is named Little Princess Tomato.



Cake artist - Julie Krovicka