Off Duty: Major wins state fair cupcake competition Published Sept. 8, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Jake Eckhardt 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs Scott Air Force Base, Ill. -- The smell of brown sugar cupcakes filled the air as the contestants readily awaited for their event to begin. "All the cupcakes were in glass cases. Every time you walk by, you could smell the cinnamon and sugar," said Maj. Kimberly Goodner, a patient movement clinical coordinator at the U.S. Transportation Command. Her cupcakes were enough to win over the judges during her first food competition, and she was awarded first place in the brown sugar division of the cupcake competition at the 2011 Illinois State Fair. "I am 52 years old, so I have been cooking for a long time," she said. Her award-winning brown sugar cupcakes consist of oatmeal, brown sugar, whole-wheat flour, oat flour, eggs and nuts and spun sugar to top it off. "We have all gotten used to the box mixes, so you don't realize how much more moist the stuff from scratch is. They have so much more flavor because you put the flavor in--yourself. I use all different spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and I even use real cream in the topping." Even though she has perfected her techniques over the years, she is still experimenting with her concoctions. "I like to bring my cupcakes into work," she added. "Every day I would do something different with my cupcakes like put a plop of oatmeal in the middle or use less oat-flour. "A civilian--who works with me is my biggest critic, supporter and taste tester--will tell me what works and what doesn't." Goodner has also found new motivation to attempt to win more competitions at the next Illinois State Fair. "The ladies who got second and third enter different categories for making quilts, sewing and raising rabbits and have about 50 ribbons. I will absolutely try in different categories next year if I'm not deployed."