ORANGE — It was war of the holidays in Orange on Sunday.
The third annual cupcake wars fundraiser pitted Halloween against Christmas against St. Patrick’s Day in a holiday-themed cupcake competition in the American Legion.
Cupcake wars is a fundraiser for the 20th annual Mahar After Prom Party, a drug- and alcohol-free party after the annual prom.
Helene Holmes, organizer of the fundraiser, said the bakers paid an entry fee, bringing about three dozen cupcakes and samples with them.
Holmes said the idea is to try to raise enough money to put on the after-prom party, which costs an estimated $12,000 to put on.
Then attendees paid an entry fee and received a voting ticket and two tickets for full-sized cupcakes. Tickets could be purchased for a four-cupcake container as well.
There were four categories of bakers — youth, amateur adult, professional and baker teams of an adult and children under 7. The top three cupcakes won based on appearance, taste and frosting.
This year’s theme was holidays and bakers could decorate tables as well as their cupcakes.
“It’s really neat,” Holmes said. “We have everyone from professionals to children. Every year we iron out a few more glitches.”
This year there were 18 different cupcakes to choose from.
Megan Ward, 14, has competed for two years and this year she had two entries in the cupcake wars.
One of her cupcakes, which she entered in last year’s competition, is a chocolate peanut butter cupcake which she chose to partner with a Halloween theme.
“We wanted to do a second cupcake so I did a spice cake cupcake with buttercream and caramel for Thanksgiving,” Ward said.
She said she’s been cooking since she was little, and placed last year, so she decided to compete again this year.
Another youth baker, Charlotte Mercier, 6, made vanilla sugar cookie cupcakes for a birthday holiday theme and she even wore a matching rainbow dress.
“I chose this kind of cupcake because I wanted to make unicorn cupcakes,” Charlotte said. “I didn’t realize that unicorns went with birthdays, but they do. And my birthday was last week.”
Jade Bailey, 18, said this was her last year being able to compete in the youth level and she’s been competing since the beginning of the competition.
“It’s just fun to be able to try making cupcakes,” Bailey said. “I like staying up late to make cupcakes.”
Cupcakes came in a variety of flavors like stuffed French toast or “the Elvis.”
Lori Presinger, of Orange, said she makes cupcakes as a hobby. She said she was inspired by Christmas to make a breakfast-themed strawberry cheesecake-filled French toast cupcake with candied bacon.
“I was trying to think of the holiday and Christmas breakfast sounded delicious,” Presinger said. “I like Cupcake Wars because it’s just people coming to try out my food and having fun. I’m also new to town, so I like to meet people who like to bake, like me.”
The “Elvis” Thanksgiving turkey cupcakes were Paula King’s creations. She said she likes to try out unique flavors.
“The ‘Elvis’ is chocolate with banana creme and peanut butter with buttercream frosting,” King said. “Thanksgiving fit at this time of year and it’s one my favorite holidays. It’s my first competing and I did it because I love to bake and my daughter is on the Mahar After Prom Party this year.”