All six food science and culinary classes are meeting head-on for the annual cupcake wars on Wednesday and Thursday, where students will compete for the title of best cupcakes.

The competition is inspired by Food Network’s TV show Cupcake Wars, but integrates the knowledge students have acquired from their culinary arts classes.

“I was looking for something fun, funky, upbeat that the kids could get into, and they liked this,” culinary arts teacher Nija Higgins said. “Kids have to learn about leavening agents, the different acids that we cook and use in baking to leaven or lift, so cupcake wars is just an activity for this particular unit. If I gave a secret ingredient of buttermilk, so we should know that buttermilk is an acid, so because of the acid we should add a little more baking soda since baking soda is an alkaline.”

Groups of five students are required to bake three different flavors of cupcakes, with a time limit of one hour adding pressure to the bake-off.

“We’re making different cupcakes: a key lime cupcake, oreo cupcake, and a salted caramel turtle cupcake, and we have an hour to make and decorate all three cupcakes,” senior Gracie Brown said. “I’m nervous about getting done in time, but my group is pretty strong, so I think we’re gonna finish. I’m exciting about the key-lime cupcake, and I hope the decorations look and taste good.”

A panel of teachers and a few students will judge each cupcake and name the best cupcake based on a criteria like taste and appearance.

“I felt like it was something very unique and amazing for the students, and why not eat free cupcakes?,” judge Niesha Brown said. “I’m hoping that is fosters someone’s creativity in being a baker of something in culinary, giving them that boost of motivation to continue this into their future.”