Combating Childhood Cancer Is the Icing on Top for Cupcake Challenge

If you come to this competition, you better come prepared to win. After all, bloody shards of glass aren’t an unusual weapon in this fight.

Delicious, sweet, crystallized sugar bloody shards of glass, that is.

Welcome to the Iron Cupcake Challenge, a baking competition that takes not only takes cupcake concoctions to the next level, but also raises money for local charities.

The brainchild of a Milwaukee baker and now a nationwide phenomenon, cupcake entrepreneur Kati Angelini brought the Iron Cupcake Challenge to Moorestown several years ago. The challenge, held every few months at different area locations, pits bakers against each other in an equally friendly and scrumptious competition.

“For the iron challenges, we have a theme and flavor for the month, and local celebrity judges who taste and judge entries,” Angelini, who runs Kati’s Kupcakes, said. “But we also added a different element to our competition—each event is also a fundraiser for a charity, and the proceeds we make go to that group.”

Bakers are busy brainstorming for the next challenge on July 24, which will benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. With a theme of summertime and the flavor, naturally, lemon, bakers are free to create any cupcake confectionary using those two elements.

And past challenges have shown just how creative cupcake artists are, Angelini said. Like those aforementioned bloody shards of glass—made from sugar and fondant, they showed up during a Halloween-themed challenge in October.

“During a summer theme once before, someone created an actual working grill and made s’mores cupcakes on it,” she recalled of a particularly memorable contribution.

Angelini expects the same level of creativity at the July 24 challenge, made all the more inspiring because of the charity it benefits. Alex’s Lemonade Stand raises funds to find a cure for pediatric cancer. Its namesake, Alexandra Scott, was a Wynnewood, PA, girl who ran her own lemonade stand to raise money for a cure. She died at age 8 of cancer.

“Being a mom of three young children, I can’t imagine a better charity than one that helps families affected by this heart-wrenching disease,” Angelini said. “Plus, it’s a local charity that touches so many people’s hearts and really hits home.”

Bakers of all skill levels may enter the Iron Cupcake Challenge—even Angelini’s children and other kids have gotten in on the action in a separate under-12 judging category. There is a $25 entry fee for adults and $15 for children. Prizes include cash, as well as items from organizations such as the 76ers and Aces of Cakes’ Duff Goldman.

For those who would rather eat the entries than make them, $5 gets you in the door.

The July 24 challenge is shaping up as a much larger affair than only cupcakes, however. Pinsetters Bar and Bowl in Pennsauken is hosting the competition, and donating free bowling and shoe rental to entrants. Lanes also will be open for attendees who want to bowl.

Plus, Angelini is organizing an auction that she hopes will up the total amount donated to Alex’s Lemonade Stand. In addition to registering bakers, she’s also collecting items for the auction.

“Whether you’re entering or tasting, it will be a very fun day,” Angelini promised.

Iron Cupcake Challenge: Moorestown Details:

When: July 24, 12:30 p.m.
Where: Pinsetters Bowl and Bar, 7111 Maple Ave., Pennsauken, NJ
Cost: $25 to enter, $5 to watch
Website: Visit the group’s MeetUp page for more information, to see the competition rules and to register. Or visit the Iron Cupcake Challenge’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Contact: Call Kati Angelini at 609-332-2172 or email her fangelini@verizon.net for more information.