Free Winner Bakes All by Sheryl Berk Page B

asked anxiously.
    Sadie shrugged. “It’s worth a try. If we pull it off, we’ll be the first team to ever do a hot fudge sundae cupcake on Battle of the Bakers !”

“Go through that pantry and find us some ice cream!” Sadie said, shoving Delaney toward the freezer.
    â€œWe’ll need to melt Belgian chocolate on the stove slowly,” said Jenna. “It has to pour smooth and thick over the top of the cupcake.”
    â€œThe ice-cream scoop needs to sit on a cupcake,” Kylie added. “What’s the best flavor we make?”
    â€œVanilla bean!” the girls shouted in unison.
    â€œThen vanilla bean it is! Let’s get baking!”
    Sadie knew the recipe by heart: 2 ¼ cups of flour, 1 ½ cups of sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup of whole milk, 4 eggs, 1 stick of butter, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, and of course, the seeds from one vanilla bean.
    â€œSee, you’re pretty good with memorizing numbers,” Kylie told her. “Ms. Erikka would be proud!”
    While the cupcake base baked, Delaney and Jenna worked at the stove, creating the perfect hot fudge sauce. In a pan, they mixed condensed milk, semi-sweet chocolate, and two tablespoons of butter until the mixture took on a smooth, glossy texture.
    Once the cupcakes cooled, Sadie placed a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, and Lexi drizzled the chocolate over it, making a delicate web. “Should we put a cherry on top?” Delaney asked.
    â€œNo cherries! No cherries!” Sadie shouted. “Fiero hates cherries.” A cameraman shoved a camera in her face, trying to catch her in a moment of panic.
    â€œYes, thank you, we’ve got it all under control.” Kylie smiled and waved into the lens. Then she whispered to Sadie, “We can’t freak out on TV. These cameras are recording everything we do and say.”
    Instead of cherries, Lexi made a white chocolate peace sign and perched it on top of the fudge and ice cream.
    They had only seconds remaining before Jerry called time. “PLC…you presented first last time, so this time you’ll be last.”
    â€œOh, no!” Sadie panicked. “The ice cream will melt!”
    â€œLet’s hope the other bakers talk really fast,” Kylie said, crossing her fingers. “Or we’re going to be serving the judges hot fudge soup!”
    Cece and Chloe went first. “Since Carly said our last cupcake needed to be more of a treat, we filled this one with candy!” Cece explained.
    Fiero took a bite. “What is zees? I think I cracked my tooth on it!” he cried.
    â€œOh, that’s a gum ball,” Cece replied.
    â€œIt is like a rock. Zees is bad. Very bad!” he grumbled.
    Dina’s cupcake was exactly what Jerry asked for: upside down. “I put the frosting in the wrapper, then placed the cake on top,” she grinned. “Like a little hat! I call it Topsy Turvy.”
    â€œWell, you definitely kept to the theme,” Carly said. “But I don’t think you gave us anything fresh or new from the last round. I wanted to taste something different. I’m a little over the pickles and parsnips. You didn’t work very hard to impress us.”
    Finally, it was Sadie’s turn.
    â€œWell, we decided to make our cupcake the opposite of our first one. The cake is cold—it’s ice cream—and the topping is hot—it’s fudge.”
    Fiero looked down at his plate. “And zees? What is zees white thing on top?”
    â€œOh, that was supposed to be a white chocolate peace sign—for Peace, Love, and Cupcakes,” Sadie answered. “I guess it melted.”
    â€œMy coopcake…it eez soggy. I like the cake part, but the ice cream, it eez how you say…”
    â€œGooshy!” Jenna shouted from the wings. “I call it gooshy!”
    â€œ Oui , like the girl says. It eez gooshy!”
    Carly put down her