Monday nights IronCupcake:Milwaukee Vegan a/o Gluten-Free challenge was a huge success. Our cupcake fans got to taste over 15 different cupcakes. From vegan to gluten-free and a few cuppies that were both! While this theme tends to shy some folks away, it also introduced a new crowd of IronCupcake fans...and we welcome everyone!


Thanks to our new friends from CakeNCrumbs.com (left), tonight was the first night that we crowned a winner for Best Presentation.


Deanna and her Wonder Woman cupcake (above), a flourless chocolate mouse cake with cream cheese frosting and fresh raspberries (gf) took home the PRESENTATION prize. CakeandCrumbs.com provided her with an assortment of decorating tips and bags, as well as a shaped cake pan to thrill a little choo choo fan in her life in the near future.

It turns out, Deanna is quite the Wonder Woman in her real life as well. She was featured today in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for working with the Downtown Business Improvement District to help breathe new life into downtown Milwaukee by recruiting businesses to take up shop in our awesome downtown area. You Rock, Deanna!


The winner of the BEST TASTE prize, a generous $35 gift certificate from our hosts, The Irish Pub, was Emily and her luscious Banana Split Cupcake (v). A vegan banana cupcake swirled with pineapple and topped with vegan buttercream, chocolate ganache, salted pecans and of course a cherry on top!

Our local business partner was Beans & Barley and they were kind enough to provide awesome prizes for some of our bakers and for raffle to all in attendance. Their partner's pick of the night was the Chocolate Zucchini cupcake (v) by our longtime friend, Susie!


This was also the first time that we charged for entry to the event, and due to the awesome generosity of Milwaukee's cupcake fans, The Autism Society of Wisconsin was sent a donation today for $113 dollars.

For the record, it is ALWAYS alright to enter a vegan, gluten-free or any other special diet style cupcake into any of our challenges. We are equal opportunity cupcakers!

Next Challenge:
SUMMER FRUIT with partner OUTPOST FOODS
Monday, August 17th
6 p.m. @ The Irish Pub
$5 ticket – includes one beer ticket, lots of awesome cupcakes and killer raffle prizes; PLUS and $1 from every ticket goes to Habitat for Humanity of Milwaukee! AWESOME!

Special thanks to Jim Harris for shooting the terrific cupcake photos featured in this post.