LA Cupcake Challenge: The Competitors, Part Four

Here's the last of the competitors from the LA Cupcake Challenge!

Speakeasy Sweets 

33: Irish Car Bomb
34: Amaretto Sour
www.speakeasysweets.com
Twitter: @speakeasysweets
Comment: All of their cupcakes are cocktail-infused.

 

Sweet E's

11: Chocolate Vanilla Swirl

36: Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

www.sweetesbakeshop.com

Twitter: @SweetEsBakeShop

Comment: Recognize this woman? She was on the pilot of The Food Network's Cupcake Wars a few months ago. I felt like I was meeting a celebrity! Loved the frosting on these cupcakes.

  

  

Tavern Restaurant

12: Vanilla

37: Salted Caramel

www.tavernla.com

Comment: These cucpakes were made by the pastry chefs at Tavern Restaurant in LA. They were beautifully presented.

  

  

The Cake Shop

13: Red Velvet

38: Orange Cranberry

(Can't find info on them and I lost their business card. Email me if you have info.)

Comment: The chocolate ganache on top of the red velvet was a nice twist from the usual. The frosting was a good consistency on both cupcakes.

  

  

Two Parts Sugar

14: Vanilla Throwback

39: Chocolate Covered Strawberry

www.twopartssugar.com

Twitter: @twopartssugar

Comment: The Chocolate Covered Strawberry was one of my favorites. Reminded me of a strawberry cream See's chocolate, with chocolate cake attached. I also thought their booth was well put together, with a fun theme.

  

  

  

Urban Sweets

40: Spiced Apple with Brown Sugar

www.urbansweetsbakery.com

Twitter: @urbansweets

Comment: Apples are one of my favorite foods. It's always fun to see them in cupcakes, which doesn't happen very often. Good combo of flavors.

 

Did you check out the other competitors? Group One, Group Two, Group Three 

More importantly, did you see who won? Find the results of the LA Cupcake Challenge here.

LA Cupcake Challenge: The Competitors, Part Three

You think you've seen a lot of cupcakes already, well, I'm only half-way through. This next set of competitors had some pretty unique cupcake flavors.

My Delight Cupcakery
29: Breakfast Cake
30: Key Lime
www.mydelightcupcakery.com
Twitter: @My_Delight
Comment: This isn't the actual Breakfast Cake, but it is a good representation. It was a buttermilk cupcake with bits of bacon, topped with maple syrup frosting and more bacon bits. I actually took one home and had for breakfast the next morning. Yum!

Polkatots

08: Little Penguin

31: Lucky Charm (pistachio)

www.polkatotscupcakes.com

Twitter: @polkatots

Comment: There was no way I was going to like a pistachio cupcake. Polkatots proved me wrong...it was great! Also found out that Polkatots specializes in cupcake cakes. (Sadly, their cupcakes were gone before I got a picture) Last year they won 1st place for Best Original and Best Overall cupcake at the LA Cupcake Challenge.

 

Renaissance Hollywood Hotel
32: Maple and Bacon
Comment: I'm assuming these cupcakes are made by the restaurant at the hotel where the event was held. Nothing special.

 

Southern Girl Delights

09: Red Velvet
www.southerngirldesserts.com
Twitter: @dessertsdivas
Store located in Los Angeles
Comment: Last week they sent out a coupon to get 6 cupcakes for $8. They said they sold 1400 cupcakes last week! Last year they won 3rd place for Best Original in the LA Cupcake Challenge.

  

Sugar Bliss Sweets

10: Lavender Vanilla
35: Rose Petal
www.sugarblisssweets.com
Twitter: @Sugar_Bliss
Comment: These two cupcake flavors reminded me of my favorite soaps. I've never had cupcakes with rose petal and lavender before.

  

 

One of the most fun parts of the day was getting to meet some of my blog readers. At first I was surprised that anyone recognized me, then we became instant friends as we shared our love for cupcakes.

 
I made an effort to talk to all of the owners. I loved seeing how passionate each of them were about their cupcakes. It's that kind of passion that will push owners to create amazing cupcakes.

Check out the first group of competitors here.
Check out the second group of competitors here.
See the final results of the LA Cupcake Challenge here.

SusieCakes gives Free Cupcakes to Youth Sports Players

 

Starting April 5 and continuing through the month of April, SusieCake will be giving out free cupcakes to kids 12 and younger who wear their sports uniform into the bakery. The kids will be able to pick their favorite frosting-filled cupcake, which they can top with a sports-themed decoration. According to the press release, founder and owner Sarah Sarich said, "I hope this is something both little sports stars and parents alike can look forward to as a fun, rewarding post-game activity." I'll use any excuse to visit SusieCakes.

LA Cupcake Challenge: The Competitors, Part Two

Friandise Pastries

22: Sticky Toffee Pudding

23: Coconut

www.friandisepastries.com

Comment: Cute cupcakes hats

 

Hansen Cakes

06: Wedding Cupcakes

www.hansencakes.com

Twitter: @hansencakes

Showrooms in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Tarzana

Comment: Frosting tasted exactly like the frosting you would find on a wedding cake, possibly French buttercream.

  

Jus Minis

07: Red Velvet

24: Caramel Banana

www.jus-minis.com

Comment: The caramel in the middle and the caramelized banana on top were perfect touches.

  

Layers

25: Fall Spice

26: Chocolate Coconut

www.layerscupcakes.com

Twitter: @LayersCupcakes 

Comment: These cupcakes were infused with gourmet tea.

Meringue Bake Shop

27: Pretty Woman

28: Pigs on Tap

www.meringuebakeshop

Twitter: @meringuebkeshp 

Comment: Meringue had some unique, delicious flavors. Pretty Woman was a champagne cupcake and Pigs on Tap was a Guiness and bacon cupcake.

 

Did you already check out the first group of competitors? Find them here.

What exactly is the LA Cupcake Challenge? Find out here.

LA Cupcake Challenge Results

 

(Nichelle from Cupcakes Take the Cake and me)

Got the official results last night from the 2010 LA Cupcake Challenge. Here they are:

Best Traditional

1st: Big Man Bakes - Red Velvet

2nd: Blue Cupcake - Sweet and Salty Vanilla

3rd: Southern Girl Desserts - Red Velvet

Best Original

1st: My Delight Cupcakery - Breakfast Cake

2nd: Jus Minis - Caramel Banana

3rd: Two Parts Sugar - Chocolate Covered Strawberry

Best Overall

1st: Jus Minis - Caramel Banana

2nd: My Delight Cupcakery - Breakfast Cake

3rd: Two Parts Sugar - Chocolate Covered Strawberry

My Picks

Best Traditional Winner: 
Blue Cupcake - Sweet and Salty Vanilla

Best Traditional Runner-up: 
Big Man Bakes - Red Velvet

Best Original Winner: 
Blue Cupcake - Pumpkin

Best Original Runner-Up: 
Fairy Cakes - Pumpkin White Chocolate

Best Overall Winner: 
Blue Cupcake - Pumpkin

Best Overall Runner-up: 
Fairy Cakes - Pumpkin White Chocolate

I was blown away by Blue Cupcake's cupcakes! I am a sucker for cupcakes with filling (caramel in the Vanilla and pumpkin mousse in the Pumpkin). I  loved the sweet and salty combination that both of them had (salted vanilla buttercream on the Vanilla and pumpkin seeds on the Pumpkin). Blue Cupcake also had a very cute display. Congratulations to them for their 2nd place win on Best Traditional.

Big Man Bakes had some of the moistest cupcakes I've ever tasted. The "Big Man" told me that he worked for months perfecting his Red Velvet before he began selling it. He didn't want to sell an inferior cupcake. I admire that. 

Fairy Cakes was a close second place for me. Not sure why the two pumpkin cupcakes were my favorite of the day, but both were done just right. Fairy Cakes' Pumpkin cupcake was the first one I tried that day and was one of the few I was still thinking about after I left. I've read a few blogs over the past couple of days proclaiming their loved for Fairy Cakes' Pumpkin cupcake also. Great job! 

You can find more photos on the LA Cupcake Challenge flickr pool.

Review: Cinnabon Cupcakes

My friend Kelly attended a mommy blogger event over the weekend. I was super excited to see her tweeting about the new Cinnabon cupcakes. I was even more excited when she saved one for me to try.

After getting mixed reviews on them, I was curious, but a little hesitant to try one. Kelly brought me the Cinnacake Classic cupcake, the one I thought would be the best anyway. I took a bite and am happy to report that it was tasty! BUT, I must say that I wouldn't really call it a cupcake. It is more of a hybrid between a cinnamon roll and cupcake. Whatever you want to call it, make sure you try one yourself.

LA Cupcake Challenge: The Competitors, Part One

I explained exactly what the LA Cupcake Challenge was yesterday, so now let's see those cupcakes!

There were 22 bakeries competing for the titles of Best Traditional, Best Original, and Best Overall cupcake. Most bakeries entered two cupcakes in the competition. Yes, I got to eat 40 mini cupcakes! Yes, I was sick by the end of the night, but I loved every minute of it!

Babycakes Baking Company

01: Hot Chocolate

15: Bananas Foster

www.babycakesshop.com
Twitter: @BabyCakesBaking

Store located in Torrance
Comment: Loved the cupcake displays.

 

Big Man Bakes

02: Red Velvet

16: Carrot Cake

www.bigmanbakes.com

Twitter: @bigmanbakes 

Store located in Los Angeles

Comment: Cupcakes were super moist.

  

  

Blue Cupcake

03: Sweet and Salty Vanilla (Vanilla cake filled with rich caramel, topped with vanilla and salted caramel buttercream)

17: Pumpkin (Pumpkin bread filled with spiced pumpkin mousse, topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting and pumpkin seeds)

www.bluecupcake.com

Twitter: @juliedesmeules 

Sold at Century City Farmer's Market and Lot 44 Cupcake

Comment: Loved the display, very cute! But I loved these cupcakes even more!

  

  

Charmed Cupcakes

04: Red Velvet

18: Blueberry

www.charmed-cupcakes.com

Store located in Long Beach

Comment: They were the only bakery that made full-sized cupcakes. The Mardi Gras theme added some personality to their booth.

  

 

Cupcake Couture 

19: Sunday Mimosa

20: Little Miss Shortcake

www.cupcakescouturemb.com

Twitter: @CupcakesMB 

Comment: Taste matched their beautiful decoration.

 

Fairy Cakes 

05: Vanilla Bean Almond Dream

21: Pumpkin White Chocolate

www.fairycakesbakery.com

Comment: Based in Orange County, this was my first sampling of their cupcakes, but it is certainly not my last. The Pumpkin White Chocolate was outstanding!

And this is just the beginning! Check back soon to see more of the competitors and their cupcakes.

LA Cupcake Challenge: What is it?

WOW! What a day! I've been looking forward to attending the LA Cupcake Challenge since I was unable to attend last year. Last week was a long week as I anxiously awaited for Saturday to come.

The LA Cupcake Challenge took place at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, CA. The event is put on by Drink:Eat:Play Events. It was sponsored by Nestle Nesquik, Renaissance Hotel, and CozmoCard. 

The event featured the best bakeries in LA and Orange County, and were judged by the public and a panel of celebrity judges (that's me!). The cupcakes were judged on three categories: Best Traditional, Best Original, and Best Overall.

I couldn't believe how many people were at this event! Several people I talked to said that this year's event was way bigger than last year's. I would say so! Each bakery had to bring 700 mini cupcakes of each flavor!

It was great to see some familiar faces. Kristin of Meringue Bake Shop was there with her cupcakes and Shari (sorry if I spelled wrong) of Bonnin Designs was there to help her out.

I also got to meet some new people like Nichelle, the other mastermind from Cupcakes Take the Cake. (I met Rachel at the Mini Cupcake Clash in San Francisco a few months ago.)

I know what you're thinking...where are the cupcakes?! My wonderful, awesome husband was my official photographer and took a million photos for me. It's hard to pick out my favorites, but I will give it a try. Check back tomorrow for more coverage.