The Official Cupcake-Off Checklist

Happy Cupcake-Off Eve!! Happy Cupcake-Off Eve!!

My friend, Neha, had the grandest idea in all the land a few weeks ago when, out of the clear blue, she just decided to have a cupcake-off. Have you guys ever heard of this? Because I sure hadn't. And yet, I think it should become the next best trend. After the trend of cupcakes, that is.

Anyway, so basically, each guest is to bring two cupcakes to the Cupcake-Off - one "basic" (ie: vanilla cake/chocolate frosting, chocolate cake/chocolate frosting, etc.) cupcake and one "specialty" cupcake (ie: a cupcake with some sort of filling in the middle). I'm assuming each cupcake will be cut into quarters and all can sample whichever ones at will.

If there's judging involved, well... I'll bring scorecards!

Dude, I don't think you understand how EXCITED I AM ABOUT THIS! Weeee!!! Much of my young adult life has been defined by cupcakes (pathetic, but true- I'm ob-SESSED) and umm... Chicago only has some of the BEST cupcake shops in the U.S. I never thought any cupcake would top Magnolia's cupcakes in New York but... man, I'm sorry. Molly's Cupcakes in Chicago supercedes Magnolia's by tenfold (or greater).

And that's just the beginning. Sweet Mandy B's, Crumbs, Sprinkles, Phoebe's, More... this city is LADEN with cupcake shops (and yes, I know some of them are in other cities outside of Chicago).

So much to prepare for! So little time! As with any big occasion which requires extensive planning, I've created...

Christie's Cupcake-Off Checklist!!

1. Verify dress code - well, I don't know! The hostess is from the South! Don't you get dressed up for monumental evening events in the South? If a Cupcake-Off doesn't count as a monumental evening event, I simply just don't know what does.

2. Go SHOPPING! - this is dependent on #1 above. I mean, if I need to buy a fancy schmancy summer dress for this extravaganza... well, twist my arm, really.

3. Print Groupon out - even though Molly's is my favorite cupcake shop in all the land, I signed up to bring Sweet Mandy B's because... well, I had a Groupon that I needed to use! So kill me.

4. Go to Molly's Cupcakes and pick up 2 cupcakes - it's pretty dangerous to live just a few blocks down from Molly's. It's also pretty AWE-some. My friend, Urmi, signed up to bring Molly's so I'm going to stop by and pick up her choice of cupcakes for her. Again, twist my arm, really.

5. Go to Sweet Mandy B's and pick up two cupcakes - sigh. SUCH an adorable bake shop in the heart of Lincoln Park. It's actually been aWHILE since I've been here so I'm more than a little excited to reacquaint myself with its coziness.

6. Map out Cupcake-Off strategy - well, I don't want to overload on sugar TOO quickly! I want to savor and appreciate every. last. bite.
6a. Cupcake-Off strategy
I. I'll likely avoid anything with chocolate, because why waste calories and richness on something that I don't really enjoy in the first place?
II. I plan to TRULY eat a quarter of each cupcake I choose and NOT get carried away with the ones I already love (and subsequently, eat the whole thing. Obvi).
III. Try out the cupcakes from those bakeries I haven't yet tried, so I can be as fair and impartial as possible (HA. I already KNOW that's not going to happen).
IV. Fourth, drink a fair amount of water between cupcakes. Cleanse that palate and all that.

7. Get those Spanx ready- you KNOW they'll be a necessity. Hey, at least I'm HONEST! (to fully understand my love of the Spanx, please reference my blog entry: Spanx and Fried Chicken http://bit.ly/jWOzwE)

8. Get to bed EARLY tonight! - I want to make sure I'm in tip-top shape for tomorrow's big day! (Well, that and I'm exhausted. Getting two hours of sleep two nights ago has OFFICIALLY caught up to me.)

Sooo... without further ado... good night! Happy Cupcake-Off Eve!!!!!