What does campfires, an owl, Cookie Monster, flower bouquets, bird’s nests and pouring M&M’s have in common? They were just some of the cupcake decorations created by the Grades 5-8 students for the fourth annual Cupcake War at the Assiniboia Elementary School in Assiniboia on March 30.
Students were invited to participate with an entry fee of four cupcakes — one for the judges and three to be sold. The funds were used to provide small prizes of baking and kitchen items to award to the winners. The students baked and decorated their cupcake creations at home on their own but under parental supervision. The students then selected their best decorated cupcake for the display and the remainder went for the bake sale.
Between 30-45 cupcakes were displayed and judged by celebrity judges: Mrs. Karst, Ms. Volkmann and Mrs. Wandler. Winners from Grades 5 and 6 were Adisyn in first place, Kayley in second place and Madisyn in third. In Grades 7 and 8 the winners were Ryder in first place, Nikki in second place and Lawrenne in third.
It was no easy task for the judges to select the winners. The students showed off an enormous amount of creativity translated into the medium of baking art. Some of the designs included a stream of M&M’s being poured onto the cupcake; a cappuccino cup; a bowl of popcorn; Cookie Monster; Oscar the Grouch; marshmallows roasting over a campfire; a butterfly; a bouquet of flowers; Smores; an owl; several different types of bird’s nests; Chicken McNuggets; a cowboy hat; and a flower. Perhaps the most intricate design was a person sunning themselves on a beach while a shark attack was occurring in the water (yes, this all fit on one cupcake).
This is the fourth annual cupcake war at the school. The event started four years ago when the students were inspired by the reality cooking shows on television like Top Chef and Chef Wars.
The students decided it would be fun to have their own baking competition and settled on cupcakes. The tradition has continued ever since. The competition combines simple baking with creativity in design.
