i am in a civic organization that will be holding a cupcake challenge in November. Cupcakes will be judged on look, taste, and overall uniqueness. I have no idea what the competition is like, but I'm gonna WIN! What are the most amazing cupcake flavors and designs you've come across? What would you do if you were entering a cupcake contest?

If you google 'cupcake designs' OR 'Christmas designs' OR many other themes you will get pages and pages of ideas for your decorating.
Ever watch "CupCake Wars" on tv? There are some really *different* flavor ideas on that program!
Beer cc's w/carmel corn topping
Maple w/bacon
Lettuce cake w/honey mustard b'cream
just to name a few

I'm feeling like design and flavor should be incorporated into 1 theme, like caramel apple decorated as those caramel apples with a stick and nuts. Or mocha/coffee flavored in coffee cups. Get my drift? There are tons of random flavors and designs, but I'm curious to get opinions of others who have actually tried recipes or won previous contests.

And I actually don't watch tv.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/cupcake-wars-season-1-winning-recipes/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/cupcake-wars-season-2-winners-recipes/pictures/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/delegate.do?fnSearchString=cupcake+wars&fnSearchType=site

This one! This one sounds soooooooooooo yummy
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sweet-potato-cider-cupcake-with-marshmallow-frosting-recipe/index.html

And this one http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pulled-pork-and-sweet-corn-country-cupcakes-recipe/index.html

Yum on the Sweet Potato Cider. Ick on the pulled pork and corn. I dare someone to make that!

I have tried the potatoe cider and it is good.... some of those recipes from that show Cupcake Wars are just too strange for me.. they might be different, but don't think taste is great..

Is there a local food or dessert that is like a hometown staple? If so, I would incorporate those flavors into a cupcake and start playing around

Oh, good thinking! I'm actually in the DC Metro area, so no, there's no special food or flavor that I can think of.

Why not do cupcakes on the theme of presidents since you are from DC. Like Cherry from George Washington, Peanuts because of Jimmy Carter.
I mean if you were going to go that way. Just a suggestion. HTH

I agree on the theme idea. How many cupcakes are you allowed to submit, and are they presented together?

I can submit 6. Not sure if they can be presented as 1 cohesive unit, but they definitely would have to stand alone, so that would mean 6 Jimmy Carter peanut cupcakes, which would be a little strange and random. Cherry blossoms are a big deal in DC, so I might be able to do something along those lines. But I'm actually in Northern Virginia, which has its own history and culture, so I wouldn't want to go too "dc." George Washington and anything in Va revolutionary history would work, since it's the DAR. GW "chopped down the cherry tree" so I could do some kind of cherry flavor, and then figure out some GW decoration.