The Sophie Fund

The Sophie Fund thanks the 25 bakers who entered their showpieces in the 10th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest. The judges selected 10 contestants to receive Honorable Mention Awards. Congratulations to all! Honorable Mention awardees were presented with $25 gift certificates from the Downtown Ithaca Alliance.

Honorable Mention

Katy Holloway

Dawn Kracht

Sadie Hays

Megan Martinez

Jonica LeRoux

Anayeli Newton

Bethanie Keem-Calhoun

Isaac Ortiz

Amin Lopez Luna and Marina Mahashin

Travis Bohmer

Katy Holloway’s “The Pineapple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree Cupcakes,” upside down pineapple cakes and tart cherry curd filling topped with decadent cocktail cherries under tropical umbrellas in brown-sugar sand.

Dawn Kracht’s “A Taste of Fall Cupcakes,” pumpkin cakes with maple frosting inspired by hikes at Taughannock Falls and other area parks when the temperatures cool and the leaves turn colors.

Sadie Hays’s “Mount Merapi Cupcakes,” purple-black sesame and rice cakes resembling volcanic sand topped by billowy clouds of coconut buttercream frosting with mango-passion fruit curd “lava” centers.

Megan Martinez’s “Pumpkin-ed Up Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cupcakes,” pumpkin cakes filled with cheesecake with a salted caramel Swiss meringue buttercream frosting and vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream flowers.

Jonica LeRoux’s “Bear Paw’s Smoky Sugar Shack Cupcakes,” brown butter vanilla cakes topped with maple frosting, smoky bacon and smoky salt—inspired by memories of a renaissance man making maple from sap.

Anayeli Newton’s “S’mores Cupcakes,” chocolate cakes with Reese’s Peanut Butter chips on a graham cracker crust foundation with toasted marshmallow frosting.

Bethanie Keem-Calhoun’s “Mimosa Cupcakes,” orange and champagne cakes in a sweet champagne cake soak with a strawberry flavored champagne frosting that bubbles to the taste.

Isaac Ortiz’s “Dubai Chocolate Cupcakes,” moist chocolate cakes filled with rich pistachio cream, finished with a pistachio buttercream frosting dusted with chopped pistachios and topped with chocolate-covered strawberries.

Amin Lopez Luna and Marina Mahashin’s “Coco-Mango Sticky Rice Cupcakes,” coconut and mango tres leches soaked sponge with coconut-mango whipped cream frosting and fresh mango and coconut flakes.

Travis Bohmer’s “Apple Pie, Oh My! Cupcakes,” cinnamon-infused cakes with apple pie filling topped with vanilla-apple cinnamon frosting and buttery crumble.