Finalists are unveiled in Dunkin's Donut contest

Dunkin' Donuts, the Canton-based chain of coffee-and-baked-goods cafes, announced the 12 finalists who will compete for the chance to win a $12,000 grand prize and have their winning donut sold in participating Dunkin' Donuts locations throughout the country.

Among those making the finals in the "Create Dunkin's Next Donut" contest was Caitlyn Vandervelde of Coventry, R.I., whose creation is called Grandma's Blueberry Maple Donut. Vandervelde's entry is described as a blueberry cake donut with maple icing topped with graham cracker crunch.

Another entry perhaps alludes to the culinary tastes of the late pop crooner Elvis Presley. "The King," submitted by James Smith of Mount Vernon, N.Y. is a Bananas Foster-filled donut with peanut butter icing and chopped peanuts, the Dunkin' Donuts press release said.

To learn more about this donut lineup - or to cast a vote for a favorite - please click here.

Each finalist wins $1,200 and will travel to Dunkin' Donuts' University in Braintree, where Ph.D's in the field toil at the chain's culinary skunkworks as they seek to pioneer new frontiers in breakfast science and hand-held cuisine.

"The winning donut will be selected based on the outcome of the bake-off and America's online public voting," Dunkin' Donuts said in its press release. "The grand prize winner of the 'Create Dunkin's Next Donut' contest will be unveiled on National Donut Day."

As sinker buffs know, National Donut Day falls on June 5. The photo that tops this post was provided by the company.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)