The 2020, 2021, and 2022 SoCal VegFests and cupcake competitions were unfortunately canceled. We, Susan & Ryan of Big Tent Vegan, won’t be hosting a vegan cupcake competition in 2023 either, BUT…

…the SoCal VegFest will be held on Sept 23-24, 2023!!

And they’ll be holding a Vegan Cookie Competition instead, so you’ll still have a chance to showcase your baking skills! Check out @SoCalVegFest on Instagram and www.SoCalVegFest.org for updates and details.

2019 SoCal VegFest Vegan Cupcake Competition Recap

Winners of the 2019 SoCal VegFest Vegan Cupcake Competition are now posted!

Thank you to our Official Judges Joni Marie Newman, Ted Lai, Jenny Ross, and Laura Jardon for volunteering your time and talents to this competition. Gratitude also to our volunteers Darleen Goldberg, Maryse Mijalski, Jeanne Brexa, Maddie Rothfuss, Ben Rothfuss, and Bryce Goldberg…we couldn’t have pulled this off without you. <3

We appreciate the hard work of all our competitors in selecting, baking, frosting, decorating, and transporting your cupcakes to the venue. Thousands of people saw your creations yesterday, and many more will see them online as lots of attendees took photos to share with family and friends. We wish we could give everyone an award, but unfortunately we can’t. Even if you didn’t win an award, we hope that you will continue baking for your friends, family, coworkers, and anyone you can! Together with our fellow vegan cupcake lovers, we hope to show the world that vegan cupcakes are truly a joy worth celebrating! 🌱🧁🥰

We wanted to show the general public that the Vegan Cupcake Community is alive and well in southern California, and we feel we have accomplished that! We hope you are all inspired by this year’s entries (41 total…our biggest year yet)!

The 2020 SoCal VegFest is postponed due to the pandemic. See you all in October 2021…registration is scheduled to open on Aug 1, 2021. Stay safe everyone, wear your masks, and take care of each other.

Peace and love to all who live,

Susan & Ryan

2019 SoCal VegFest Vegan Cupcake Competition!

Costa Mesa, Orange County, CA, USA

Deliver 6 (six) baked and decorated cupcakes for each entry to the Cooking Demo Stage of SoCal VegFest at the OC Fair and Event Center between 11am and 12:15pm on Sat, Oct 19. Registration deadline Wed Oct 16 @ 11:55pm.

Awards Ceremony: Sat, Oct 19, 2019 @ 2pm at the Cooking Demo Stage. Winners need not be present to win; HOWEVER, winner or their representative (family member or friend) MUST be present to receive the ribbon and gift bag.

* $5 Cupcake Competition Entry Fee (includes a VegFest General Admission One-Day Pass for Saturday) *

* Ribbons & Gift Bags Awarded to Winners * Approx Values: $50 for 1st, $35 for 2nd, $25 for 3rd *

* Each Competitor may enter up to two recipes for a single $5 Entry Fee *

General Division Registration photo button.jpg

$5.00

$5 entry fee covers up to two entries per competitor.

Registration Deadline: Wed, Oct 16, 2019 @ 11:55PM PST

Cupcake Turn-In: Sat, Oct 19, 2019 between 11am & 12:15pm at the Cooking Demo Stage at SoCal VegFest (Orange County Fair and Event Center, Costa Mesa, CA, USA)

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

Elite Pro Division Registration photo button.jpg

$5.00

$5 entry fee covers up to two entries per competitor.

Registration Deadline: Wed, Oct 16, 2019 @ 11:55PM PST

Cupcake Turn-In: Sat, Oct 19, 2019 between 11am & 12:15pm at the Cooking Demo Stage at SoCal VegFest (Orange County Fair and Event Center, Costa Mesa, CA, USA)

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

General Division: Includes all recreational bakers, cupcake enthusiasts, and basically anyone not competing in the Elite/Professional Division.

Elite/Professional Division: Includes any entrant who meets one or more of the following conditions:

a. currently works or has ever worked as a pastry chef, chef, baker, or decorator at a restaurant, bakery, or other food establishment, including at pop-ups and through online businesses;

b. has graduated from culinary/pastry school;

c. is an advanced-level student currently attending culinary/pastry school;

d. has ever won a 1st Place award at the SoCal VegFest Cupcake Competition (General or Elite/Professional Division), the Orange County Fair, or any other major baking competition; OR

e. has been a serious home baker/cook for 10+ years.

The criteria for the General and Elite/Professional Divisions are guidelines only, and each contestant should enter the Division they feel best describes their level. Judges and organizers may move entrants into another Division if they deem it appropriate.