Parents' Guide to

Cupcake Wars

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Dessert-focused cooking competition is mild but a bit dry.

TV Food Network Game Shows 2009
Cupcake Wars Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 8 parent reviews

Dcoope
Dcoope Adult
September 3, 2021
age 18+

It is until it isn’t

I just watched an episode when one woman yelled at her teammate (sister) saying you idiot !! I felt they should have been booted then but they didn’t make it past stage one with a pizza cupcake
Jla3d5
Jla3d5 Adult
May 11, 2021
age 2+

Be kind

I love watching cupcake wars but I think Candace and Florian are a little cold in their critiques. I love cupcakes like everyone else but these are cupcakes. 10G is really not that much. If this was a 50K pot than maybe critiques like that would be necessary. My most unfavorite moment was when Florian purposefully dropped a cupcake on a plate to show he didnt like the cupcake and its density. Be nice
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Four contestants are recruited each week to compete in the baking competition CUPCAKE WARS. Contestants are asked to make cupcakes on a certain theme using ingredients supplied by the show that the competitors learn about just before they're expected to cook. One competitor is dropped in each successive round of baking. The final round between two competitors is the hardest. Competitors must bake 1,000 cupcakes in two hours and meet with a carpenter who whips up a custom display. Best cakes displayed in the most ingenious way wins the maker $10,000.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8 ):
Kids say (9 ):

It is nice that like Food Network predecessor show Chopped, Cupcake Wars focuses on the cooking and food rather than drama between contestants. But watching cupcakes getting made is simply not as entertaining as watching meals get made. Why? Because cupcakes are by their nature limited. Contestants whip up batter, scoop it into tins, frost. Over and over. And over. It all lacks the excitement of watching a cake decorator sculpt a towering cake, or a chef make a unique dish out of what was just a bunch of ingredients.

Cupcake Wars looks like something you could do, and that's just not that much fun. Mark this one for bakers-to-be and cupcake fanatics only.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why a cupcake baker might want to appear on Cupcake Wars. Would it be good for a business if the baker won? What about if she lost?

  • How do you think the contestants who appear on Cupcake Wars feel when they stand in front of the judges? Is there a time at school or in your life when you have to stand up and be judged like this? How did you feel while you were standing? After you sat back down?

  • Many of the battles on Cupcake Wars feature an organization that is going to have a party. Why do you think these organizations appear on the show? What do they get out of appearing? Free food? Publicity?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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