There are numerous baking competitions on the Food Network but Halloween Wars is the one that combines cake, sugar, and pumpkin to create creepy holiday creations. Teams made up of a cake decorator, a sugar artist, and a pumpkin carver, compete to demonstrate their skills and determine who is the best; winning them the title of Halloween Wars Champion and the cash prize of $50,000. The teams utilize their skills to create scares entirely composed of cake, sugar, and pumpkin.
The holiday special has just titled its season 9 champions and in those nine seasons, every episode has a new and unique haunting creation; here are the top 10 episodes:
"Science Gone Wrong"
In the second season, episode 3 the remaining teams must capture the moment when a mad scientist's creations go horribly wrong. In this episode, the final three teams -Dead Men Walking, Paranormal, and Morbid Mayhem- are competing to make it to the finale. The teams start off creating a small display about a creature lurking behind a door, giving Morbid Mayhem the advantage in the Spine-Chiller challenge. Team Paranormal was eliminated after the second challenge and Morbid Mayhem claimed a clean-sweep leading into the finale with their display.
"Zombie Wedding"
Following "Science Gone Wrong", the final two teams compete for the title and grand prize with their best representations of a wedding between the undead. Teams Morbid Mayhem and Dead Men Walking compete for the grand prize. The episode starts with the Small-Scare challenge, where they must create a display that captures the feeling of being trapped, which Morbid Mayhems wins giving them an advantage in the final challenge of the season. The teams' final displays, depicting the events of a zombie wedding, were neck-and-neck but ultimately Dead Men Walking claimed the title.
"The Hitchhiker's Worst Nightmare"
In the premiere of season 7, six teams compete and compose displays that demonstrate what happens when a hitchhiker accepts a ride from a dangerous stranger. The teams were introduced including Morbid Masterminds, Sugar Slashers, Scare Snactics, Team Ghoul'd, Ghoulish Gang, and Spooky Boo's. The teams started with displays of monsters who received a fresh new makeover. Morbid Masterminds won the first challenge of the season but their advantage in the Spine-Chiller challenge wasn't enough. Sugar Slasher's depiction of a terrorized hitchhiker and coffee-themed dessert won the challenge. For the Ghoulish Gang, however, it was the first and last elimination challenge.
"Monster Party"
The final four teams of season 7 have to create a display that shows what happens when the monsters throw themselves a Halloween bash. Teams Sugar Slahers, Scare Snactics, Morbid Masterminds, and Team Ghoul'd compete to make it to the top three. The teams' Spine-Chiller challenge had them creating a display of a monster party with vampires, werewolves, and/or zombies and incorporating a holiday-drink inspired treat. Team Ghoul'd won the Small-Scare challenge of creating a baby monster, giving them an advantage which paid off in the elimination round. Sugar Slashers were not as lucky when they met their end in the competition.
"Evil Clowns"
In the season 2 premiere, the teams have to create terrifying clowns to haunt the judges and viewers. The five competing teams include Dead Men Walking, Morbid Mayhem, Paranormal, No Guts No Glory, and Screamish.
The first challenge of the season, Dead Men Walking with their depiction of a ghoul or goblin. Going into the elimination challenge Dead Men Walking had the advantage and won with their creepy clown display and circus peanut-based dessert. Unfortunately for team Screamish, it was their last challenge and they were eliminated.
"Trapped in a Nightmare"
The premiere of season 9 starts with a haunting look at what happens while enduring a nightmare that won't end. The six teams Trio of Terror, Hangry Haunters, Malicious Mavens, Burned at the Cake, Buttercream Beasts, and Frosted Freakshow start the season with their take on a stuffed animals evil twin. The all-female team, Malicious Mavens, takes the first win of the season. During the elimination challenge Burned at the Cake took their first win with their nightmarish display and Hangry Haunters were the first elimination of the season.
"Underworld"
The fourth episode of the first season determines the champions with a display of the underworld. Team Bling Bats and Team Boo face off in the finale for the grand prize. Team Boo took the first challenge with their ghostly display but despite their advantage, in the second round, Bling Bats were the champions.
Bling Bats' interpretation of the Underworld and spicy treat won them the title and the $50,000 prize.
"Zombie Cooking Show"
The final three teams of season 7 create displays that show what a cooking show would be like if it were hosted by a member of the undead. Team Ghoul'd beats out Scare Snactics and Morbid Masterminds in the first challenge to create a modern devil. The teams were creative with their interpretations of a cooking show hosted by a zombie with the addition of a treat on an edible plate. Team Ghoul'd took the win, advancing to the finale with Morbid Masterminds and eliminating Scare Snactics.
"Scary Tales"
In the second episode of the first season, the teams put a creepy twist on classic fairytales to try and avoid elimination. Bling Bats, Team Boo, Skulls of the Abyss, and Something Wicked competes in the first round creating a monstrous kitty, teddy bear, duck, and rabbit. Bling Bats came out on top winning an advantage and going on to win the second round. For team Something Wicked their interpretation of a twisted fairytale was not as disturbing as the others making them the second team to go home.
"Beware"
Season 7 is perhaps the best season of Halloween Wars, so far, and the final two teams compete in the finale for the title and grand prize with only the premise, beware. The first challenge was for the teams to create a haunted ventriloquist dummy. Team Ghoul'd won and received an advantage in the final challenge but it was not enough. Morbid Masterminds were crowned champions and took the prize with their near-perfect display, capturing the final moments before an impending doom and their tasting element with a shocking flavor-twist.