BY FAYE M. DASEN

Features Editor

Cupcakes take center stage Friday, Jan. 20, at 5:30 p.m. as three local bakers battle it out in the first annual Battle of the Cupcakeries of the Sandhills.

The evening's festivities will begin at Dazzle (3 Market Square, Pinehurst) for complimentary champagne and cupcakes from each of the competitors. It will move to the corner store at Dogwood and Market Place in Pinehurst (next door to Dugan's Pub) for a demonstration from each of the competitors and the judging of the cupcakes.

Competitors include:

n Kraz Elegant Cakes, located at 50 Market Square in Pinehurst, and owned by Lena and Robert Yarter.

Robert Yarter began his career as an apprentice at the Carolina Hotel and graduated to become a pastry chef first at the Country Club of North Carolina, then at the Carolina Country Club in Raleigh. His passion in the art of cake decorating drove him back to the Pinehurst area to pursue his goal in -custom cake decorating. He and his wife, Lena, have been doing custom cakes together for 10-plus years, and both share a joint passion in the art of cake decorating.

"We have a different product to offer and are excited about the marketing opportunity," says Robert Yarter. "We hope everyone gets a taste of what we do."

n C.Cups Cupcakery, owned by Janell Canino, is located at 105 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. The business was born out a desire to help the women and families forever changed by breast cancer.

n Kane's Kakes, located at 887 Egret Place, Vass, is owned by chef Marta Kane. Kane is a graduate of the Sandhills Community College culinary program. As an alumna, she enjoys returning to the college and teaching as adjunct faculty.

Judges are Mark Elliott, chef and owner of Elliott's on Linden, in Pinehurst, and The Sly Fox, in Southern Pines; Alan Riley, owner of Dugan's Pub, in Pinehurst; and Earl Phipps, newly appointed police chief of Pinehurst.

Tickets are $5 each and may be purchased in advance at Dazzle, Dugan's Pub and any of the competitors' locations.

Attendance is -limited due to space considerations.

For information, call (910) 420-1145.

Faye M. Dasen can be reached at fdasen@thepilot. com.