Cupcake Wars at Hardcore Sweet in Oakville Judged by Large Dave

I got a call from Jeremy Braddock, the owner of Hardcore Sweet in Oakville, inviting me to be a guest judge at their Junior Cupcake Wars last week. I quickly accepted. Even though I have no culinary expertise, I figured I've inhaled enough sweet concoctions over the years to offer an unbiased opinion!

Hardcore Sweet has partnered up with the Watertown Parks & Rec Department to offer a baking camp for kids. There are only a couple of sessions each summer, and Nicole Braddock told me that they sold out almost instantly. Hardcore Sweet put on a multi-day camp for the kids that taught them the fundamentals of baking, frosting, and flavor. On the fourth day of camp, the course culminated with an all-out baking war between three enthusiastic teams of budding bakers.

I was joined on the judging panel by Keith Paul, Jenna Davino, and Kimberly Marie. All four of us sampled 9 cupcakes each. A wide variety of tastes were presented, from a pancake flavored cupcake topped with M&M's, to a campfire S'mores recipe, my blood sugar was racing before I inhaled my first one. The overall winner was a bacon-maple cupcake that made all of us swoon.

It was great fun to be involved in something like this. As I slowly limped towards the parking lot, full of decadent frostings and fillings, I counted my blessings. The Braddocks are great people, doing what they love, and providing an unforgettable experience for the lucky Watertown/Oakville kids that signed up for the course. For more information about upcoming Hardcore Sweet Baking Camps being offered by the Watertown Parks & Rec Department, click HERE

Bonus video - Large Dave tours Hardcore Sweet, and watch the creation of the "i95 Cupcake"