Purdue Northwest senior Shalini Kattupalli is graduating in May, but she said she’s still learning every day.
“Today, I discovered the quick way to ripen bananas, to make sure they have the sweetest taste, is to put green bananas in an oven on a low heat setting,” said Kattupallis, who was tasked Friday with baking 100 cupcakes in less than two hours to serve to the residents of Hartsfield Village Senior Living in Munster.
Kattupallis was crowned the 2024 winner of the Spring Intramural Baking Contest by Intramurals Director Matt Dudzik at the Purdue University Northwest Hammond campus this month, earning accolades for her recipe for Banana Muffin Dark Cholate Frosting cupcakes.
For the first time in the 17 years since the Intramural Baking Contest launched, the competition included a community service event for a resident afternoon social featuring Kattupallis baking and serving her award-winning cupcakes Friday to the residents at the assisted living campus, which is celebrating a 25th anniversary in May.
“For this year’s contest, we focused on memories,” Dudzik said.
“PNW Intramurals teamed with Hartsfield Village for our student winner to serve her cupcake to guests as a way to unlock special memories for the residents.”
Purdue University Northwest senior Shalini Kattupalli serves her award-winning cupcake recipe to residents at Hartsfield Village in Munster on Friday, April 26, 2024, as Executive Chef Gabe Rosado of Hartsfield Village, in the background with Matt Dudzik, intramurals director at Purdue University Northwest, explains her recipe’s winning attributes. (Philip Potempa/for Post-Tribune)
Kattupallis had the help of Executive Chef Gabe Rosado, hospitality and nutrition services director at Hartsfield Village, as well as Dudzik, and Rebecca Stankowski, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at Purdue University Northwest, for mixing, baking and frosting Friday.
“I asked Matt [Dudzik] if I could join them on the Hartsfield property to help with the event because I know how much it means for residents at a care facility to have social interaction and fun opportunities to look forward to,” Stankowski said.
“My own parents lived at a care facility in DeMotte and I would volunteer my time and my talents, including baking treats to bring during my visits with my own parents to share with the other residents.”
Kattupallis’ cupcake creation was selected among finalists during the first round of judging on Feb. 28 and declared the winner during the final recipe bake-off competition on April 5, with secondary honors awarded to students Sydney Small and Trinity Belford.
Purdue University Northwest senior Shalini Kattupalli served her award-winning cupcake recipe to residents at Hartsfield Village in Munster on Friday, April 26, 2024. (Philip Potempa/for Post-Tribune)
Gina Ringo, previously the life enrichment director at Park Place of St. John Care Center, is now the resident recreation manager at Hartsfield Village and was just as eager as residents to try the finished cupcakes fresh from the oven.
“Residents are so eager to learn about new experiences, and cooking and baking is a life skill that remains with all of us at every stage of life,” said Ringo, who began her new position at Hartsfield Village last week.
“This is only my fourth day in my new role here at Hartsfield Village and I’ve heard the residents talking about these award-winning cupcakes all week with such excitement. We all love treats and look forward to life’s desserts. And in that regard, our residents at Hartsfield Village are ageless.”
The judging criteria for Kattupallis’ cupcake to take top honors included texture, taste and originality of the recipe.
In previous years, the contest has highlighted competitions for making cookies, brownies, pies and cakes.
Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
