Cupcake Camp 2011

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the second annual Cupcake Camp Boston as a member of the "cupcake crew" to help Kelly of Mix Bakery. I'm *still* coming down from the sugar rush.

First, what is Cupcake Camp? According to the website, Cupcake Camp "is an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and eat cupcakes in an open environment." Basically, bakeries and amateur bakers gather to show off their baking chops by handing out free cupcakes. This year it was held at The Center for Arts at the Armory in Somerville. Organizer Elizabeth Ginsberg of Free Food Boston did an amazing job of corralling dozens bakeries and amateur bakers, including securing King Arthur Flour as sponsor.

Even though the event is free (thus drawing hundreds of people just within the first hour), a suggested $5 donation to Lovin' Spoonfuls was collected at the door to sweeten the already sweet event. Over $2300 was raised for Lovin' Spoonfuls, a Brookline based non-profit organization that recovers otherwise wasted food and delivers it to local soup kitchens and crisis centers.

If anyone thinks cupcakes are just a trend, then I think they would feel differently after attending Cupcake Camp. The smell of sugar was just as overwhelming as the enthusiasm that night.

Okay, enough preamble. Here are some photos from Cupcake Camp 2011.

Mad rush as the doors open at 7pm.

I was part of the Cupcake Crew with Mix Bakery. All 16 dozen minis were gone in an hour!

One of my favs - Party Favors. Red Velvet was very good.

Treat make-your-own cupcake bar

mixing in chocolate frosting with m&ms, toffee and peanut butter cups

I found some hair in the frosting, so was not able to enjoy this stone-cold creamery like cupcake.

 

cocktail inspired cupcakes by Cupcake MoJo

Frosting Vegan Cupcakes at Biba's Baked Goods

Red Velvet from Sweet

My favorite cupcakes were the salted caramel cupcakes from Mix Bakery (and not because I was part of the cupcake crew!). Whole Foods' Two-Bite cupcakes make a great everyday cupcake treat for a household of hungry kids. I was disappointed in Treat having found hair in the frosting (blech). Party Favors of Brookline consistently delivers moist cupcakes with sublime butter cream frosting.

Off to work out for the next three months to burn off all the calories I consumed!