Anthony Valerio w/ Aunt Vandy (Wonderland Custom Cakes)
Jessica & Curt Cuff (The Coffee Shop)
Andrea Ballus & Corey Fanfa (Sift Cupcake & Dessert Bar)
Lily Fischer & Nima (A Cupcake Wonderland)
All four teams are returning champions, but Nima wasn't Lily's assistant the first time. The winning team not only doubles their cash winnings to $20K, but also gets to present at the USO's 70th birthday celebration.
Taste R: State foods are the key in this round.
Cuffs: Chocolate chip cookie dough w/ pecans & oranges, plus an orange buttercream topped w/ a chocolate ganache & a chocolate chip orange scone
Lily & Nima: Sweet cornbread w/ peach compote, topped w/ peach cream cheese frosting & garnished w/ roasted pecans
Anthony & Vandy: Sugar beet ginger spicecake w/ tart cranberry compote, spiced orange frosting & a fondant "Made in the USA" dog tag
Andrea & Corey: Hazelnut cake & shortbread w/ crust, white peach & ginger compote filling & brown butter frosting- ELIMINATED (Dishonorable mentions: Lily & Nima)
Taste & Presentation R:
Lily & Nima:
1. Sour cream poundcake w/ vanilla bean whipped cream, caramel apple filling & apple chip
2. Dark chocolate cupcake w/ peanut butter mousse & dark chocolate peanut ganache
3. Orange poundcake w/ strawberries, creme fraiche & Italian strawberry buttercream
Cuffs:
1. Lemon-scented cupcake w/ cherry pie filling, creme cheese frosting & crust topping
2. Tequila lime cupcake w/ buttercream, key lime curd & lime wedge
3. Chocolate chip molten cupcake w/ vanilla frosting
Anthony & Vandy:
1. Peanut butter cupcake w/ chocolate chips, peanut butter frosting, caramel popcorn/peanuts & fondant heart
2. Dark chocolate cupcake w/ bourbon vanilla ganache frosting, fondant red star & "white microphone"
3. Coconut cupcake w/ filling & cream cheese frosting
CUFFS LOSE
1K CUPCAKE R:
Lily & Nima: Giant five-tier '40s microphone (one tier for each military branch)
Anthony & Vandy: Red, white & blue cupcake tiers & a round base w/ stars & rows similar to how they look in the USO logo
REPEAT WINNERS- Anthony & Vandy (a weak confetti/streamer cannon goes off afterwards)