London's amateur bakers show their sweet sides on the third Sunday of every month. That's when the Iron Cupcake Challenge is held in the Western Fair Farmers Market.

The Iron Cupcake Challenge has the same premise as the Iron Chef television show: a secret ingredient is announced and competitors must incorporate the ingredient into their dishes. Iron Cupcake organizers announce the secret ingredient at the end of the previous month, and then competitors spend the next few weeks leading up to the challenge preparing the perfect cupcake to present to judges and the public.

The competition began in May at the Idlewyld Inn in Old South, but was moved to the Western Fair Farmers Market because “every challenge gets bigger and bigger,” said Christine Kropp, competition judge and owner of the online Whimsical Bakery (www.whimsicalbakery.ca).

For $8 at the door ($5 if you buy tickets online in advance), attendees sample each competitor's cupcake, and select their favourite on a ballot. Competitors can take home the Iron Cupcake award or the People's Choice award, which come with prizes of cookbooks, aprons or gift cards.

In January, a cupcake championship is held at the Food and Wine show.

“We're always looking for bakers,” said Kropp. “People are afraid because it's called a ‘challenge,' but it's really just for fun.”

That's what Allison Clarke, who has participated in the challenge twice, said she enjoys the most. “It's really cool because you have no idea what anyone else is going to do ... there are no professional bakers; it's all people who love to bake.”

November's theme is gingerbread. Secret ingredients are usually somewhat seasonal: pumpkins in October, apples in September and edible flowers in July.

This month's Iron Cupcake challenge will be held at the Western Fair Farmers Market on Sunday, November 21. For more details or to buy tickets online, head to www.ironcupcakelondon.com.

If you think your cupcake skills are up to snuff, you can also register for December's challenge on the website. The secret ingredient has yet to be announced, but you can be sure it will be something delicious.