Wars are bad… except for Cupcake Wars
December 12, 2014
Yesterday (Dec. 11) and today (Dec. 12), Michele Kaiser and her first/fifth blocks began their mock Cupcakes War. If you’ve ever seen Cupcake Wars on Food Network, you know the gist of the competition. Bakers are given a set amount of time to make as best of a cupcake as they can and are judged on taste and presentation. They are also given a number of ingredients they must use in their creation.
Dec. 11’s competition consisted of five teams (two of which were late to class, tsk, tsk). Dec. 12’s had a total of four groups participating. However, one group was disqualified for misuse of the ingredients. The theme the students were given was “Winter Wonderland.”
The rules are simple:
1. Must keep all decorations in theme
2. Must incorporate two flavors
3. Cupcakes must be ready to present by 8:50
4. All cupcakes must be decorated the same
Students were graded on bite-ability, quality of frosting and cake. presentation (was the cupcake eye appealing?), if the cupcake was easy to eat, and the physical appearance of the cupcake (does the cupcake resemble a cupcake or a blob?). Safety, sanitation. prep techniques, and team work were also included in grading.
Students pick and choose from the inspiration table
The bakers began by choosing their ingredients from the inspiration table, full of the ingredients the student had to incorporate into their cupcakes. After 40 minutes of intense baking, the teams were allowed to present the judges with their finished product.
“I think this assignment is creative and fun,” said Jessica Lowery, sophomore, who was on Team 2 (block one). Their cupcakes were designed as melting snowmen to fit the theme.
The winners were Team 3 from block five with Santa Cupcakes and Team 4 from first block with a simple vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting and mint sprinkles. Kaiser will have a bake off between both winners to determine a final champion.
