It was a big night at ICMilwaukee. The weather was perfect as we took over the patio at Fratello’s. We had lots of judges, old and new; to name a few, we had Pat, who rode his bike over and passed on the cupcakes while we all watched his girlish physique! (kidding Pat!) and Katie and her buddy Jeffrey! So good to have new friends!



Dan came back to defend his crown from last week. His entry, the Champagne & Pear Cupcake was fruity and wonderful. I love how he added tiny silver dragees to represent his champagne bubbles! Mmmmm…delish! He brought along his niece, Monica, all the way from Philedelphia. Isn’t she cute, camping it up with Bob? (Wine: Champagne)



Susie, of Susie’s Homemade, decided to stick her toe in the ICMilwaukee pool. She was serious business with her uber-creepy rubber gloves (tee hee) in preparation of her creation; the Chocolate Cabby Cupcake – a chocolate cabernet cupcake with chocolate cheesecake frosting topped with a raspberry cabernet sauce. (Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon)



Our most advance palette of the night was Ann’s Six Grapes of Wrath cupcake. A chocolate port ganache cupcake, topped with a savory Hook’s bleu cheese French cream frosting. It was then drizzled with a port wine caramel sauce and topped with a mini port truffle. (Wine: Six Grapes Porto)



Brendan, our wine expert of the bunch, presented a sophisticated Banyuls Cupcake. A chocolate cupcake made with Banyuls dessert wine from the South of France. Topped with a sweetened marscapone frosting and then drizzled with chocolate and cherry. (Wine: Banyuls)



Jeff was back tonight. Boy, we sure missed him while he was on vacation! In spite of having to cook for an incredibly packed restaurant, he managed to whip up a Raspberry Cheesecake Cupcake with a graham cracker crust and a Churchill Port Wine drizzle. Welcome Back, Jeff! (Wine: Churchills Port)



Josh, who is proving to be an incredibly innovative competitor presented the White Trash Cupcake. For that title alone, he should win automatically! A vanilla-lemon cupcake infused with bathtub Bordeaux and autumn harvest Arbor Mist. He then topped it off with a peach Boones’ Farm cream cheese icing. (If I say that I loved this cupcake, does that make me white trash???) (Wines: Bordeaux, Arbor Mist, Boone's Farm)



You may ask…Sandy, where is YOUR cupcake? Well, dammit, I saved the best for last! Yep, tonight, I was the winner! Weeee! Thanks gang!



Mine was a Blackberry Port Chocolate Cupcake filled with a blackberry port reduction and then topped with a sweet brie cream cheese frosting infused with port wine and blackberry jam. The tops were then drizzled with a chocolate port sauce (which I highly recommend drowning in), homemade candied walnuts and petite champagne grapes. (Wine: Jonesy Port)

There are some very busy weeks coming up at Taste of Home, so Iron Cupcake Milwaukee will be taking a few weeks off, but we will be back on September 15th with ICM: Science Project – more details to come!

Oh yeah...that is John, to the left...enjoying HIS favorite cupcake. Love ya, John!