NILES — Bakers showed off their cooking skills and creativity during the annual Baby Cakes Cupcake Contest Saturday at Fifty5.

Gail Bliss and Kaylee Thompson organized the cupcake contest. It invited bakers to create cupcakes for judges to sample. The community could buy tickets to participate and voted on their favorite.

The event is hosted by LifePlan, formerly the Pregnancy Care Center. The faith-based nonprofit seeks to help pregnant women and their families, by providing basic needs like baby food and clothing as well as classes on parenting.

Lisa Smith, the client services director for LifePlan, said the event helped to raise about $1,500 for LifePlan. However, she said one of the most significant benefits of the fundraiser is also connecting with the community.

“It is very much an awareness event we pass out fliers to let people know what we do and the different areas we can help the community,” Smith said.

This year, 15 bakers took part in the contest. Smith approximated that between 200 and 300 people attended the event.

Smith said bakers served a variety of cupcakes that were both delicious and innovative. 

“People get really excited about the cupcake contest and they do a lot of really cool stuff with them,” Smith said.

Among some of the most memorable cupcakes, Smith said one baker used a tropical theme for her cupcakes. She also brought along a light-up palm tree and played background music to go add ambiance to her theme.

There were three categories that bakers could participate in, youth, adult and professional.

This year’s winners were:

People’s Choice:

• First place: Kailyn Reese

• Second place: Debbie Floor

Tastiest Treat:

• Youth first place: Kailyn Reese

• Youth second place: Miranda Churchill

• Adult first place: Leslie Onnink

• Adult second place: Debbie Floor

• Professional first place: Ada Mae Sweets (Nina Welding)

• Professional second place:  DS Nutz Donuts and Cakes (Donielle Watson)

Prettiest Presentation:

• Youth first place: Kailyn Reese

• Youth second place: Kierstyn Thompson

• Adult first place: Mindy Thompson

• Adult second place: Becky Coshow

• Professional first place: Ada Mae Sweets (Nina Welding)

• Professional second place: DS Nutz Donuts and Cakes (Donielle Watson)

Best Branding:

• Youth first place: Kierstyn Thompson

• Adult first place: Mindy Thompson