Baker's Profile

Rosalie Seebeck

Just how motivated and determined is Rosalie Seebeck? Well, take a look at her strategy for winning the C&H Sugar Cake Baking Contest at this year's Oklahoma State Fair. She entered not just one contest category, or even two or three. She entered all six categories, each with a different recipe.

Were the judges impressed? You bet! In addition to winning Best of Show, the competition's top honor, Rosalie also received first- or second-place prizes in almost every category she entered.

But that's not even the most extraordinary aspect to Rosalie's success. She didn't just create and bake six recipes—she also grew many of the ingredients on the land surrounding her Bethany, Oklahoma, home.

"I organically grow my own fruit and I have my own pecan trees," she explains. "And I have 12 hens, so I never have to buy eggs. In fact," she adds, "I rarely have to go to the grocery store, since I produce much of what I eat." And she doesn't let any of her hard work go to waste: she finds smart, economical ways to preserve what she grows by freezing, canning, or pickling nearly all of it.

"I was the oldest of seven children," Rosalie says, "so I learned to economize while helping my mother cook for such a large family. Now I share that tradition with my three children and seven grandchildren."

Rosalie's passion for baking and cooking doesn't stop at cake. She's entered a number of cooking contests throughout the years, creating winning chicken, beef recipes, and ice cream recipes. But if she could be said to have a specialty, it would certainly be baking. Her family and friends call her a baker extraordinaire, and she constantly receives requests for her famous recipes, which she gladly shares. "Cooking is a true passion of mine," Rosalie says. "I love sharing my recipes so that others can enjoy the dishes just as much as I do."

Take Rosalie's advice. Enjoy the recipe for her winning Butter Pecan Cake, made with C&H Pure Cane White Granulated Sugar—one ingredient she can't find in her backyard. And be sure to pass it along to friends and family, too!