Contestants in the 4th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest on October 19 dished up spectacular entries—congratulations to these winners of Special Awards!

I Might be a Short Cake, But It Really Stacks Up Award

Madely Myers

I’ve FALLen For You Award

Natalie McCaskill-Myers

Pumpkiniest Award

Faith Heath

Un-Be-Leaf-Able Award

Monica Lee Cotto

Paws-itively Adorable Award

Kelsey Pipkin

Head Over Heels for the Chocolate Heart Award

Audrey Greene

It’s Early Gre(y)at

Veronica Fitzpatrick

It Takes Two To Mango Award

Mary Sever-Schoonmaker

Tea-Riffic! Award

Ashley Bacalso & Shiang Chin

Nonu Would Be Proud Award

Kyra O’Toole

Mint to Be Award

Violet Zoner

Berry Delicious Award

Erin Morris

Season’s Greetings Award

Miranda Crosley

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice Award

Rebacca Gray

Best Thing Since Sliced Bread Award

Tabitha Gray

It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Award

Hannah & Cheryl Stephenson

Most Attractive to Bees Award

Hallie Sims

Madely Myers’s entry: strawberry and cream cheese cupcakes reflecting “sweet” Sophie

Natalie McCaskill-Myers’s entry: pumpkin and spice cupcakes inpired by the Farmer’s Market

Faith Heath’s entry: pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and gold and black crystal sprinkles

Monica Lee Cotto’s entry: banana cream cupcakes decorated with a chocolate gold feather

Kelsey Pipkin’s tiramisu expresso-flavored cupcakes decorated with kitty-themed lady finger biscuits

Audrey Greene’s entry: chocolate and raspberry cupcakes with a chocolate heart decoration

Veronica Fitzpatrick’s entry: Earl Grey cupcakes with a candied grapefruit peel, brandy snap, and edible flower petals

Mary Sever-Schoonmaker’s entry: “Mango Wango Tango” ginger cupcakes with homemade mango curd with a white chocolate bubble bark garnish

Ashley Bacalso & Shiang Chin’s entry: Green tea cupcakes garnished with a matcha pocky stick

Kyra O’Toole’s entry: dark chocolate cannoli cupcakes with Italian meringue frosting

Violet Zoner’s entry: chocolate cupcakes with mint Oreo, Italian meringue frosting, and Oreo crumbles and candy melt drizzles

Erin Morris’s entry: Blueberry bourbon homegrown basil cupcakes iced with blueberry buttercream frosting

Miranda Crosley’s entry: pumpkin cupcakes filled with spiced cranberry sauce topped with leaf-shaped pie crust decorations and a sugared cranberry

Rebacca Gray’s entry: chocolate lime and black pepper cupcakes with coconut lime frsoting

Tabitha Gray’s entry: lemon mango cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting decorated with chocolate chips and lemon drops

Hannah & Cheryl Stephenson’s entry: “Puff-kin Patch” spice cupcakes with cinnamon caramel ermine frosting and jack-o-lantern decorations

Hallie Sims’s entry: wild blackberry cardamom cupcakes and lemon blackberry cream frosting decorated with sugared blackberries and mint leaves (all of which seemed to delight Ithaca’s honey bee population!)

This year’s annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest set a record for entries—66 bakers created their magic and brought it down to the Bernie Milton Pavilion on Saturday October 19. The judges had an impossible task, but besides the top three winners they selected six bakers to receive Honorable Mention Awards. Bravo and thanks to all 66 contestants—you were amazing!

All Honorable Mention awardees were presented with $25 gift certificates from the Downtown Ithaca Alliance.

Honorable Mention

Active Minds at Ithaca High School

Rachel Allison

Akiko Cliteur

Kate Bagnell

Erica Brath

Heather Williams

Active Minds at Ithaca High School’s entry: Napoleon ice cream-themed cupcakes set in a classic cone with layers of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate cake topped with homemade whipped cream and sprinkles.

Rachel Allison’s entry: Chocolate cupcakes filled with chocolate truffle and intense strawberry flavor, topped with a Nutella, raspberry and white chocolate buttercream swirl–and a pouring cup of chocolate sauce.

Akiko Cliteur’s entry: Carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting accompanied by lemon flavored macarons with almond, cranberry, and pistachio toppings.

Kate Bagnell’s entry: The “cookie-lover’s cupcakes” are chocolate chip cupcakes with cookie dough core, topped with chocolate fudge, buttercream frosting, and a mini chocolate chip sandwich cookie.

Erica Brath’s entry: All-vegan chocolate stout cupcakes with whiskey buttercream icing and dark chocolate dragon decorations.

Heather Williams’s entry: Spiced pumpkin cupcakes filled with cranberry compote with cranberry cheesecake frosting.

Here are the winners in the 4th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest organized by The Sophie Fund in the Ithaca Commons on October 19. (More winners will be posted soon!)

Zoe Dubrow (right) won the Grand Prize

Zoe Dubrow’s “Cup(cakes) of Tea” were made of Earl Grey cake layered with fall flower honey cheesecake and honeyed lemon curd inside of an Earl Grey-infused white chocolate tea cup. The cupcakes were garnished with a candied lemon slice and a frosted Earl Grey short bread tea bag cookie.

1st Prize

$250 gift certificate from Downtown Ithaca Alliance

Zoe Dubrow

Ann Phelan’s “Toasty Campfire Cupcakes” won second prize in the 4th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest!  Her chocolate cupcakes with Graham Cracker crust were topped with marshmallow-like frosting.

2nd Prize

$100 gift certificate from Downtown Ithaca Alliance

Ann Phelan

Jennifer Dobmeier’s “I Love Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes” won third prize in the 4th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest! The pumpkin spice cupcakes were filled with expresso mascarpone filling, and topped with pumpkin spice vanilla frosting and a white chocolate coffee cup lid.

3rd Prize

$50 gift certificate for GreenStar Natural Foods Market

Jennifer Dobmeier

Takoda Warner’s vegan cupcakes won the Youth Award in the 4th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest! The fig and rosemary pound cake cupcakes were topped by a vegan white chocolate flower.

Youth Award

$100 gift certificate from Downtown Ithaca Alliance

Takoda Warner