After our library flooded with a burst pipe last winter and being closed for 6 months (SIX MONTHS), we finally feel like we’re getting back with our services and programming. The Tween Cupcake Wars was one of the programs we had to cancel due to the water damage and closure and we finally got to put on the program! Here’s what my coworker, J, and I did!
Some of our goals with this program were 1) To have fun and spark creativity, 2) Boost confidence and skills among tweens in a pro-social environment, and 3) To teach at least one baking/cooking skill during the session. We’re hoping to make this a seasonal program (4x a year), so as kids attend, they’ll gather more and more practical skills.
Description: Bakers to the front! Do you have what it takes to make the best confection? It’s cupcake vs cupcake in this taste and presentation-driven competition. Ages 9-12.
Items Needed: Originally, we were going to make all the cupcakes ourselves, but as time flew by and other things in our branch life took priority, we decided to order plain vanilla cupcakes from our grocery. We ordered 4 dozen, so that the 12 registered patrons could each decorate 4 cupcakes total (One to be eaten and judged during the program and three to take home to their families).
We went with a Fall theme for this one, so we used a lot a Fall flavors that the kids could add to their cupcakes, buttercream, or toppings to make their creation.
- Maple syrup
- Cocoa powder
- Nutella (hazelnut spread)
- Caramel
- Pumpkin
- Apple pie filling
- Oranges
- Spices (Cinnamon, All Spice, Pumpkin Spice, Cardamon)
- Pretzels
- Oats
- Gingersnap cookies
- Extracts (such as balckberry, cherry, melon, etc. We bought a 12 pack of fruity extracts)
Script/Flow:
1. Intro – (10 mins)
-Sign waivers – we always have to have patrons in our kitchen programs sign a waiver.
-Wash hands
-Rules
-Use materials appropriately. You get one warning and then will leave the program.
2. Challenge Introduction – (5 mins)
-You can manipulate the cupcakes and frosting with any of the provided materials.
-We will judge on the appearance of the cupcake and the taste.
-Our categories this time will be:
1. Cupcake with the most unique flavor
2. The cupcake that used the most ingredients
3. The Funniest/Most Outrageous cupcake
4. Cupcake with the most rizz
3. Skill Demonstration – (10-15 mins)
-Today we’re learning how to pipe a fall leaf in buttercream
4. Let them work!
5. Judging – (10 Mins)
-Try each cupcake – Ask them to tell us about their cupcake or what flavors they used.
-Assign winners!
For the Future: There were a few moments that bottlenecked the program and we definitely could have done with more than the hour we alloted for the program. The pressure points in this one were 1) Getting the kids set with the ingredients they wanted without a complete chaotic free-for-all or a bottleneck, and 2) Tasting all the cupcakes for judging. I never thought I would complain about having to taste so many cucpakes, but here we are. It was a lot. And a lot of sugar. And a lot of artificial flavors. Either way, these two things created a bottleneck in the program, so J and I are going to think about how we can alleviate that for our next session.
The other thing that we’ll be considering for the future is how to open up the creativity without all-out chaos ensuing. We’d like to eventually actually cook the cupcakes during the program, but it will take some thinking to get there. Possibly having each table of 4 work together to create one product so that they’ll be collaborating but will get to have a little more control of base flavoring and such? It could work and would have some good benefits such as teamwork and problem-solving, but J and I will have to think about how to entertain the tweens while their cupcakes are baking and cooling… which could be…interesting, haha!
Librarian Ginny 