Key Lime Creation Creams Cupcake Contest

Key Lime in Paradise... How scrumptious is that?

The tropical fruit flavored cupcake is the winning entry in the popular Great St. Pete Cupcake Contest, held at the Morean Arts Center.

Lori Schmidt, who lives in the Old Northeast, created the winning dessert, competing against 55 other contestants from the Tampa Bay area.

Not only was her cupcake tasty, she also was able to evoke a tropical theme in her recipe. What fruit more symbolizes south Florida than the unique Key lime?

"I wanted to think outside the box and thought, 'Why not bring a little of Florida into the competition?" Schmidt said.

Schmidt said she worked until the last minute to create this most unusual cupcake, which has a sweet graham cracker crust as a bottom layer in the cupcake.

Schmidt is no stranger to baking. Last year, she also was a winner at the first-ever cupcake competition held by the Morean. And her fig and goat cheese creation was a favorite this year in the People's Choice category.

Sounds like Schmidt could have a second career on the Cupcake Circuit, if she chose to dedicate herself to baking fulltime. By day, Schmidt handles marketing for a Tampa Bay insurance company. She says she has aspirations of starting a baking business on the side, but acknowledges that is "far down the road."

Obviously, there was no garden variety chocolate or vanilla cupcakes in this unusual bunch of entries.

Second place went to Valerie Knight with a Strawberry Mascarpone cupcake.

Schmidt and Knight won for the best cupcake in St. Petersburg by a novice baker. Judging were: Dexter Fabian and Kimberly Tays from iLovetheBurg.com, Nicole Longo from Cupcake Spot, and artist Richard Seidel.

The professional category was judged by the Morean Arts Center’s own Wayne Atherholt and Bella Brava baker Abbie Grant.

The winning cupcake was Chili Lime Tortilla made by Jeanne Bessler of Sweet Divas on 4th Avenue N.

Second place was Peach Cobbler cupcakes made by Joi Escobar of Enjoi Sweets.

Wayne Atherholt, interim executive director of the Morean Arts Center, who also spotlighted as a judge this year is “still in sugar shock.”

“This event has been a great way of introducing people to the Morean Arts Center who may not have otherwise known about us. We will continue to educate the local community about the Morean, and hope that this event showcases our fun-loving and creative spirit,”  Atherholt said in a written statement.

There was a People’s Choice component of the event and during the three hour time period the public was invited to cast votes for the best cupcake with a dollar bill with the proceeds benefitting the Morean’s educational programs and scholarships.

The winner of the People’s Choice award for best cupcake was Lori Schmidt of St. Petersburg with an entry called Getting’ Figgy with it –made with goat cheese and figs.

She was also the winner of the People’s Choice category last year as well! Second place in the People’s Choice category was Shannon Hutton with Island Banana Foster.