Baker Profile: Yolanda Van Cooten

In the days leading up to CupcakeCampTO, we thought we’d introduce you to our bakers by posting baker profiles…
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Yolanda Van Cooten

Yolanda Van Cooten from Mississauga, has been making cupcakes for 2 years. After taking two decorating courses at Michael’s, she turned cupcaking into a hobby, enjoying making batches of cupcakes for family and friends for special occasions and experimenting with flavours and piping designs. She loves making cupcakes with fresh fruit. Her favourite cupcake so far is Strawberry Shortcake! After coming out to the first Cupcake Camp last year and having a blast eating all the tasty creations, Yolanda thought it would be great to be a part of the baking fun this year!

For cupcake camp Yolanda will be making Mango Cupcakes and Chocolate Lavender.

Baker Profile: Yandira Contramaestre

In the days leading up to CupcakeCampTO, we thought we’d introduce you to our bakers by posting baker profiles…
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Yandira Contramaestre

Yandira Contramaestre is a civil engineer who has a passion for baking and has been baking since she was little girl. Her grandmother was her greatest mentor. Her inspiration comes from a variety of ideas from her home country Venezuela. Vibrant colours and rich flavors are her signature.

Yandira exchanges her safety boots & hard hat for bowls & stand mixer during her spare time. She is well known amongst her friends, family and piers for her cupcakes, they even put requests for flavours and toppings. FIESTA CUPCAKES was born after a year of baking almost every weekend and experimenting with new recipes.

Fiesta means Party in Spanish and it’s just an excuse to have a decadent cupcake and mingle with friends and family.

Yandira can be reached at fiestacupcakes@rogers.com

Baker Profile: Jean Hon

In the days leading up to CupcakeCampTO, we thought we’d introduce you to our bakers by posting baker profiles…
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Jean Hon

My name is Jean Hon from Toronto. I love to make things! Anything, sewing, knitting and obviously baking! I am NOT classically trained but I can get around in the kitchen. I first heard about bacon and chocolate a few years ago, when this crazy (yet awesome) guy would slice up bacon nice and thick, cook them, then cover them in chocolate! Since I love bacon and chocolate, I thought hey why can’t I have them together, so I finally tried it and loved it. I do admit you do have to mentally be in the “zone” in order to be able to appreciate it, so please open your minds, mouths and tummies and enjoy my chocolate bacon cupcakes!

Baker Profile: Krista Arndt (The Grand Bakery)

In the days leading up to CupcakeCampTO, we thought we’d introduce you to our bakers by posting baker profiles…
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Krista Arndt, The Grand Bakery

The Grand Bakery specializes in cupcakes and special occasion desserts. We have a custom menu of over 100 cupcake flavours, as well as the option to customize your own flavours. We use fresh, natural ingredients in all of our products, including: local farm fresh eggs, in season fruits, real vanilla, Belgian chocolate and sweet creamy butter. Everything is made from scratch and there are no trans fats or preservatives in anything we make. We look forward to satisfying your cupcake craving!

Baker Profile: Gillian Symington

In the days leading up to CupcakeCampTO, we thought it’d be fun to introduce you to our bakers by posting baker profiles…
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Gillian Symington

I am a video editor for MuchMusic who discovered the kitchen when I moved into my own home. Ever since I’ve become somewhat obsessed with the art of cake decorating. I’m self-taught and though I don’t have any culinary credentials I love to bake, create and decorate, and then of course eat! My favourite part about cake/cupcake decorating is that you get to use so many different artistic mediums all at once. I also believe that having your cake/cupcake look nice is only half the battle it better damn well taste good too! I’m very green to this cupcake adventure and am going to stick with sharing my favourite, but simple, cupcake recipes with you guys. Maybe next year i’ll bust out something crazy. I call myself the Cake B*tch and look forward to meeting all of you wonderful cupcake connoisseurs. You can also find me if you search Cake B*tch on Facebook.