The Sophie Fund extends our sincere appreciation to the finalist judges of the 10th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest on October 18. Besides volunteering to serve, they baked up some indulgencies of their own—500 treats in all—to pass out to contestants, volunteers, audience members, and passersby in the Ithaca Commons. Thank you Yuko Jingu of Akemi Food; Ashley Case of Case Sera Sera; Racquel Riccardi of Sinfully Delicious Baking Co.; Melissa Kenny of Sweet Melissa’s Ice Cream Shop; Via Carpenter of Via’s Cookies, and Ania Grodzinski of Ania’s Confections.
Melissa Kenny, Via Carpenter, Ania Grodzinski, Ashley Case, and Yuko Jingu
Which of the masterpieces will receive the Grand Prize?
Cookies from Case Sera Sera
Sweets from Via’s Cookies
Elderflower shortbreads from Sinfully Delicious Baking Co.
Cornell University students from six campus organizations volunteered at the 10th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest, an event to raise awareness about mental health, and collected donations in The Sophie Fund’s related Cupcake Button fundraising campaign.
Students arrived for the October 18 event at the Bernie Milton Pavilion in the Commons as the autumn dawn was breaking. They hauled tables and chairs to set up the contest, registered contestants, guarded the entries, participated in the judging, created awards certificates, connected with community mental health partners, and broke down the event space afterwards.
Contestant registration team
Students spent the previous two weeks collecting donations for Ithaca Welcomes Refugees, which provides comprehensive support services for refugees and other immigrants arriving in Tompkins County. The Sophie Fund hosts the cupcake contest every October, and organizes the “Cupcake Button” fundraising campaign to support Ithaca nonprofits aiding mental health in the community.
RISEUP’s Harmony Guan and friends supporting Ithaca Welcomes Refugees
Speaking at the Awards Ceremony, Harmony Guan, RISEUP’s mental health committee lead, said her group partnered with The Sophie Fund because of the intersection between refugees and mental health.
“We’re an organization at Cornell that supports refugees and underserved populations,” she said. “Refugees face many struggles, stressors of coming from another country to a new country, culture shock.”
The sweet side of volunteering: judging the cupcake contest
We’re celebrating 10 years of the Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest! Here’s a slideshow from the latest edition held in the Ithaca Commons on October 18, 2025.
Registration Team for 10th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest
Madelyne entering her “Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes”
Kirstan Brodie’s “Apple of My Pie Cupcakes”
Jonica LeRoux entering her “Bear Paw’s Smoky Sugar Shack Cupcakes”
Katy Holloway’s “The Pineapple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree Cupcakes”
Lucia entering her “Halloween Cupcakes”
Anayeli Newton’s “S’mores Cupcakes”
Bethanie Keem-Calhoun’s “Mimosa Cupcakes”
Rebecca DeGroat entering her “Happy 250th Birthday Marine Corps Cupcakes”
Sadie Hays’s “Mount Merapi Cupcakes”
Kyra O’Toole entering her “Fall Forest Cupcakes”
Hudson, Paxton, and Gamay’s “Harry Potter Cupcakes”
Lydia Mentzer’s “Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes”
Megan Martinez’s “Pumpkin’ed Up Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cupcakes”
Contestants in the 10th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest on October 18 dazzled the judges with their creations! Congratulations to these winners of Special Awards!
Special Awards
The Guac Star Award
Lydia Mentzer
The Sorting Hat Choice Award
Hudson, Paxton, and Gamay
Flavor Bouquet Award
Madelyne Myers
Slice of Pi Award
Kirstan Brodie
Autumn Magic Award
Molly Maher
Spooktacular Sweet Treat Award
Lucia O’Toole
Vivacious Vegan Delight Award
Juju B’s Sweets
Orange Explosion Award
Tabitha Gray
Spirit of Service Award
Rebecca DeGroat
Power in Every Bite Award
Alecia Sundsmo
Sky’s The Limit Award
Village at Ithaca
Lydia Mentzer’s “Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes,” chocolate cakes with guacamole-colored frosting.
Hudson, Paxton, and Gamay’s “Harry Potter Cupcakes,” vanilla sponge cakes with beer-flavored buttercream frosting topped with Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin scarves and pretzel stick wands.
Madelyne Myers’s “Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes,” pumpkin, ginger, nutmeg, and chocolate cakes, with brown sugar cream cheese frosting.
Kirstan Brodie’s “Apple of My Pie Cupcakes,” cinnamon-spiced cakes studded with juicy apple chunks topped with a “pie crust” of salted brown butter cream cheese frosting.
Molly Maher’s “Between Seasons Cupcakes,” chocolate spice cakes with orange marmalade filling topped with chocolate cream cheese frosting and grated candied orange.
Lucia O’Toole’s “Halloween Cupcakes,” dark chocolate cakes and chocolate frosting with Halloween decorations.
Juju B’s Sweets’s “Joy Cupcakes,” cocoa and apple sauce cakes studded with toasted almonds topped with coconut-flavored frosting, sweetened coconut flakes and almond slivers.
Tabitha Gray’s “Orange Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes,” chocolate cakes with orange filling and an orange buttercream frosting.
Rebecca DeGroat’s “Happy 250th Birthday Marine Corps Cupcakes,” carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting and gold and red sprinkles.
Alecia Sundsmo’s “Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes,” chocolate vegan cakes with chocolate icing and a vegan marshmallow on top.
Village at Ithaca’s “Razzmatazz Rainbow Cupcakes,” blue raspberry confetti cakes and Italian meringue frosting topped with meringue clouds and blue raspberry and sour candy.
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