Cupcake Wars

My love affair with cupcakes began about three years ago when my friends Melissa and Derek were getting married. In our search for that "little something extra" to add to their reception, we discovered that cupcake towers were becoming the rage and we certainly were not going to miss the boat. After their nuptials, I slipped into Red Velvet heaven... I have been a loyal consumer of this goodness every since.

This Sunday The Food Network will debut a new show entitled Cupcake Wars at 10/9c. Being the avid cupcake lover that I am, I can hardly wait to see what deliciousness awaits me. Talents from all across the country will be featured on the show as they compete for the chance to win $10,000. I'm looking forward to new recipes and learning some tricks of the trade!

In honor of this joyous occasion, I will share some of my favorite treats from cupcake bakeries I have visited.

Molly's Cupcakes (Chicago, IL)

This sweet spot is equipped with the most delicious treats tucked away in a charming cafe. Patrons can enjoy their treats while sitting in porch-style swings at the bar with a perfectly delicious cup of coffee. While I was there I enjoyed three (don't judge) amazing cupcakes - the ever faithful Red Velvet, Peanut Butter Nutella (PB, Chocolate, & Hazelnut...stop yourself), and a Blueberry/Lemon cheesecake-ish one. Needless to say, it was a hit with my sweet tooth! I enjoyed every minute of this adventure with my best gals and fellow cupcake devotees, Morgan and Melissa

Cupcake (Charleston, SC)

This was my very first experience with a cupcake-exclusive bakery and boy did I love every minute of it! Three seems to be my magical number because I also enjoyed three delicious treats here as well - Red velvet, Pumpkin with Cinnamon Swirl icing (a little bite of heaven), and Carrot Cake. I even purchased this adorable t-shirt for Madi Kate because, well, it was necessary. Can you see those delicious treats behind me?

Bliss Cupcake Cafe (Fayetteville, AR)

Thanks to Tammy and Erica, I was able to enjoy a delicious pumpkin spiced cupcake from this lovely bakery that just opened in Fayetteville... It was amazing!

Cami Cakes (Jacksonville, FL)

Lauralee, Ella, and I ventured to the mall after Ella's first Christmas to get her little ears pierced. A little scarred from the experience (Ella didn't really love it) we concluded that we could recuperate by enjoying a little treat. Lauralee enjoyed the Classic Cami while I returned to my faithful Red Velvet. The pain of the ear piercing lasted only a second but enjoying this little treat with one of my favorite women and her daughter remains one of my favorite days!

Bakeries on my "to enjoy" list: Sprinkles, The Original Magnolia Bakery in NYC, and Hello Cupcake! and Georgetown Cupcake in Washington, DC

Happy Baking!