Cupcake Wars

I'm obsessed with cupcakes....obviously. So it's only fitting that once I discovered Cupcake Wars on Food Network I was totally and completely hooked. This show is absolutely fabulous! If you don't watch it, I highly recommend it! We are talking insane challenges (the time-frame they have alone is enough to make it daunting - 2 hours to make 1000 cupcakes!) and total divas who all think, of course, that they make the absolute best cupcakes in America. I LOVE it.

For those of you who don't watch, I'll give a quick break-down of the show. It starts with 4 contestants who compete in 3 rounds of cupcake madness. After each round, 1 person is eliminated.
Round 1. The taste round. This is the round that gets me. Personally, I don't know how these people do it. The creativity they have to have to get past the 1st round is incredible. The 4 contestants have to make a cupcake (1 for each judge, so 3 cupcakes total) using insane ingredients that change each episode depending on what the final challenge is. I've seen everything from okra to goat cheese to salmon roe. And they have to taste good. They have 45 minutes for this challenge.
Round 2. 50% taste, 50% presentation. This round I think is a little bit more of a cake walk *ahem* It's more about you personally as a cupcake maker and bringing your best recipes to the table. The remaining 3 contestants have to each make 3 cupcakes (9 total) with their best recipes and decorations based on the final challenge. They have 75 minutes for this challenge.
Round 3. Final challenge. The final challenge the remaining 2 contestants get to have 4 baking assistants and a carpenter to help them. They have to design a cupcake display and make 1000 cupcakes. In 2 hours.

There are definitely parts of the show that are incredibly cheesy and dramatic, but what's a good show without a little drama. Check out the show yourself sometime! It's on F