Arts and Entertainment, Cuisine
Ashlet Foxen, celebrity chefs, cooking shows, cupcakes, New York City, pastries, Reality Bites Cupcakes, Reality Cupcakes
July 10, 2018
The following is a press release from Food Network:
New York baker Ashley Foxen is known for creating unique, unexpected cupcakes that resemble whatever her clients imagine. Joined by her mom Denise, brother Alex and sister Lindsay, her up-and-coming business has become the go-to spot for bite-sized edible art that can fool even the most discerning eye. In the new series “Reality Cupcakes,” Food Network takes viewers behind-the-scenes as Ashley and her family create cupcakes that look like anything but cupcakes. The eight-episode series premieres Monday, August 6 with back-to-back episodes at 10pm (all times ET/PT) and 10:30pm.
“Ashley’s creativity has a unique twist – her cupcakes are so realistic that guests are in for a big surprise when they take a bite,” said Courtney White, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Programming, Food Network and HGTV. “That’s not a sushi roll, flower pot or T-bone steak – it’s a fully edible sweet creation that fools the senses!”
In the 10pm premiere episode, Ashley debuts her pastrami on rye cupcakes for a thrilled crowd at the 130th anniversary party for New York’s famous Katz’s Deli. Later, a super-chic succulent arrangement is created for sports personality Hannah Storm’s get-together and finally, the Foxen family delivers mouthwatering lamb chop cupcakes with a side of mint jelly to a backyard barbecue. Immediately following at 10:30pm, the crowds at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! are stunned by a magician’s trick using a shrunken head cupcake. Later, the gang brews up a latte made of cupcakes at a local coffee shop, complete with an edible cup and then a bachelorette party brunch toasts with Foxen-made margaritas and burrito cupcakes. Upcoming episodes feature a Shark Week-themed rooftop party with shark head cupcakes, peanut-butter and jelly school lunch cupcakes with edible milk cartons for a milestone performance of Broadway’s School of Rock and a special creation for Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade.
Head online to see the best of Ashley’s unique creations at FoodNetwork.com/RealityCupcakes and on Food Network’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Tell us which ones are your favorites using the hashtag #RealityCupcakes.
- Premiering Monday, August 6 at 10pm – “All That Katz”
Ashley Foxen debuts her pastrami-on-rye cupcakes for a thrilled crowd at the 130th anniversary party for Katz’s Deli. Later, a super-chic succulent arrangement is created for a Hannah Storm get together. Finally, the Foxen family delivers mouthwatering lamb chop cupcakes complete with a side of mint jelly at a backyard barbecue.
- Premiering Monday, August 6 at 10:30pm – “Thanks a Latte”
Ashley Foxen’s cupcakes aren’t just tasty — they’re magical! Crowds at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! are stunned by a magician’s trick using a shrunken head cupcake. Later, the gang brews up a latte made of cake at a local coffee shop whose patrons are delighted when they bite right through the cup. Finally, a bachelorette party toasts with margaritas and burrito cupcakes over brunch.
- Premiering Monday, August 13 at 10pm – “Cupsteaks!”
The Reality Cupcakes team serves up some of the zaniest treats around! Ashley Foxen starts by tricking the owners of a New York City steakhouse with red velvet T-bone steak cupcakes. Later, the Foxens fool some kids at the Staten Island Children’s Museum by making yummy life-like cockroaches and tarantulas. Finally, the team from the Billion Oyster project orders a cupcake seafood tower with oyster cupcakes and cake shrimp cocktail.
- Premiering Monday, August 13 at 10:30pm – “Killer Cupcakes”
Ashley Foxen’s cakes jump right off the plate at a rooftop Shark Week party. The Foxens then make spring roll cupcakes for an important fashion event hosted by fashion icon Nicole Miller. Finally, the hit Broadway musical School of Rock orders up a wacky school lunch in the form of peanut butter and jelly cupcakes!
- Premiering Monday, August 20 at 10pm – “Cupcake Comfort Food”
Ashley Foxen makes amazing hot wing and macaroni and cheese cupcakes so realistic the Fleet Week sailors returning home can’t decide if they’re eating appetizers or desserts! She then heads to Times Square where she serves a cupcake twist on the classic New York pizza slice with famous running back David Johnson. Then in preparation of the upcoming basketball season, the folks from Excel Sports Management treat the new recruits to a backyard barbecue with corn on the cob and grilled chicken cupcakes.
- Premiering Monday, August 20 at 10:30pm – “Give a Dog a Cupcake”
Ashley Foxen makes dog-bone cupcakes for puppies and their owners at a New York City dog cafe. Later, a local influencer hosts a prom throwback party on a double-decker bus and the team from Reality Cupcakes is there for the occasion serving up edible boutonnieres, corsages and even crown cupcakes for the king and queen. Finally, some dancing stars order cupcake canapes for their soiree.
- Premiering Monday, August 27 at 10pm – “Cupcakes on Parade!”
It’s summertime in NYC and Ashley Foxen is serving up some radical steampunk cupcakes at the famous Coney Island Mermaid Parade! Po’ boy cupcakes will then be served at Brooklyn’s Smorgasburg outdoor food festival and some grilled cheese cupcakes will be taken to Central Park.
- Premiering Monday, August 27 at 10:30pm – “Dirt, Grease and Cupcakes”
Ashley Foxen and the gang serve up a 1950s greaser party complete with milkshake cupcakes! Later, the zany fans of the Philadelphia Union order up some Philly pretzel cupcakes and a Ben Franklin skull cupcake. Finally, the wackiest twist on a twist is when vegetarian chef Amanda orders up turkey drumstick and fried chicken cupcakes for her whole staff!
Online, see the best of Ashley’s unique creations and check them out on Food Network’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Tell us which ones are your favorites using #RealityCupcakes!
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FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers’ best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring, empowering and entertaining through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to nearly 100 million U.S. households and draws over 46 million unique web users monthly. Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine’s rate base has grown 13 times and is the No. 2 best-selling monthly magazine on the newsstand, with 13.5 million readers. Food Network is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.