Candace Nelson ’96 judges Cupcake Wars

Candace Nelson ’96, co-founder of Sprinkles, the first cupcake-only bakery, is one of three judges – and one of two permanent judges, along with Florian Bellanger, chef and co-owner of online macaroon company MadMac – of Cupcake Wars. The show, a new baking competition on the Food Network, airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST, and features four of the country’s top cupcake bakers facing off in three elimination challenges.

Leah Douglas, summer intern at Serious Eats, posts a blog on Cupcake Wars, which begins:

“Have you ever looked at a small, beautiful cupcake and thought, ‘The preparation of this cupcake was not nearly combative enough for me!!’ Well, then Food Network has the show for you….. The reality show allows professional bakers to battle it out for a chance to showcase their cupcakes at a high-profile event.”

After outlining the format of the show, Douglas quotes Nelson on why she enjoys Cupcake Wars: “‘I think it’s a window into the world of cupcakes… what’s funny is, when my husband and I opened Sprinkles five years ago, people thought we were completely insane. And the reality is, cupcakes are a legitimate industry right now. I think the cupcake’s appeal is really universal, so I think the show’s appeal will be really universal.’”

To read Leah Douglas’s blog, click here:

To read the article on Candace Nelson and Sprinkles in Wesleyan, click here