Students Stir Up a Frosting Frenzy With Cupcake Contest

The Department of Programming hosted its first event of the semester on Jan.15 with a cupcake decorating competition, inviting students to tap into their culinary craftsmanship. 

The rules were simple — decorate a cupcake in an hour for the chance to win a prize. Prizes included Sony headphones, a photo printer, an Owala water bottle and goodie bags.

Students were provided with two cupcake options, vanilla or chocolate, and they had the creative power to design it. At each table, students had an array of toppings such as marshmallows, sprinkles, chocolate chips and gummies. 

The competition featured Sara Jelinek, Chicago’s Best Baker of 2019 and owner of the small business Windy City Baker, which DOP partners with for their weekly Friday Night Flick events. 

Jelinek began with an introductory demonstration, showcasing her expertise while explaining how simple decorations can craft a fine cupcake. 

Standing at the front of the Damen South Multi-Purpose Room, Jelinek provided different options for piping bags while exhibiting proper hand orientation and how to handle the bags with precision. Each piping tip is useful for certain designs — a wide tip draws a bigger leaf while a small tip creates a flower. 

Jelinek provided students with her signature Italian meringue buttercream, which balances richness and candied taste without being overly sweet. The fragrant scents of buttercream and cupcake toppings like marshmallows and candy sprinkles filled the room as students got to work.

Imelda Dominguez, the director of special events for DOP, said it was beneficial to keep the event casual as it was the first one of the semester. 

“With this type of smaller event, students were encouraged to sit together and break away from their usual groups,” Domingues said. “They had to come out of their shells and talk to others. That’s what makes this event a real come-together experience.”

Among the buzzing crowd, Ace Gonzalez, a first-year criminal justice and political science double major who commutes to campus, said he stumbled upon the event by chance.

“The commuter lounge is right across from the MPR and I was intrigued,” Gonzalez said. “I wanted to know what the event was about, and a cupcake competition sounded nice in the cold weather.”

With shortened daylight hours and freezing temperatures, some commuters this time of year are eager to get home early. Jamie Roman, a commuter and a first-year neuroscience major, said she appreciated the event’s 6 p.m. start time because it meant she was able to attend. 

“Some other events are held at eight or nine — times that aren’t accessible for commuters because we have to leave before it’s a safety concern to get home,” Roman said. “This event timing was perfect because I could unwind for an hour and then get home.”

For Julia Peck, a first-year environmental studies major, the competition offered a moment of creative relaxation amid the hustle of college life. Peck said even though it was only the third day of the semester, tasks were already getting stressful. 

The event helped some students unwind by sparking childhood nostalgia, giving them a chance to reconnect with stress-free interests and relive memories through the joy of cupcake decorating.

First-year elementary education majors Shaylee Dowell and Sophia Jozefczyk said they saw the competition as a playful return to carefree moments. 

“I used to watch “‘Cupcake Wars,’” and I really like decorating desserts,” Jozefczyk said. “This is a fun way to channel my inner competition baker.”  

Muno Hassan, a third-year forensic science major, said the community-building aspect of the competition is what made it good for getting to know others.

“I’ve been to a bunch of DOP events during my time here, and I think they really help enhance the environment,” Hassan said. “They bring people together in ways they wouldn’t normally interact.” 

Students sat in circular arrangements, with eight per table, sharing buttercream, utensils and toppings. With such arrangements, they were able to interact and collaborate to create cupcakes with their preferred designs — winning was a team effort. 

The event brought out the tiny chef in each student — each cupcake design was a miniature art piece. Some showcased intricate designs with delicate leaves etched into the velvety buttercream. Others took a minimalist approach, with thinly lined icing tracing the edges. 

Amongst the cupcakes were extravagantly creative designs with cupcakes bathed in layers of buttercream and adorned with edible pearls. Funny and playful creations also emerged, with some cupcakes having a Christmas tree design and others carrying the spirit of Valentine’s with heart-shaped decorations. 

The event wasn’t just about decorating — it was about connection and creativity. Angel Munoz, a third-year visual communication major, said she enjoyed the evening’s laid-back nature.

“I think it was fun having the demo and messing around if you wanted with no obligations,” Munoz said.  

The first-place winner created a serene lily pad on a chocolate cupcake, while the second-place winner had an arrangement of pristine white flowers with yellow buds on a vanilla cupcake. The third-place winner took a witty approach by creating a miniature version of the iconic Duolingo bird.  

Jelinek encouraged students to expand their decoration skills beyond the event. Sharing her experience as a self-taught baker, Jelinek said not to hold back and to enjoy the process. 

“It might not look incredible the very first time that you try it but don’t give up — everybody starts and their first thing looks like crap,” Jelinek said. “If you’re interested in baking and decorating, give it a try because it’s super fun. If it looks horrible, you get to eat your mistakes — that’s the best part about it.”