Throughout the year so far, our staff has blessed us and others with their hidden talents of baking the best desserts known to man.
Since our readers are unable to taste just how delicious they are, we wrote reviews, just for you :).
Since our readers are unable to taste just how delicious they are, we wrote reviews, just for you :).
Baking Competition
Hailey Gorzell (09)
The baking competition was a bountiful gift to the taste buds, with treats that were thoughtfully decorated and immensely flavorful. Each food item on the table was uniquely appealing in its own way, and the effort contributed into making the items was greatly evident. The flavors ranged from chocolate to fruity and each were a delicious creation.
My cupcake presentation was minimalist and clean. The frosting had a unique and fresh flavor that was enjoyable. The cake texture was moist and the strawberry flavor was very prominent in the cake. Plus, everything from the frosting to the cake to the wrapper was pink, which effectively embodied the Pink Out for breast cancer awareness theme.
Tristan’s cake was very eye-catching. It was split in half, with one side Halloween themed and the other breast cancer awareness themed. The cake’s flavor derived a feeling of lightness and easier times. The cake was very orange and tangy, and the texture was delicately moist. The creativity of the decoration was meaningful and well thought out. In addition, there was a personal touch that was added which I thought was very nice.
The presentation of Keyla’s brownies and cupcakes were very appealing to the eye. There were Halloween decorations on every morsel which were creepy and creative. The brownies had a thick, chocolatey consistency that was absolutely wonderful. The decorations, such as a bloody toe gummy, added to the experience of eating the treats. The cupcakes had a satisfying flavor, and the Halloween theme was present again which was very well executed.
Julissa’s pineapple cake bites had a unique fruity flavor that was excellent. The fact that the cake was in small, easy to eat bites made them all the better. They had a cute little drizzle of chocolate and sprinkles on top which was super cute. I also thought the shape and size was just adorable.
Overall, the baking competition experience was a nice and pleasant one, with foods that warmed the soul. The amount of thought and time that must have gone into making the creations was a feat in and of itself. The baking competition was an enjoyable experience that will hopefully be repeated in the near future.
My cupcake presentation was minimalist and clean. The frosting had a unique and fresh flavor that was enjoyable. The cake texture was moist and the strawberry flavor was very prominent in the cake. Plus, everything from the frosting to the cake to the wrapper was pink, which effectively embodied the Pink Out for breast cancer awareness theme.
Tristan’s cake was very eye-catching. It was split in half, with one side Halloween themed and the other breast cancer awareness themed. The cake’s flavor derived a feeling of lightness and easier times. The cake was very orange and tangy, and the texture was delicately moist. The creativity of the decoration was meaningful and well thought out. In addition, there was a personal touch that was added which I thought was very nice.
The presentation of Keyla’s brownies and cupcakes were very appealing to the eye. There were Halloween decorations on every morsel which were creepy and creative. The brownies had a thick, chocolatey consistency that was absolutely wonderful. The decorations, such as a bloody toe gummy, added to the experience of eating the treats. The cupcakes had a satisfying flavor, and the Halloween theme was present again which was very well executed.
Julissa’s pineapple cake bites had a unique fruity flavor that was excellent. The fact that the cake was in small, easy to eat bites made them all the better. They had a cute little drizzle of chocolate and sprinkles on top which was super cute. I also thought the shape and size was just adorable.
Overall, the baking competition experience was a nice and pleasant one, with foods that warmed the soul. The amount of thought and time that must have gone into making the creations was a feat in and of itself. The baking competition was an enjoyable experience that will hopefully be repeated in the near future.
Death by Desserts
Adriana Strang (11)
The sweet aroma of cold sugar filled the air as Ms. Crowe pulled out each dessert. There was a wide variety of different desserts from strong fruit flavors to chocolate death. She laid them out on a card table in the front of the room. There were different forms of cake and brownies. Upon first glance, I thought they all looked amazing.
First, I had a poorly cut slice of Tristan’s orange cake. In terms of decorations, I had seen better, but that wasn’t everything. Appearances could be deceiving. I would like to add that the icing colors were spot on. The pink looked like the color of the shirts others were wearing for the spirit day. The orange was a nice shade, not too fluorescent but not too dull. Taking a bite, I got an explosion of orange. Was there even any cake in it? This wasn’t a bad thing, though, I am a fan of citrus flavors. There was something nostalgic about that cake and I couldn’t put a finger on it. Overall, it was really good. I would say it was probably eight out of 10 stars. The only real problem I had with it was that the icing didn’t particularly do it for me. But then again, that’s just me.
The next thing I tried was Julissa’s cake balls that strangely resembled chicken nuggets. While the appearance was the slightest bit off putting, those things were addictive. There was certainly a pineapple flavor, but it wasn’t overpowering. These were really pleasant. The hint of chocolate was a nice addition to an already delicious dessert. This was definitely a solid nine out of 10 stars. There wasn’t anything wrong with the cake balls themselves, but presentation was lacking a little.
After that, I tried Hailey’s strawberry cupcakes. Even in the container they looked very professional. There was a slice of strawberry on the top of each one that looked as though it had been gently placed rather than thrown on. It was delicate looking and simplistic. I won’t lie, I felt a bit bad for destroying it. The cupcake itself was really good, in my opinion. There was a fresh strawberry flavor. Unlike the other fruit desserts, this one tasted fresh like I had just eaten a strawberry right out of the carton. When I ate the decorative slice, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was still really moist. I’m not sure how you keep it moist, but that’s a talent. The icing was really good and reminded me of my dad’s family recipe. There really wasn’t a flaw to this cupcake, it was really good overall. I’d say this was a sold 10 out of 10 stars.
Lastly was Keyla’s desserts. She had brought in a brownie tray and a cupcake tray. For the sake of formatting, I’m going to split this one up.
I tried the cupcake first. It was a basic cupcake, nothing special. I’m not saying it wasn’t good, it just wasn’t on the same level as Hailey’s cupcakes. I did really like the decorations on the cupcakes. It was an entire crime scene; a bloody wrapper and an axe on top. I felt like I was destroying evidence of some crime scene. The cupcake was pretty basic, but sometimes that is a good thing to cleanse the palate. After all the tangy, fruity flavors, it was nice to have something plain. It was probably about an eight out of 10. It wasn’t the greatest thing there, but I would certainly eat more of those.
The other thing Keyla brought was a tray of brownies. Each was in its own little crime scene wrapper with a body part on it. Some had brains, some had fingers, etc. Those gummies were strangely realistic. I had pretty mixed feelings about them. The decorations went along with the Halloween and murder theme, so it was aesthetically pleasing. The brownies itself wasn’t the greatest. After all the other cakes and whatnot, it wasn’t as sweet. Even after I took a sip of water to try to reset my taste buds. It just didn’t live up to what she made in the first competition. It was about a seven out of 10.
Everyone brought amazing things, I’m not going to lie. In my opinion, the best thing was Hailey’s cupcakes followed closely by Julissa’s cake balls. Overall, I would have liked to see more decorations, but I think the taste overshadowed the lack of style. All of them did a good job and I’d love to eat more of their creations in the future.
First, I had a poorly cut slice of Tristan’s orange cake. In terms of decorations, I had seen better, but that wasn’t everything. Appearances could be deceiving. I would like to add that the icing colors were spot on. The pink looked like the color of the shirts others were wearing for the spirit day. The orange was a nice shade, not too fluorescent but not too dull. Taking a bite, I got an explosion of orange. Was there even any cake in it? This wasn’t a bad thing, though, I am a fan of citrus flavors. There was something nostalgic about that cake and I couldn’t put a finger on it. Overall, it was really good. I would say it was probably eight out of 10 stars. The only real problem I had with it was that the icing didn’t particularly do it for me. But then again, that’s just me.
The next thing I tried was Julissa’s cake balls that strangely resembled chicken nuggets. While the appearance was the slightest bit off putting, those things were addictive. There was certainly a pineapple flavor, but it wasn’t overpowering. These were really pleasant. The hint of chocolate was a nice addition to an already delicious dessert. This was definitely a solid nine out of 10 stars. There wasn’t anything wrong with the cake balls themselves, but presentation was lacking a little.
After that, I tried Hailey’s strawberry cupcakes. Even in the container they looked very professional. There was a slice of strawberry on the top of each one that looked as though it had been gently placed rather than thrown on. It was delicate looking and simplistic. I won’t lie, I felt a bit bad for destroying it. The cupcake itself was really good, in my opinion. There was a fresh strawberry flavor. Unlike the other fruit desserts, this one tasted fresh like I had just eaten a strawberry right out of the carton. When I ate the decorative slice, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was still really moist. I’m not sure how you keep it moist, but that’s a talent. The icing was really good and reminded me of my dad’s family recipe. There really wasn’t a flaw to this cupcake, it was really good overall. I’d say this was a sold 10 out of 10 stars.
Lastly was Keyla’s desserts. She had brought in a brownie tray and a cupcake tray. For the sake of formatting, I’m going to split this one up.
I tried the cupcake first. It was a basic cupcake, nothing special. I’m not saying it wasn’t good, it just wasn’t on the same level as Hailey’s cupcakes. I did really like the decorations on the cupcakes. It was an entire crime scene; a bloody wrapper and an axe on top. I felt like I was destroying evidence of some crime scene. The cupcake was pretty basic, but sometimes that is a good thing to cleanse the palate. After all the tangy, fruity flavors, it was nice to have something plain. It was probably about an eight out of 10. It wasn’t the greatest thing there, but I would certainly eat more of those.
The other thing Keyla brought was a tray of brownies. Each was in its own little crime scene wrapper with a body part on it. Some had brains, some had fingers, etc. Those gummies were strangely realistic. I had pretty mixed feelings about them. The decorations went along with the Halloween and murder theme, so it was aesthetically pleasing. The brownies itself wasn’t the greatest. After all the other cakes and whatnot, it wasn’t as sweet. Even after I took a sip of water to try to reset my taste buds. It just didn’t live up to what she made in the first competition. It was about a seven out of 10.
Everyone brought amazing things, I’m not going to lie. In my opinion, the best thing was Hailey’s cupcakes followed closely by Julissa’s cake balls. Overall, I would have liked to see more decorations, but I think the taste overshadowed the lack of style. All of them did a good job and I’d love to eat more of their creations in the future.
Legends in the Baking
Kennedi Adams (12)
The beautiful plethora of desserts at the table caused my eyes to figuratively pop out of my face in awe. The work put into the treats was apparent, and it was just the reward needed after the past couple of weeks.
Hailey’s strawberry cupcakes were undoubtedly the winner in my eyes, with me being an avid enjoyer of everything strawberry related. The perfectly placed strawberries piqued my curiosity the second she popped that tupperware open, and I was already ready to dive in. The homemade frosting was the cherry on top of an already perfect cupcake, and it tasted 100x better than it looked at first sight. The cupcake was more than perfectly moist, and I wish I would’ve been more hungry at the time of the feast, because I would’ve absolutely demolished all of the cupcakes if I had the chance.
Julissa’s cake balls somewhat lived up to their name, but also a variety of other nicknames surfaced among the staff when feasting, like donut holes, and wannabe chicken nuggets. The laughter created was almost as good as the balls, covered in the delicious chocolate drizzle, and sweet yet tiny sprinkles.
Tristan’s treat was a completely different experience than others imprinted on me. The lingering taste of orange juice left a nostalgic impact on me, almost leading me to tears. It brought me to a time when I had to come in before the street lights turned on, and I thank Tristan greatly for that.
And finally comes Keyla’s incredible cupcakes. Not only did Keyla pull up with 2 sets of different types of cupcakes, but everything in her piece was homemade, besides of course the extra goodies she gave us on the side. I know the work put into the cupcakes was tiring and extenuating, but I thank Keyla for fattening me up and for blessing my staff will her talents. The brownies didn’t miss in any way, shape or form, and the cupcakes were delicious, and beautifully decorated.
Hailey’s strawberry cupcakes were undoubtedly the winner in my eyes, with me being an avid enjoyer of everything strawberry related. The perfectly placed strawberries piqued my curiosity the second she popped that tupperware open, and I was already ready to dive in. The homemade frosting was the cherry on top of an already perfect cupcake, and it tasted 100x better than it looked at first sight. The cupcake was more than perfectly moist, and I wish I would’ve been more hungry at the time of the feast, because I would’ve absolutely demolished all of the cupcakes if I had the chance.
Julissa’s cake balls somewhat lived up to their name, but also a variety of other nicknames surfaced among the staff when feasting, like donut holes, and wannabe chicken nuggets. The laughter created was almost as good as the balls, covered in the delicious chocolate drizzle, and sweet yet tiny sprinkles.
Tristan’s treat was a completely different experience than others imprinted on me. The lingering taste of orange juice left a nostalgic impact on me, almost leading me to tears. It brought me to a time when I had to come in before the street lights turned on, and I thank Tristan greatly for that.
And finally comes Keyla’s incredible cupcakes. Not only did Keyla pull up with 2 sets of different types of cupcakes, but everything in her piece was homemade, besides of course the extra goodies she gave us on the side. I know the work put into the cupcakes was tiring and extenuating, but I thank Keyla for fattening me up and for blessing my staff will her talents. The brownies didn’t miss in any way, shape or form, and the cupcakes were delicious, and beautifully decorated.
Hooked on Food
Madyson Isenberg(10)
The beautiful display of edible arrangements that lined the table was enough to get anyone hooked. There was a variety of different sweet treats that showed off the creativity of each contestant. From brownies to chicken nugget looking balls of dough each treat had a unique and special look.
Keyla made brownies that had a wonderful taste and were very eye catching, thanks to the gummies that were perfectly placed on top.
Julissa made chicken nuggets, they were actually pineapple cake pops, but they were gooey filled and had chocolate drizzle.
Tristan made a cake that tastes like orange juice and it was absolutely disgusting, in my opinion, I feel like it tasted like creamsicles and I hate those.
Haleys strawberry cupcakes reminded me of one of my favorite childhood shows: Strawberry Shortcake.
I think that Keyla should have won because her desserts tasted better than anybody else and they were just overall more aesthetically pleasing.
Keyla made brownies that had a wonderful taste and were very eye catching, thanks to the gummies that were perfectly placed on top.
Julissa made chicken nuggets, they were actually pineapple cake pops, but they were gooey filled and had chocolate drizzle.
Tristan made a cake that tastes like orange juice and it was absolutely disgusting, in my opinion, I feel like it tasted like creamsicles and I hate those.
Haleys strawberry cupcakes reminded me of one of my favorite childhood shows: Strawberry Shortcake.
I think that Keyla should have won because her desserts tasted better than anybody else and they were just overall more aesthetically pleasing.
Sweet Tooth or Sweet Food
Mary Mithanga(12)
I admit I have a sweet tooth because I can never say no to cupcakes. Halley's strawberry cupcakes fulfilled my stomach hunger. Within the first bite I could feel the soft, juicy red bits of the strawberry enriched in Vitamin C.
When I think about future celebrations, Keylas brownie would be my first option and it would not disappoint. From the starter candy to the desert the quality and taste of everything was outstanding. Might have been the best brownie I have ever been served. Overall, it was delightful.
I was delighted by Tristan's authentic heb cake. The strong orange burst of flavor was extremely impressive for a deceiving cake.
From the first time I made eye contact, I noticed the small cakes looked like nuggets. Before eating them I assumed they would probably taste spicy due to the small falkes i noticed on them. After trying them I would say my opinion on them has changed. My overall rating I would say they were soft and kid friendly. If there was something sweet for kids I would probably choose this item.
When I think about future celebrations, Keylas brownie would be my first option and it would not disappoint. From the starter candy to the desert the quality and taste of everything was outstanding. Might have been the best brownie I have ever been served. Overall, it was delightful.
I was delighted by Tristan's authentic heb cake. The strong orange burst of flavor was extremely impressive for a deceiving cake.
From the first time I made eye contact, I noticed the small cakes looked like nuggets. Before eating them I assumed they would probably taste spicy due to the small falkes i noticed on them. After trying them I would say my opinion on them has changed. My overall rating I would say they were soft and kid friendly. If there was something sweet for kids I would probably choose this item.
Thrilling Treats
Julissa Tootle (09)
Hailey strawberry goodness was sweet and well made to the homemade frosting. It was consistent with the pink theme for breast cancer awareness. It was really for the theme and was so pleasing to eat with every bite.
Tristan's orange cake was not just any orange cake, it had a special meaning behind it . The cake was so citrus-full and the orange was a good choice and whether you enjoyed it or not it still lingers.
Keylas cupcakes the design was pretty mediocre to the point where I could not tell what I was eating then again presentation isn’t everything because they came out delicious.
Keylas brownies were baked perfectly and the decorations were nice. It just didn’t compliment the desert itself because gummies and brownies don't go together either.
Tristan's orange cake was not just any orange cake, it had a special meaning behind it . The cake was so citrus-full and the orange was a good choice and whether you enjoyed it or not it still lingers.
Keylas cupcakes the design was pretty mediocre to the point where I could not tell what I was eating then again presentation isn’t everything because they came out delicious.
Keylas brownies were baked perfectly and the decorations were nice. It just didn’t compliment the desert itself because gummies and brownies don't go together either.
Sweet Treats
Tristan Perez (09)
The orange supreme cake split down the middle was such a work of art. Tangy orange juice flavor completely overpowering the sugar-ridden icing. The sponge was pretty moist and delicious, the icing decorations with the spider web for the Halloween side and the pink with ribbons for the breast cancer awareness side was very creative and also honoring Bertha Alvarez, who lost her fight with breast cancer.
The chocolate chicken nuggets were also a creative concoction similar to a cake pop. They had a nice pineapple flavor and the chocolate was a nice touch and garnish. The texture was that of a cake pop, and the icing and sprinkles added some textures like a donut.
The Halloween cupcakes and brownies were nicely decorated and had nice texture and taste. The cupcake one was kind of funky with the weird icing hanging over the edge, it also tasted a bit too sugary. The gummy fingers and toes weren’t very appetizing combined with the cupcakes and brownies.
Hailey’s cupcakes had a texture similar to tres leches along with the icing. It had a nice strawberry flavor but the icing seemed a little bit too runny, almost like it was pudding. The sponge was normal. Everything other than that, the cupcake was perfect, but not as perfect as the orange cake.
The chocolate chicken nuggets were also a creative concoction similar to a cake pop. They had a nice pineapple flavor and the chocolate was a nice touch and garnish. The texture was that of a cake pop, and the icing and sprinkles added some textures like a donut.
The Halloween cupcakes and brownies were nicely decorated and had nice texture and taste. The cupcake one was kind of funky with the weird icing hanging over the edge, it also tasted a bit too sugary. The gummy fingers and toes weren’t very appetizing combined with the cupcakes and brownies.
Hailey’s cupcakes had a texture similar to tres leches along with the icing. It had a nice strawberry flavor but the icing seemed a little bit too runny, almost like it was pudding. The sponge was normal. Everything other than that, the cupcake was perfect, but not as perfect as the orange cake.