Cupcake Wars

Cupcake Wars is an American reality competition series that premiered on December 27, 2009, on cable television network Food Network.[1] The show, which is based on creating unique and professional-style cupcakes, was hosted by Justin Willman and is now hosted by Jonathan Bennett.[2]

Cupcake Wars
GenreReality television
Cooking show
Presented byJustin Willman (2009-2013)
Jonathan Bennett (2016-2018)
JudgesCandace Nelson (2009-2013)
Florian Bellanger (2009-2018)
Waylynn Lucas (2016-2018)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons11
No. of episodes137 (list of episodes)
Production
ProducersAdam Cohen
Cara Tapper
Joanna Vernetti
Running time1 hour
Release
Original networkFood Network
Original releaseDecember 27, 2009 (2009-12-27) 
May 22, 2018 (2018-05-22)
External links
Website

The show is similar to successful Chopped cooking show aired on the same network, in that it starts with four contestants who are eliminated one-by-one in three rounds, with the winning team receiving $10,000 and the opportunity to be featured in an upcoming event. Each team consists of a chef and a sous-chef.

Rounds

Each round takes about a third of the completed episode.

The first round lasts 45 minutes in competition and is focused around taste.[3] Contestants must create a cupcake with unusual ingredients related to a theme – for example, a date-night theme might require contestants to incorporate various aphrodisiacs, such as oysters, basil, dark chocolate, or champagne.

The second round lasts 75 minutes in competition and is based on both taste and presentation. Contestants must make three different types of cupcakes of their own choice with a unique presentation that relates to the theme.

The third and final round is the most challenging, where the remaining two teams make 1,000 cupcakes in two hours. Each team must feature improved versions of the four cupcakes they made in the first two rounds, and must showcase them on an elaborately constructed display. Both the cupcakes and the display must remain consistent with the episode's theme. Each team receives the assistance of four baking assistants and one carpenter in completing the round. This is the only round that the judges do not taste the cupcakes at the judges table, and instead taste them at the display.[3]

Themes

The show invites cupcake bakers from all over the United States to compete. Each episode is centered on a theme or event; past themes include a Seaworld birthday party for an orca, a "match-making" aphrodisiac party, an Ace of Cakes 100th episode celebration, "Survival of the Fittest" theme, an autism charity event, a golf tournament, and a film festival.

Judges

There are three judges in the series, with two of them serving as permanent judges:

Nelson and Bellanger usually give the bakers technical critiques on the methods, amounts, and ingredients they use, while the guest judges' critiques are usually much more subjective, based on whether or not they liked the cupcakes.

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
19December 27, 2009 (2009-12-27)August 3, 2010 (2010-08-03)
213December 7, 2010 (2010-12-07)March 8, 2011 (2011-03-08)
313June 14, 2011 (2011-06-14)September 11, 2011 (2011-09-11)
413December 4, 2011 (2011-12-04)March 4, 2012 (2012-03-04)
513March 11, 2012 (2012-03-11)June 24, 2012 (2012-06-24)
614May 13, 2012 (2012-05-13)September 23, 2012 (2012-09-23)
713October 7, 2012 (2012-10-07)March 24, 2013 (2013-03-24)
813April 7, 2013 (2013-04-07)July 7, 2013 (2013-07-07)
913September 7, 2013 (2013-09-07)December 28, 2013 (2013-12-28)
1011April 11, 2016 (2016-04-11)August 15, 2016 (2016-08-15)
1112November 28, 2017 (2017-11-28)May 2018 (2018-05)

See also

References

  1. Cupcake Wars. TV Guide. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  2. "Cupcake Wars – About the Show". Food Network. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  3. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". Cupcake Wars. Season 7. Episode 5. November 4, 2012. Food Network.
  4. "Sprinkles Cupcakes, Ice Cream and Cookies". Sprinkles.
  5. "Candace Nelson biography". Food Network. August 10, 2010. Archived from the original on August 10, 2010.
  6. "Florian Bellanger biography". Food Network. August 9, 2010. Archived from the original on August 9, 2010.
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