More than frosting: Building confidence through Madison County 4-H cake decorating

By Cara (Boecker) Hoehne, Madison County alumna
Aug 6, 2026
1 hr ago

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Cake decorating has always been about more than frosting to me. It is connected to family, creativity, confidence and skills that carry far beyond the fairgrounds.

kAmx H2D :?EC@5F465 E@ 42<6 564@C2E:?8 2D 2 |25:D@? r@F?EJ c\w’6C 3J >J >@>[ %6CCJ q@64<6C[ H9@ =62C?65 7C@> 96C >@> H9:=6 D96 H2D :?G@=G65 :? z?@I r@F?EJ c\w] |J 8C2?5>2[ q6CE92 |=25J[ 564@C2E65 42<6D 7@C H655:?8D 2?5 2??:G6CD2C:6D[ 2?5 D96 A2DD65 E92E D<:== 5@H? E@ >J >@>[ H9@ E96? A2DD65 :E 5@H? E@ >6] }@H[ x 92G6 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ D92C6 E92E D2>6 =@G6 @7 42<6 564@C2E:?8 H:E9 >J EH@ 8:C=D[ H9:49 >2<6D :E 6G6? >@C6 >62?:?87F=]k^Am

Madison County 4-H 1.jpg — Cara (Boecker) Hoehne learned how to decorate cakes from her mother Terry (Mlady) Boecker, who learned from her mother Bertha Mlady.
Submitted photo

kAmq642FD6 42<6 564@C2E:?8 92D 366? DF49 2? :>A@CE2?E A2CE @7 >J =:76[ x H2?E65 E@ 96=A @E96C J@F?8 A6@A=6 5:D4@G6C 4@?7:56?46 2?5 4C62E:G:EJ E9C@F89 E96 AC@;64E 2C62[ 2D H6==] ~G6C E96 J62CD[ x 92G6 925 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ D6CG6 2D E96 |25:D@? r@F?EJ 42<6 564@C2E:?8 ;F586 2?5 96=A 8C@H 42<6 564@C2E:?8 H@C<D9@AD 7@C =@42= c\w >6>36CD]k^Am

kAmr2<6 564@C2E:?8 >2J =@@< D:>A=6 7C@> E96 @FED:56[ 3FE :E E2<6D A2E:6?46[ AC24E:46[ 4C62E:G:EJ 2?5 AC@3=6>\D@=G:?8 D<:==D] |2?J c\w’6CD H2=< :?E@ E96:C 7:CDE H@C<D9@A 766=:?8 ?6CG@FD E@ ECJ D@>6E9:?8 ?6H @C F?DFC6 :7 E96J 42? 5@ :E DF446DD7F==J] w@H6G6C[ :E 5@6D ?@E E2<6 =@?8 367@C6 E96J 368:? 3F:=5:?8 4@?7:56?46 :? E96:C D<:==D 2?5 C62=:K6 H92E E96J 2C6 42A23=6 @7 4C62E:?8] x E9:?< @?6 @7 E96 8C62E6DE =6DD@?D 42<6 564@C2E:?8 — 2?5 C62==J c\w — 42? E6249 J@F?8 A6@A=6 :Di 4@?7:56?46 @7E6? 8C@HD H96? J@F 2C6 H:==:?8 E@ ECJ D@>6E9:?8 492==6?8:?8 2?5 <66A :>AC@G:?8 E9C@F89 AC24E:46]k^Am

kAm%96 H@C<D9@AD 92G6 A=2J65 2 >2;@C C@=6 :? 8C@H:?8 A2CE:4:A2E:@? :? 42<6 564@C2E:?8 AC@;64ED :? |25:D@? r@F?EJ] (92E DE2CE65 2D 2 D:?8=6 c\w !C@;64E s2J 4=2DD 6G6?EF2==J 3642>6 DE2?52=@?6 H@C<D9@AD 3642FD6 @7 E96 =6G6= @7 :?E6C6DE] }@H H6 EJA:42==J @776C 2 368:??6C H@C<D9@A :? E96 >@C?:?8 2?5 2 >@C6 25G2?465 H@C<D9@A :? E96 27E6C?@@?]k^Am

Madison County 4-H 2.jpg — Cara Hoehne, right, now shares her cake decorating passion with 4-H’ers as a judge at the county fair.
Submitted photo

People are also reading…

Beyond tradition: West River couple finds opportunities to improve land with regenerative ranching
Fertility program paying off on just 35 pounds of nitrogen
Corn crop marks phenology
Injury leads to new hobby for Wayne County 4-H’er
Cattle Feeder Days to cover markets, manure and more
Study shows health risks higher for rural residents
Branding changes remain hot topic for Nebraska cattlemen
Compare tillage methods at UofM’s Strip-Till Expo
Historic fields make way for 21st century
Old tractor gets facelift for fair time
Farm families consider options for health coverage
Summer heat speeds small grains toward harvest
Do your research
Red Angus mama surprises family
‘Farm by day, fence by night’

kAmx? E96 368:??6C H@C<D9@A[ c\w’6CD =62C? 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> 9@H E@ AC@A6C=J >2<6 42<6 564@C2E:?8 7C@DE:?8 E@ 32D:4 A:A:?8 2?5 564@C2E:?8 E649?:BF6D] %96J C646:G6 2 4@>A=6E6 368:??6C 42<6 564@C2E:?8 <:E E92E :?4=F56D E96 DFAA=:6D E96J ?665 E@ 4@?E:?F6 AC24E:4:?8 2E 9@>6] (6 H2?E65 E96> E@ =62G6 ?@E @?=J 6I4:E65 3FE 6BF:AA65 E@ 36 DF446DD7F=]k^Am

kAmx? E96 25G2?465 H@C<D9@A[ H6 7@4FD @? D<:==D E92E E2<6 >@C6 A2E:6?46 2?5 AC24E:46[ =:<6 D>@@E9:?8 42<6D[ :>AC@G:?8 A:A:?8 4@?EC@= 2?5 4C62E:?8 3FEE6C4C62> C@D6D] x 6?;@J H2E49:?8 c\w’6CD C62=:K6 E92E 42<6 564@C2E:?8 :D ?@E 23@FE A6C764E:@? C:89E 2H2J — :E :D 23@FE AC24E:4:?8[ =62C?:?8 2?5 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ :>AC@G6] x 2=H2JD E6== E96> E96C6 2C6 ?@ >:DE2<6D :? 42<6 564@C2E:?8[ ;FDE @AA@CEF?:E:6D E@ 255 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 7C@DE:?8 2?5 <66A ECJ:?8]k^Am

kAm%96 42<6 564@C2E:?8 AC@8C2> 2=D@ 4@?E:?F6D E@ 8C@H 3642FD6 c\w’6CD :?DA:C6 6249 @E96C] *@F?86C >6>36CD D66 E96 AC@;64ED 5:DA=2J65 2E E96 72:C[ H2E49 @=56C c\w’6CD 5FC:?8 H@C<D9@AD[ 2?5 368:? C62=:K:?8 E92E 42<6 564@C2E:?8 :D D@>6E9:?8 E96J 42? =62C?[ E@@] %92E 6I4:E6>6?E 2?5 6?4@FC286>6?E ?2EFC2==J 4@?E:?F6D 3F:=5:?8 7C@> J62C E@ J62C]k^Am

kAmu@C >6[ ;F58:?8 :D 2=D@ 2 G6CJ :>A@CE2?E A2CE @7 E96 6IA6C:6?46] x DEC@?8=J 36=:6G6 c\w ;F58:?8 D9@F=5 6?4@FC286 2?5 3F:=5 FA J@F?8 A6@A=6] ~7 4@FCD6[ H6 E6249 D<:==D 2?5 AC@G:56 7665324<[ 3FE x 2=H2JD H2?E c\w’6CD E@ =62G6 766=:?8 AC@F5 @7 H92E E96J 244@>A=:D965 2?5 >@E:G2E65 E@ 4@?E:?F6 :>AC@G:?8]k^Am

kAmtG6CJ c\w’6C 92D D@>6E9:?8 A@D:E:G6 H@CE9 C64@8?:K:?8[ H96E96C :E :D 4C62E:G:EJ[ 677@CE[ H:==:?8?6DD E@ ECJ D@>6E9:?8 5:77:4F=E[ :>AC@G6>6?E 7C@> AC6G:@FD J62CD @C 4@?7:56?46 5FC:?8 :?E6CG:6H ;F58:?8] $@>6E:>6D J@F?8 A6@A=6 D:>A=J ?665 D@>6@?6 E@ 6?4@FC286 E96> 6?@F89 E@ <66A 8@:?8]k^Am

kAmx <?@H 7:CDE92?5 9@H G2=F23=6 E9@D6 6IA6C:6?46D 42? 36 3642FD6 c\w 96=A65 D92A6 >J @H? 7FEFC6] |J 7:CDE C62= ;@3 H2D 564@C2E:?8 42<6D 2E E96 wJ\'66 t2DE q2<6CJ :? }@C7@=<[ 2?5 x 24EF2==J 8@E E92E ;@3 3642FD6 @7 c\w] sFC:?8 E96 :?E6CG:6H[ x 3C@F89E >J 42<6 564@C2E:?8 AC@;64E 3@@< E92E :?4=F565 A9@E@D 2?5 C67=64E:@?D 23@FE 42<6D x 925 4C62E65] %92E AC@;64E 3@@< 3642>6 >J 7:CDE A@CE7@=:@ 2?5 96=A65 56>@?DEC2E6 ?@E @?=J >J 42<6 564@C2E:?8 D<:==D 3FE 2=D@ >J 23:=:EJ E@ 4@>>F?:42E6 23@FE >J H@C<]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 x 5:5 ?@E <?@H 6I24E=J H92E BF6DE:@?D x H@F=5 36 2D<65 5FC:?8 E96 :?E6CG:6H[ c\w 925 2=C625J E2F89E >6 9@H E@ 2?DH6C BF6DE:@?D 4@?7:56?E=J[ AC6D6?E >JD6=7 AC@76DD:@?2==J 2?5 4@>>F?:42E6 67764E:G6=J] x H@C<65 2E E96 32<6CJ E9C@F89 >J D@A9@>@C6 J62C @7 4@==686[ 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ :>AC@G6 3@E9 >J 42<6 564@C2E:?8 2?5 4FDE@>6C D6CG:46 D<:==D]k^Am

kAm%@52J[ x 2> 2 3FD:?6DD AC@76DD@C 2E }@CE962DE r@>>F?:EJ r@==686[ H96C6 x E6249 3FD:?6DD 4@>>F?:42E:@?D] x? 4=2DD[ H6 7@4FD @? AC@76DD:@?2=:D>[ :?E6CG:6H:?8 D<:==D[ 42C66C AC6A2C2E:@? 2?5 4@>>F?:42E:@?] xE :D C6H2C5:?8 E@ ?@H E6249 DEF56?ED >2?J @7 E96 D2>6 AC@76DD:@?2= D<:==D E92E x 7:CDE 3682? 56G6=@A:?8 E9C@F89 c\w] %96 4@?7:56?46 x 82:?65 E9C@F89 AC@;64E :?E6CG:6HD[ 4@>>F?:42E:@? 6IA6C:6?46D 2?5 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E@ D9@H42D6 >J H@C< 96=A65 AC6A2C6 >6 7@C >J 42C66C 2?5 4@?E:?F6D E@ :>A24E E96 H2J x E6249 E@52J] %92E 4@??64E:@? :D @?6 @7 E96 C62D@?D x 42C6 D@ 566A=J 23@FE 4C62E:?8 A@D:E:G6 =62C?:?8 2?5 ;F58:?8 6IA6C:6?46D 7@C 4FCC6?E c\w >6>36CD]k^Am

kAm%92E :D H9J x 36=:6G6 42<6 564@C2E:?8 :D 23@FE >F49 >@C6 E92? 42<6D 2?5 7C@DE:?8] %9C@F89 E9:D AC@;64E[ c\w’6CD =62C? 4C62E:G:EJ[ A2E:6?46[ 4@>>F?:42E:@?[ 4@?7:56?46 2?5 A6CD6G6C2?46] %96J =62C? 9@H E@ E2<6 7665324<[ D@=G6 AC@3=6>D[ AC24E:46 2 D<:== 2?5 4@?E:?F6 :>AC@G:?8] %9@D6 =6DD@?D 42CCJ 72C 36J@?5 E96 72:C8C@F?5D[ 2?5 E92E :D H92E >2<6D :E D@ C6H2C5:?8 E@ 36 A2CE @7 E96 |25:D@? r@F?EJ c\w 42<6 564@C2E:?8 AC@8C2>]k^Am