This Popular Chain Bakery's Cupcakes Took Off After A Food Network Win

When preparing to compete in a televised baking competition, the allure of fame is strong. For Molly's Cupcakes, a championship crown on Food Network's "Cupcake Wars" not only validated its recipes, but launched the Chicago bakery chain into the national spotlight. A filled Peach Cobbler Cupcake helped seal the deal, and separate Molly's Cupcakes from the competition. 

Food Network's "Cupcake Wars" put Molly's through several rounds of scrutiny. For the first challenge, participants had to bake cupcakes using a surprise ingredients chosen by the judges. After a taste-test, one baker was eliminated, allowing Eileen Kerbel of Molly's Cupcakes to advance to the second round where both the taste and presentation of cupcakes were judged and evaluated, according to the competition's vintage theme. Kerbel and another finalist then went on to the last battle of building a 1,000-cupcake vintage-inspired display. This is when Molly's Peach Cobbler Cupcake, a recipe made with vanilla streusel cake, cinnamon peach filling, and whipped cream frosting topped with a peach slice, won over the judges and the $10,000 cash prize.

In addition to winning "Cupcake Wars," Molly's Cupcakes has been voted as having the best cupcakes in America by Fox News and New York Voice, and it even placed on USA Today's list of the "10 Best Cupcake Bakeries in the Country." 

Opened in Chicago in 2007, Molly's Cupcakes is named after founder John Nicolaides' third-grade teacher who would bake the classic treat for students on their birthdays. Currently, the bakery has 15 locations across five states, selling cakes, pies, and bars for lovers of all sweets.

Not only are treats at Molly's Cupcakes decorated in trendy ways and garnished with candy, cookies, fruit slices, or caramel drizzle, but the cupcakes are known to be moist and fluffy, with an ideal frosting-to-filling ratio. Cupcake recipes featuring flavors like red velvet, blueberry cheesecake, cake batter, key lime, tiramisu, cookies-n-cream, and lemon meringue tempt visitors who are equally delighted by the chain's in-store swinging seats and the ability to customize orders at a sprinkle bar. "Their crème brûlée cupcake is my favorite!" wrote a happy customer on Facebook. "The BEST cupcake I've had in my life," added another fan on Instagram after sampling a s'mores flavor.

While national recognition after winning Food Network's "Cupcake Wars" has boosted the bakery chain's reputation, consistently great quality keeps customers pleased with moist cakes, fragrant fillings, and toppings that include everything brown sugar streusel to fluffy homemade whipped cream. Molly's Cupcakes offers something for everyone, and is guaranteed to impress not only food competition judges, but also anyone with a craving for cupcakes.