After weeks of mixing, flouring, icing and TASTING (mmm...) the Kitchen Crew and I are proud to announce Jane Louise's Great Spring Rhubarb Coffee Cake as the Grand Prize winner of our Springtime Cake Contest!

We were overwhelmed by the number of entries we received for this sweetest of contests. So many of you shared not only terrific recipes, but also touching family stories that have been handed down through generations. The Kitchen Crew and I reviewed every single recipe, and after much debate narrowed the field to three very deserving Finalists:

MAMA'S CARAMEL CAKE - Telisia Dodd of Nacogdoches, TX

CARROT CAKE BUNNIES WOULD KILL FOR - C. Lipori of Antigo, WI

GREAT SPRING RHUBARB COFFEE CAKE - Jane Louise of Clarkston, MI

A very scientific Just A Pinch luncheon followed where each of the Kitchen Crew members sampled the cakes and voted by secret ballot on the four judging elements: originality, ease of preparation, presentation and just plain yummy deliciousness. Once the sugar coma cleared, it was Jane Louise's Rhubarb Coffee Cake that came out on top... turning more than one Crew member into a lifelong rhubarb fan!

As winner of the Springtime Cake Contest Grand Prize, Jane will be traveling to Nashville, TN to prepare her recipe with ME at our next Just A Pinch Blue Ribbon Showcase! She'll also receive VIP treatment at the Viking Cooking Store where a cook's dream shopping spree awaits!

While my waistline may never be quite the same, I can't thank you all enough for the wonderful recipe entries. You sure do know how to pour on the sugar!

Want to give this winning thing a whirl? Enter the new Just A Pinch Contest! This time around we're hosting the Ultimate Salad Toss and we want you to show us what you're tossin' up in your kitchen! Green salad, fruit salad, potato salad? If it's salad and you love it, then we want to know about it. Who knows, you may just find yourself mixing things up with me right here in Tennessee! Good luck to all.