Prepare your frosting bags for battle

Cupcake Wars finally makes it to the UK on Monday 13th September on the Food Network. I first blogged about Cupcake Wars in Feb 2009 so have been waiting some time to see it!

The show has been on since June in the US on their Food Network and my friend Dennis has been hooked. I can't wait to see it - I've been emailing the Food Network UK (without response - great PR guys) for some time trying to find out when it was going to air here.

It’s cupcake vs. cupcake in Food Network’s tastiest competition yet! Each week on Cupcake Wars, four of the country’s top cupcake bakers face off in three elimination challenges until only one decorator remains. The sweet prize: $10,000 and the opportunity to showcase their cupcakes at the winning gig.

We are about to put on our helmet, pick up our frosting gun and go to battle. The war is on!

There are some recipes from previous episodes online already including a delicious sounding peanut and popcorn cupcake, and a not so delicious Cinnamon Swirl Sour Cream, Maple Cream Cheese, Strawberry and Bacon Breakfast Cupcake. You can also check out all the cupcakeries taking part in their episode guide, however be warned it does tell you who won the challenge so only look if you don't mind spoilers!!

I shall just arriving home from a weekend in Madrid (to see Manowar and eat cupcakes) when the first episode airs but will set the video and settle down with a cupcake and a cuppa to watch when I'm home.

And finally a reminder that National Cupcake Week starts 13th September so hopefully the show will provide some baking incentive to us all. Find out more about National Cupcake week here. The Food Network are the official media partner of Cupcake Week so we can assume the launch of Cupcake Wars is part of this!

Food Network is Channel 262 on Sky and they show it again an hour later on Food Network + 1 on Channel 263. Thanks to FN for use of their pics.

Cupcake Wars

From Serious Eats...

The blog TV Tango thinks it has found evidence of an upcoming cupcake-themed show from the Food Network:

"About 10 days ago, Food Network filed a trademark application to protect 'Cupcake Wars' for "a continuing program about food and cooking." I can't find any other details about the show and my requests to Food Network for more information went unanswered. Wouldn't it be awesome if Food Network and The Post teamed up to do a "Cupcake War" series with each episode focusing on a different region? Manhattan one week, Chicago the next, then LA, and Orange County and on and on."

Of course, just filing a trademark application doesn't guarantee that the Food Network will create or air the show, but it's some good intel on TV Tango's part.

I hope if they do make it they'll come to London and do an international special!!! In 15 days I shall be in NY beginning my very own tasting in the Cupcake Wars of Manhattan/Brooklyn ..wuhu

Cupcake Wars!

From my daily foray into Google news alerts on cupcakes

Cupcake makers at war over dot-in-circle trademark

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sprinkles Cupcakes, a California purveyor of mini-cakes beloved by Hollywood stars, has accused rival Famous Cupcakes of stealing its trademarked "Modern Dot" cupcake design to lure away clientele.

Sprinkles high-end pastries have made the rounds of U.S. media, from "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to "Nightline", drawing locals and out-of-towners who regularly wait in long lines outside the company's Beverly Hills store.

The company, which also runs stores in Texas and Arizona, accused Famous Cupcakes in a federal lawsuit filed on Thursday in Los Angeles of incorporating the "nested circle design" featured on Sprinkles cupcakes on Famous Cupcakes packaging, store decor, and "each and every page" of its website.

Unlike other cupcake imitators around the world who ceased using "Modern Dot" after being caught by Sprinkles, Famous Cupcakes has not responded to repeated requests to "promptly stop using its trademarked design," the lawsuit said.

The owner of Famous Cupcakes, who said on its website she began selling cupcakes door-to-door at age 7 and believes "one cupcake is never enough", could not be reached for comment.

I do hope they can sort this out amicably - remember make cupcakes not war!

I have to say I do like the look of the Famous cupcakes bouquet though!