The County Cupcake Competition was in three days. Sahana’s brother had been practicing his recipe. He was taking a culinary arts class in high school. That was a fancy name for a cooking class. Sahana liked this class because she got to taste all the homework!

Sahana had watched her brother make cupcakes many times. She had even been his “sous chef.” That meant helper. Sahana was good at cracking eggs, measuring flour, and pouring milk.

They made chocolate cupcakes. They made vanilla cupcakes. They liked the strawberry cupcakes best. “These are the ones you should enter in the competition,” said Sahana. Her brother agreed.

When the day of the competition arrived, Sahana’s brother woke up with a fever. “I feel awful!” he said. “I don’t think I can get out of bed. I definitely can’t bake cupcakes.”

Sahana was disappointed. She was sure that her brother’s strawberry cupcakes were winners. “Why don’t you bake them instead?” her brother suggested.

Could she? Sahana wondered. She had never made cupcakes by herself before. She decided to try.

Sahana cracked the eggs. She measured the flour. She poured the milk. Her dad helped her chop the strawberries. She added them to the batter.

Once the cupcakes were baked and cool, Sahana frosted them. She wasn’t quite as good as her brother at making the swirls on top. But she topped each one with a strawberry. They looked great!

Sahana’s dad drove her to the competition. She proudly entered her cupcakes. They won second prize! Sahana couldn’t wait to tell her brother.

“Your cupcakes won!” she said.

“No, your cupcakes won,” said her brother. “Next time, I’ll be your sous chef!”