Cupcake Wars delights the taste buds at CCE

EASTFORD — The 7th Annual Cupcake Wars celebrated sweet success on Saturday, Feb. 15.

This free community outreach event was hosted by the Congregational Church of Eastford (CCE) and held in the Eastford Elementary School gymnasium. This year’s competition was comprised of 16 contestants along with many attendees from the local communities.

Showcasing their baking skills (recipe contest), and decorating talents (display contest), each contestant’s cupcake was judged by our respected local representatives: Holly Singleton (Woodstock Academy); Sheryl Spink (Eastford Independent Fire Co.); Lynn Fontaine (Ashford School); and Susan Welshman (Eastford Town Hall). Attendees of Cupcake Wars sampled and voted for their favorites in the People’s Choice Awards.

Confections of the day ranged from chocolate, apple filling, black cherry vanilla, peanut butter, strawberry, lemon, mint, banana, toffee, caramel, crème brule and so much more. There was something to tempt every pallet.

The event’s fun included cupcake tasting, playing Cupcake War’s Bingo, Pin the Cherry on the Cupcake and receiving a crocheted cupcake hat or keychain donated by the CCE’s Women’s ministry as a door prize.

Our 2025 Cupcake Wars winners were divided into two categories, Juniors (13 years and under) and Seniors (14 years and up).

Display

Junior 1st Place: Alina Platt

Junior Runner Up: Zoe Labonte

Senior 1st Place: Grace Thompson

Senior Runner Up: Susan Webster

People’s Choice (Junior): Alina Platt

People’s Choice (Senior): Grace Thompson

Recipe

Junior 1st Place: Alina Platt

Junior Runner Up: Georgia Barlow

Senior 1st Place: Grace Thompson

Senior Runner Up: Kirstin Budd

People’s Choice (Junior): Alina Platt

People’s Choice (Senior): Team Abigail Budd & Linnea Barlow

Thank you to all who participated and to all who attended! See you next year!

Submitted by Cindy Labbe

Courtesy photos

a child wearing a hat shaped like a yellow cupcake Rory Barlow looks fashionable in this knit cupcake hat.

a child wearing a hat shaped like a chocolate cupcake with yellow frosting Natallia Kneeland tries on her knit cupcake hat, which was given as a door prize at the event.

a woman wearing a knit hat shaped like a cupcake Lauren Barlow is all smiles as she wears her knit cupcake hat.

a child wearing a hat shaped like a pink cupcake with white frosting Mia Ciovacco, of Woodstock, shows off her knit cupcake hat door prize.

a child holding an award Zoe Labonte shows off her award for Junior Runner Up in the Junior category.

a child holding an award Georgia Barlow won Junior Runner Up in the Recipe category.

A child in a purple cupcake hat Aurora Kneeland is all smiles in her knit cupcake hat.

Two people, one holding a cupcake Linnea Barlow, left, and Abigail Budd show of a sweet strawberry treat.

several people holding awards, with a table with cupcakes The winners of Cupcake Wars: From left, Alina Platt (Junior First Place, Display; Junior People’s Choice; Junior First Place, Recipe; Junior People’s Choice); Zoe Labonte (Junior Runner Up, Display); Linnea Barlow (Senior People’s Choice, Recipe); Georgia Barlow (Junior Runner Up, Recipe); Abigail Barlow (Senior People’s Choice, Recipe); Grace Thompson (Senior First Place, Display; Senior People’s Choice, Display; Senior First Place, Recipe); Kirstin Budd (Senior Runner Up, Recipe).