KTNA’s Annual Decadent Dessert Auction!
Listen to KTNA 88.9fm or stream online at ktna.org
For each dessert with a winning bid of $75 or more, Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union will make a donation to the Upper Susitna Food Pantry!
$75-$99 = MVFCU donates $20
$100-$124 = MVFCU donates $25
$125-$149 = MVFCU donates $30
150 – $174 = MVFCU donates $35
$175 or more = MVFCU donates $45
Monday 2:00-2:55pm – SOLD!
This year’s auction kicks off with a fabulously exciting treat!
Award winning baker, Phil Wollet, has crafted a fresh Granny Smith Apple Bundt Cake with a Decadently Smooth Dark Brown Sugar Glaze! Packed with 4 cups of Granny Smith Apples, this hearty apple cake is sure to satisfy you.
Baker: Phil Wollet
AND as a bonus, Phil has included a mini Lemon Crumble Coffee Cake! It’s so fresh that it was warm when he dropped it off this morning!
Enjoy in the evening or the morning, Granny Smith Apple Bundt Cake and Lemon Coffee Cake are great anytime!
Baker: Phil Wollet
Monday 8:00-8:55pm – SOLD!
Up next we present to you ~ a truly decadent Lemon Raspberry Cream Pie! Prepare yourself for a taste experience that is sure to evoke summertime memories. This refreshing lemon raspberry cream pie is guaranteed to melt away any winter blues you may have. One bite and you’ll be dreaming of warm sunny summer days.
Inside this box of decadence, you will find a pie unlike any you have ever tasted. The crust is classic graham cracker. Next, a lemon layer so smooth and creamy with the perfect amount of not-too-much sweetness to complement the sour zing of the fruit. Home grown raspberries lovingly harvested last fall have been turned into a beautiful compote and spooned atop the lemon layer. Pillowy clouds of whipped cream are accented with candied lemon peel hearts to complete this indulgent homage to summer.
This is the perfect sweet to sweep your sweetheart off their feet.
Baker: Jolene Cook
Tuesday 2:00-2:55pm – SOLD!!
You must try Diane’s Italian Orange and Almond Cake! Made with sweet boiled oranges and almond flour, this gluten-free dessert cake is brushed with honey and topped with toasted almonds. A fresh and tasty treat, Diane says: “It’s not too sweet, just sweet enough!”
Baker: Diane Ziegner
Tuesday 8:00-8:55pm – SOLD!
Tonight we bring you a classic, and a bit of a history lesson… but don’t worry, there wont be a quiz!
Chocolate’s story begins over 3,000 years ago in Mesoamerica, where cacao beans were prized for fermented drinks—and valued so highly they were even used as currency. Fast-forward to the 19th century, when European innovations transformed cacao into smooth cocoa powder, paving the way for one of the world’s most beloved desserts: chocolate cake.
Then came ganache—a luxurious French invention that took chocolate indulgence to the next level. And tonight, we take it even further.
Behold: Decadent Chocolate Cake, layered with rich Chocolate Ganache, smothered in even more Dark Chocolate Ganache, and crowned with fresh Dark Cherries.
This isn’t just dessert—it’s a masterpiece.
Baker: Sarah Stewart
Wednesday 2:00-2:55pm – SOLD!
Ladies and gentlemen, dessert lovers and sweet-tooth strategists… We are kicking off today’s auction with a cake that needs no introduction — but we’re giving it one anyway! Presenting… Roger’s Favorite Carrot Cake! And it’s his favorite for a reason. It’s made with organic ingredients and plenty of Alaskan-grown Pam’s carrots, so you get that rich, homemade flavor in every bite.
Each bite delivers cozy spice, subtle sweetness, and delightful pops of juicy raisins with a sprinkling of crunchy walnuts — just when you think it can’t get better… enter the star of the show: a Decadent Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting that swoops in like a citrusy crown of glory.
If you’re a carrot cake fan, this is the one you’ll want to take home.
Baker: Pam Robinson
Wednesday 8:00-8:55pm – SOLD!
Picture a tall, Double-Layered Chocolate Cake, rich and fudgy, stacked high and filled with the dreamiest Creamy Peanut Butter Mascarpone you can imagine.
This is chocolate and peanut butter at its absolute best — bold, smooth, and perfectly balanced. Every slice is loaded with that deep chocolate flavor, swirled with silky peanut butter goodness that practically melts in your mouth.
It’s indulgent. It’s irresistible. It’s the kind of dessert that makes you close your eyes on the first bite.
If you’ve been waiting for something truly decadent to bid on tonight… this is your moment. Who’s ready to take this beauty home?
Baker: Mary Vukson
Thursday 2:00-2:55pm – SOLD!
WARNING – this cake is known to cause Death by Chocolate.
Not for the faint of heart. This show-stopping cake features deep, rich chocolate layers filled with velvety dark chocolate fudge, wrapped in chocolate buttercream, drenched in dark chocolate ganache, topped with chocolate sourdough brownie bites and an indulgent assortment of chocolate candies. One slice and you’re done for—in the best possible way.
Baker: Renee’s Bakery
Thursday 8:00-8:55pm – SOLD!
Up next on the auction block… just in time for Valentine’s Day! ❤️
Ruth is shaking things up this year! While she’s famous for her extraordinary chocolate lemon cakes, she’s decided to surprise us with something equally irresistible: a Brown Butter Cake with Raspberry Filling—and Oh My!… you are going to want this one.
If this cake tastes as good as the batter did, it will be FABULOUS. And let’s just say… the batter did not disappoint.
This beauty is made with three sticks of browned butter. Yes, THREE. That rich, nutty flavor is baked right into every tender layer. The raspberry filling is bursting with real raspberries and blueberry jam made with Alaskan blueberries—sweet, vibrant, and perfectly Valentine-worthy.
And wait until you hear about the frosting… a touch of maple syrup for warmth and depth, plus a tablespoon of Chambord (that luscious raspberry liqueur) for just the right hint of elegance.
The cake is beautiful, too. It may have been even more picture-perfect without the butter-browned almond slivers sprinkled on top… but honestly? Those toasty little gems are going to take the deliciousness over the top. Beauty AND flavor? We’ll take it.
We are SO excited to try this Brown Butter Raspberry Cake…
…just kidding, we are SO excited for YOU (and maybe your Valentine!) to try it!
Bid now, bid high, and bid again!
Baker: Ruth Wood
Friday 1:00-1:55pm – SOLD!
Coffee and chocolate, two great tastes that taste great together! This rich and creamy Cappuccino Cheesecake features fresh espresso shots, Talkeetna Coffee Roasting Company coffee grounds and espresso powder to make sure a strong, not too sweet coffee flavor comes through. Glossy, dark chocolate ganache, Kahlua whipped cream piping, a gluten free Chocolate-Almond Cookie Crust transform your favorite mocha coffee drink into an incredibly decadent dessert just in time for Valentine’s Day. Accompanying this beautiful cake are two Mocha Cream Heart Filled Cookies, a mini Bouquet of Flowers donated by Ember at Talkeetna Flowers and a bag of Talkeetna Coffee Roasting Company Coffee Beans donated by Brad Hughes!
(This dessert is gluten free, except the heart cookies.)
Baker: Flying Squirrel Bakery Café
Friday 2:00-2:55pm – SOLD!
This afternoon’s decadent dessert is a marriage made in heaven. The Chocolate Guinness Cake is from a delicious recipe by celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, and baked by celebrity KTNA morning newsreader Maureen Gualtieri. Unadorned, the cake visually conjures the simple elegance of a perfect pint of Guinness: a rich dark body with a soft creamy head. In addition to the Guinness stout, the chocolate cake includes more than two sticks of butter, cocoa powder, pure vanilla, and sour cream. The cream cheese frosting is guaranteed to be the best you’ve ever eaten — a magical ratio of cream cheese, heavy cream, and powdered sugar.
(This picture is from a previous year, we’ll replace it with the current one once it’s baked!)
The cake is partnered with a sassy, sweet pint of Homemade Bailey’s Irish Cream Ice Cream with a Fudge Swirl, the ultimate Irish romance!
Bakers & Makers: Maureen and Doug Gualtieri
(This picture is from a previous year, we’ll replace it with the current one once it’s made!)
Friday night at the Complexities of Love – SOLD!
Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for something truly special.
Tonight we present a stunning Turtle Cake: a two-tiered Brown Sugar Cake with Praline Filling beautifully decorated with Caramel and Chocolate Meringue Butter Cream— and yes, it’s every bit as good as it sounds. Standing an impressive 8 to 10 inches tall, this beauty isn’t just dessert… it’s a centerpiece.
The cake itself is rich with deep brown sugar flavor — warm, cozy, and perfectly sweet. Then comes the praline buttercream, smooth and creamy with that irresistible caramelized, nutty finish that keeps you coming back for another bite. And as if that weren’t enough, it’s finished with swirls of caramel and chocolate meringue buttercream — light, silky, and just the right touch of indulgent flair.
With around 20 servings, this cake is perfect for sharing — whether that’s with friends, family, coworkers… or just a few “very generous” slices for yourself. We won’t judge.
And let’s not forget — cakes made by Dena are always a work of art. Beautifully crafted, thoughtfully made, and almost too pretty to cut into… almost.
So if you’re looking for a showstopper that tastes just as incredible as it looks, this is your chance. Who’s ready to take home this towering masterpiece Friday night?
(This cake is being auctioned off at the Sheldon Community Arts Hangar during the variety show.)
Baker: Dena McChargue
Saturday night at the Complexities of Love – SOLD!
How long has it been since you treated yourself to a slice of the Talkeetna Roadhouse’s legendary Granny’s Chocolate Potato Cake? This recipe comes straight from Trisha’s Granny, and it comes with a little secret — mashed potatoes. That’s right, mashed potatoes! Bakers have been sneaking them into chocolate cakes for generations because they add moisture, tenderness, and a rich, dense texture without weighing the cake down. It’s a true old-fashioned secret ingredient, and one taste and you’ll see why it works so magically.
This cake is then smothered in dark chocolate ganache, making it decadently chocolatey, rich, and irresistibly smooth. We hear you can only find a slice during the busy summer months… or at the Talkeetna Historical Society’s annual meeting. In other words — it’s rare.
This cake has earned its reputation, and not by accident. It’s dense yet tender, packed with deep chocolate flavor, and made-from-scratch goodness that keeps people coming back for more.
And tonight, friends, this is not just a slice situation. Tonight is your chance to win the entire cake. That’s right — the whole glorious thing.
You could share it with family. You could be the hero at your next gathering. You could generously offer a piece to a neighbor…
Or — and we fully support this option — you could quietly cut yourself a forkful every night until it mysteriously disappears. No judgment here.
A true Talkeetna favorite, a crowd-pleaser, and a chocolate lover’s dream — who’s ready to take home this hometown classic? Let’s see those bids!
(This cake is being auctioned off at the Sheldon Community Arts Hangar during the variety show.)
Baker: Talkeetna Roadhouse
