Ep 3. Match Making Party

In Season 1, Episode 3 of Cupcake Wars, the contestants are challenged to create cupcakes for a match-making party. Host Justin Willman introduces the bakers to Chris Russo and Tiffany Brown, the founders of "HurryDate," a speed dating company. The contestants must impress the judges with their cupcakes, which will be served at the HurryDate event attended by dozens of singles.

The first challenge is a mystery flavor cupcake that the contestants must create within 45 minutes. Each cupcake needs to be a unique flavor and incorporate a secret ingredient that is provided. The judges taste each cupcake and give feedback on the flavor, texture, and creativity of the bakers.

The second challenge is the "Speed Dating Round," where the contestants have 75 minutes to create three matching cupcakes. Each trio of cupcakes must share a flavor, but each cupcake needs to have its unique twist. The judges taste all three cupcakes together and judge them on their unity as well as their flavor and creativity.

In the final challenge, the "Elimination Round," the contestants have to create 1,000 cupcakes in just two and a half hours. The cupcakes must be consistent in flavor and decoration as they will be served to the guests attending the HurryDate event. The bakers have to work together to make sure that all the cupcakes are uniform in appearance and taste.

As time ticks down, the pressure mounts as the contestants struggle to produce enough cupcakes to meet the challenge requirements. The judges critique each contestant's final product and select the winner, who receives a $10,000 prize.

This exciting episode showcases the imaginative and competitive nature of the bakers as they work to create delicious and visually appealing cupcakes on a tight schedule while under a lot of pressure. The Match-making Party promises to be full of surprises and the cupcakes created by the contestants will make this event even more memorable.