Cupcake Wars

Intro
Before We Begin
Editable Flyer, Slide and Sign Up Form
Editable Award Certificates
3 Page Team Handouts - Downloads
Supply List
Set-Up
Let the Games Begin
Rules
Evening Schedule
Judges Score Card
Sample Pictures

Intro Cupcak Wars

Cupcake Wars

Intro

"Cupcake Wars" is a challenging competition with plenty of versatility. Whether you want to host a Mother/Daughter War, a Father/Daughter War, a Mother/Son War, a Father/Son War, or even a battle between the kids...it is as simple as changing up the name.

Some prefer to call this event a Cupcake "Battle"...which is perfectly fine. It's your event...name it whatever you choose.

For simplicity, I will be referring to this event as "Mother/Daughter Cupcake Wars."

This event (as well as many of my other Friday night events) is the perfect time to invite guests. Another mother/daughter team from your community would LOVE to participate in this event. A great outreach tool!

Time: 2-3 hours - I normally host this event on a Friday night 6-9 pm.

FILL IN MOM'S/GRANDMA'S

Make sure you have some "fill in" moms available.

Some children do not have a mom...some are working...and some are

not physically able to participate.

When you announce your event, make sure to announce that you are needing some "fill-in moms for the evening. Make sure that your girls know that there are fill-in moms available for them to team up with if necessary.

You will be amazed at the women (and youth) who step up to be a mom for the evening

Be prepared, there are occasionally kids who just show up without a mom.

If a "fill in" mom signed up but is not needed, have them show up anyhow...just in case! You can always stick them on another team (3 per team) or team them up together.

Before We Begin

Decide how many teams you can realistically handle and limit the number of teams to that number. This will encourage teams to sign up early. You can increase the number of teams by limiting the number of rounds in your competition, offsetting the baking time, or limiting the number of cupcakes each team can bake. If this is your first cupcake wars start with fewer teams and grow from there.
Recruit 3 Judges to judge the cupcakes.
Create a sign-up sheet for each team to register. Have the names of the "fill-in" moms listed at the bottom of the registration form so that anyone who needs a partner can select one from the list. (Editable download below)
When a team registers, give them one of the 3-page handouts below (downloadable). They will return page 1 with their cake and frosting choices and keep pages 2-3 for reference. Note: Make a trip to the store to make sure that the flavor options are actually available. If not, create your own cake/frosting option sheets.
Optional - Order baker's hats for each baker. I ordered the hats from oriental trading. The hats were a little small for the mom's so I simply removed the seam from the bottom rim up to where the hat attaches to the rim. Super easy and quick...worked perfectly!! If you can't afford the hats, ask for a donation from Krispy Kreme Donuts...they will normally give you some of their paper hats.
Ask each baker to bring an apron (plain color) to decorate. Ask church members to donate old (plain color) aprons so that everyone will have one. Aprons are easy to sew so if you have someone in your church that likes to sew, ask them to whip up a few extra in case you need them. You could probably even come up with a paper pattern to cut out and decorate paper aprons. This is a craft project to be decorated while teams are waiting for the oven. Any craft idea that goes with the theme will work. Let me know what you come up with.
I ordered cardboard cupcake displays from oriental trading...they normally have some on clearance for around $1.50 each. It does not matter what design they are. I added the "display assembly" aa part of the competition just like the "Cake Wars" television show. If you want to skip the display assembly competition during your cupcake wars event, you can. However, make sure to have some type of time filler competitions/activities because there will be times when the teams are waiting during baking.
Duplicate copies of awards for each team. There will be several categories and each team will receive a "participation award" (Download below)

Download and Editable Flyers, Slides, and Sign Up Sheet

Before we Begin - Cupcake

Editable Flyer,Slide, Sign Up - Cupcake

Editable Award - Cupcake

Downloadable and Editable Award Certificates

Editable - Champions

Editable - Second

Editable - Third

Editable - Participation

3 Page Team Handout - Cupcake

3 Page Team Handouts

Cake Mix and Frosting Flavor Selection

Give each team a three-page handout when they register to participate.

Each team will be allowed to choose what type of cake and frosting mix that they want you to purchase for them.

Send home all 3 pages with each team as soon as they register.

Before you hand out packets, take a quick trip to the store to make sure that all flavors listed are available. If not, create a new list of options.

Teams will return page 1 of their handouts ASAP

Teams will keep pages 2-3 as reference

Supply List

Cake Mixes

Frosting Mixes

Tablecloths (for each station/table)

Timer (or watch)

Bakers Hats

Cupcake Papers

Cupcake Display Kits

Certificates

Food Coloring

Eggs

Oil (Vegetable)

Vegetable Spray

Water

Butter

Sprinkles

Milk

Cupcake Pans (1 Per Team) Ask to borrow from church members if you need to)

Decorating/Icing Tips

Decorating Icing Bags

Spatula's

Spoons (Stirring)

Icing Knives

Whisks

Flavorings

Mixing Bowls

Mixers - Hand and/or stand (several)

Oven, Oven Mitts, or Pot Holders

Cupcake displays

Surprise ingredients (Each team must add 1 surprise ingredient into their cupcake and one surprise ingredient into their icing.) Each team will decide what they want to incorporate. Make these simple ingredients...candies, flavorings, etc.

Aprons - Each team should bring their own, however, a few to have on hand would be a good idea. (plain colors)

Fabric paint or permanent markers (to decorate the aprons)

Meal

Food and drink - Whatever you choose. I served finger foods; sandwiches, fruit, chips, and bottles of water. Keep it simple!

Paper plates

Paper Cups

Napkins

Set-Up

Set up a table for each team. Place (bright colored) table cloths on each table. Each table can have a different color table cloth on it if you choose.
Place 2 Bakers hats on each table. 1 child and 1 adult size
Set up the pantry area. (any food item, eggs, oil, sprinkles, candies, etc.)
Set up an extra table in the pantry area for the mystery items. These are items that each team will have to incorporate into their batters and icings. (Flavorings, candies, etc.)
Set up a mixing station (mixers, extension cords, etc)
Set up the supply area (spatula's spoons, icing bags, icing tips, cupcake displays, etc.
Set up a table with each person's cake and frosting choices. I set them out and then wrote the child's name on the (plastic) table cloth in front of their selection.
Set up a table for the cake displays. Boxes of cardboard displays to be assembled later in the evening
Set up a table with craft items to be used when decorating their aprons. Fabric paint, permanent markers, etc. (Apron competition)

Let the Games Begin

As the teams arrive, have them select their own workstation (table)
Have each team pick up their cake mix and frosting.
Have each team member put on their apron and baker's hat.
Have each team visit the supply area to select the kitchen gadgets that they will need...bowls, whisks, spoons, etc.
Have them decorate their table/area with any decorations that they brought
Take a picture of each team. Their kitchen gadgets will make nice props for them to hold.
Have them wash their hands

Rules

NOTE: DO NOT START UNTIL EVERYONE HAS ARRIVED!

Once everyone has arrived and completed all the items listed above, read the rules.

1. Work together as a team. Points will be awarded for teamwork.

2. Assign different tasks to each person and work to complete the baking and decorating challenge.

3. You must add one "mystery" ingredient into your cake mix as well as one "mystery" ingredient into your icing.

4. Tonight's mystery theme is: ____________________________________. (Add your own theme)

(I CHOSE EASTER/SPRING AS MY THEME...JESUS, CRUCIFIXION, RESURRECTION,

COLORS, FLAVORS, EASTER EGGS, EASTER CANDY, EGG HUNT, WEATHER...ANYTHING TO DO WITH EASTER OR SPRING.

EVENING SCHEDULE

Competition begins!

Announce that if at any time…they have nothing to do, they are to enjoy the finger foods and work on decorating their aprons!

Round One (25 minutes) do not stress if each round takes a little longer.

These times are suggestions only. You have the moms right there so they know what is going on and can decide when they have to leave...or not!

You have 25 minutes to mix and bake your first 6 cupcakes.

While cupcakes are baking, assemble your display and start working on mixing your frostings and creating your decorations.

Set aside to cool.

Note: if you do not have much oven space then cut the cupcakes down to 3 each and put the cupcakes from 4 different teams into the same pan to bake! Large pans with only a few cupcakes in them take a lot of space and time to bake! You may even want to consider doing this with 6 cupcakes…put the cupcakes from 2 different teams into the same pan.

Round Two (25 minutes)

You have 25 minutes to mix and bake your second cupcakes.

Begin working on your frosting and decorations.

Round Three (15 minutes)

You have 15 minutes to decorate your first set of cupcakes (6).

Round Four (15 minutes)

You have 15 minutes to decorate your second set of cupcakes (6).

Round Five (5 minutes)

Arrange the cupcakes on the display for judging

Round six

Judging time – teams will be called up one at a time.

Clean up your area while the other teams are being judges

Judges will be judging on the following:

A. Taste (texture and flavor),

B. Presentation (neatness, creativity)

C. Teamwork.

D. If you used a secret ingredient or not

E. How well you captured the theme

Each team will present their cupcakes and describe what kind of cupcake they made, what type of frosting they created, what secret ingredient they used, and explain their decorations.

Round Seven (10 minutes)

Apron judging – winner (take pics)

Decorations judging – winner (take pics)

Round eight- judging

Awards will be given out (take pics of each team with their award)

Round Nine – snack time

Enjoy some of your leftover cupcakes with milk

Round Ten- clean-up

Everyone clean up their area

Wash the utensils you used

Return any items to the pantry that need to be returned

Remove table cloth and throw away