In January 2011, HAVE Cafe hosted their second annual cupcake throwdown at Cafe Deux Soleils on Commercial Drive. It was a SWEET event to say the least and raised over $2600 from ticket sales and donations. Funds support HAVE Cafe, a culinary training school and restaurant in the downtown Vancouver’s eastside. Their mission is “To develop a program that will train “employment barriered” people from the downtown eastside and surrounding neighbourhoods, and to place them in entry level jobs in restaurant kitchens of the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association”.  A cause that melts my heart, and reminds me of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Foundation program. The idea of inspiring people and teaching life skills in the kitchen is amazing to me.  If you have the chance, visit the Cafe – it is the best value eats in more ways than one…

So when an organization like this hosts a cupcake fundraiser it’s an instant sell to me! Cupcake bakers contended with their cupcake displays throughout the night, while patrons tasted all the entries and voted on the winners or presentation and taste.

I honestly had a hard time choosing, they all were good in their own way. I feel like a mom saying that, but it is true. How can you go wrong with a cupcake!?!?

Here are some photo highlights of the sweetest dinner I’ve had so far this year! I can’t wait for the 3rd annual throwdown!!!

Third place winner - sweet potato carrot cupcakes!!!

Rainbow cupcakes - I was SERIOUSLY impressed by these ones!

S'more Cupcakes with camping Ken & Barbie

The pinkest ones of all, and flavour was to die for!

Bite-size & flavour packed: Mexican Vanilla cupcake filled with blackcurrent cream and a swirl of cassis flavoured Italian meringue buttercream - topped with a mini french macaron.

YES thats an ice cream cone filled with brownie, vanilla cake, and topped with buttercream frosting!

There were a few French displays too...

Paris too!

Classic chocolate.... enough said. This was my final stop of the night.

The winners of the night were a first place Red Velvet cake, second place coco lime, and third place sweet potato carrot.  The pink pink cassis cake won for best presentation.

It was sincerely sweet success!