As you probably know, this week is Cupcake for a Cancer Cure week, with loads of bakeries around the nation donating funds raised from the selling of their cupcakes towards supporting kids affected by cancer.

At the same time Iron Cupcake Milwaukee decided to think pink with its challenge to support the breast cancer cause!

There were some amazing cupcake ideas, including a lemonade cupcake stand, which won best display.  The photo here, which was the Queen’s Choice winner created by Kate and Christina is a giant pink ribbon is decorated with lots of tiny mini cupcakes.  The cupcakes themselves were lemon cake with a raspberry filling, pink lemonade icing topped with a pink bra made from lemon shortbread.

Well done to all the winners and you can check out the full details and photos here.

Tammie from Texas has just recently sent us these new tattoos that she has just had done.  Instead of just creating a single design on one arm, she has decided to create two identically sized cupcake tattoos, one on each arm.

From the image above you can see that the cupcakes are very similar however are subtly different too, but it is not until the color is added in the image below that you fully can appreciate this design.  The cupcake on her right arm (left side of the above and below pictures), is the cupcake of good, with angel wings and a floating frosting halo, her eyes sweetly shut, where as the other cupcake, is the evil devil cake, with a red paper, red wings and horns, his eyes sinister and a little devil tail below.

Fantastic concept and brilliantly executed.  The tattoos were done by Shelbi at Renegades Tattoo in El Paso Tx.

What color are your tiger stripes?

That is the question that is being asked over at ATC Sponsor Pink Sugar Bakery.

But why? Well, did you know that of all the tigers in the world that there are only about 3,000 left in the wild?  According to Pink Sugar Bakery, “poaching and habitat destruction have decimated the population of tigers in the wild” so they are calling on your assistance.

These little cupcake necklaces are not only adorable but they have been created specifically to support the Wildlife Conservation Society and the tigers.  From each one $5.00 is being donated directly to the cause, and best of all you can wear your stripes, be they black and orange, white and black, or the rather rare hot pink and white tiger stripes proudly.

You can purchase one of these limited edition Tiger necklaces for $14.99 plus shipping from Pink Sugar Bakery up until the end of October, or you can head directly to the WCA website to donate directly.

Awww it is sad, even when you know I am talking about the last summer cupcake fling.  I am too settled and contented to think about the other type of flings, but the cupcake one I am open for, especially when it looks as good as these Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream!  How hot pink is the color of these?

These cupcakes have been dreamt up by The Crafty Penguin and are a great way to use up the last of those summer berries!

You can find the full recipe along with heaps of step by step photos on her website here.

All of a sudden I have a real hankering to go watch Grease!  “Ahhh… those summer… NIGHHHHHTTTTTSSSS….”

We have featured some pretty amazing tattoos in our time, but these I have to say are some of the best.  Check out this one of Hello Kitty with a cupcake!

The artist is Kristel Oreto and she is known across the USA for her amazing cupcake art and it is easy to see why. We have another three of her cupcake tattoos featured…

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Have you used these?

I’ve been reading around and everyone that has used them says they are really good and make the cupcakes look fantastic, then I stumbled across this post on the Simply Caked Blog.  I love the combination of pink and brown they look stunning.

Apparently the cups also come in Red and White and I found a great image of Banana Bread baked in white tulip cups on An Art Nest.

So where can you get them?  I can’t find them here in Australia yet, but in the US you can get them from Simply Caked by clicking here.  But best of all, as a new ATC Sponsor, Simply Caked has decided to create a special discount for ATC Readers!  15% off your total order!

They are a new store so are constantly expanding their range!  To get your 15% off, you will need to type the secret code in the coupon field at checkout.  Lean in close and I’ll whisper it to you… ATC15

So let us know what you think of them? and shhh secret squirrel on the code ;)

If you are looking for something a little different to the gory blood covered cupcakes, spiders and worm cupcakes and witches hats that we love to create around Halloween, then why not try these Halloween Cupcake Toppers? They are a great alternative and are super simple and ultra effective, even from across the room!  Kids Parties features a step by step how to on these at DIY Ideas.

Move over sandwiches and scones, we want our high tea with cupcakes thank you!

And it seems that the Ritz-Carlton Dallas is listening to our cupcake pleas with an interesting adaption of the idea. The high tea will occur on the last Sunday of October and November and then the first three Sundays in December and will see the traditional ‘tea’ items replaced with funky mini cupcakes, with flavors like Praline Pecan, Peach Cobbler, Dr Pepper and Don’t-Mess-With-Chocolate available.

From what I’ve experienced they are pretty darn good, but how would I know, I’m on the other side of the world to Dallas?  Well I have a happen to have a copy of one of their recipes and after a little difficulty locating some of the ingredients, translating the terms into Australian :) I created a batch and they are very tasty!

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What does tasting four fantastic cupcakes have to do with helping find a cure for breast cancer?

Well in this instance a lot!  You may have heard of Susan G Komen, who fought an epic battle against breast cancer.  She wanted to make a difference for all women suffering with the disease and help raise funds so a cure could be found.

Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness - Cupcake created by Tracey Lau

The Inland Empire Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is dedicated to combating breast cancer at every front and one way they are planning on raising money this year is with an almighty Cupcake Camp!

The Cupcake Camp will take place on Sunday November 7, 2010 from 1-4pm at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside, CA.

What can you do?

Heaps!  The organizers desperately need all sorts of help for the big day, take a look at this list:

• Cupcake Bakers – who can whip up a batch of something great and get it to the venue
• Sponsors for printing services
• Photography
• Paper goods – including napkins, forks, plates etc
• Catering supplies – including coffee, tea and milk
• Raffle prizes!
• Cupcake eaters :)

The last one is for anyone on the day that would like to support the event.  The organizers need you to come along and sample some cupcakes.  The idea is that you sample the cupcakes there, and at just $10, you get to try four great cupcakes and support a really worthy cause!

For more information, check out their website and support a great cause.

There is one word that describes these fun cupcakes and that is BRIGHT and there is nothing that kids love more than colorful cupcakes.  These ones are from Spearmint Baby’s blog and will not only bring a smile to your kid’s faces but probably yours as well!

The best news is that Shari takes you step by step through how she made these including her hints to avoid color mix!  I love the ones she did in the plain white wrappers, which were their own gorgeous rainbow color by the time they were done.

Try them yourself and if you have any great tips for rainbow cupcakes, let us know!

So you are planning the best birthday bash, the most wonderful wedding?  Have you organized great music, food, a perfect venue and have fantastic cupcakes planned for the occasion?  So after all this planning and preparation you know that your guests are going to remember your party for a long time to come!  Right?  Well maybe, but what will help is a visual prompt to take them back to that day!

My daughter is constantly looking at things and recalling the day we got them, like the Mothers day shopping list stuck to our fridge.  She tells me about buying it for me every second morning when she sees it!

To create your own visual prompt why not add a magnet to your party invite or to your party favor bag / box?  This could be the perfect thing for people to remember the date of an upcoming party and the fun they have had long after the event.  I found these in our ATC sponsor’s store Diva Entertains and just had to share them with you.  You personalize them with what ever you want to say, choose the background color (where applicable) and presto.

What do you think? Have you ever received a really bad party favor and what was it?  I would love to know!  Or do you know of some really good party favors?  I found some heart shaped measuring spoons which were really cool, though I am not sure that people not into baking would like it so much, though I’d take theirs, one set is never enough! :)

I so just had to share this most adorable few cupcakes with you.  Sometimes I like to cruise Flickr or Cake Central looking for cupcake ideas and inspiration, and I was doing that over at Cake Central today with their 2009 FairyTale Contest when all of a sudden I found this absolutely amazing cupcake in amongst all those big cakes.  The kitten and mouse are priceless!  Well done to Niknips Cakes who created them.

Boys between the ages of 10 and 14 can be really difficult when it comes to selecting a cupcake design.  Basically cupcakes are girly, and they, of course, are manly, so you need something that they can relate too.  Ben 10, dinosaurs and matchbox cars are things of the past, but they are not quite at that stage where everything ‘food’ especially if it contains sugar, grease or both is desirable regardless of how it looks!

So coming up with ideas can be difficult.  The best method is to look for things they are into, and this includes the games they play on their x-box or computer.  These cupcakes above come from Sugar-Design and are perfect for a boy anywhere between the ages of 7 and 12, however you could make them for older boys too, using logos such as Starcraft 2 or COD. Another seven ideas are:

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New York Couture has been featured on MTV, in Elle and Glamour Magazines and has been worn by personalities such as Katy Perry and Pink.  Their website describes their look as “a harmonious blend of punk-rock cool, ultra-glam and prima ballerina.”  There is no denying they are hip, modern and perfect for the ultra confident rock goddess or super cool party princess.

Best of all they have quite a range that feature the cupcake, so if you are in the market for some new cupcake wear that is very funky, definitely check them out!  This image here is of their cupcake dresses, and you can see the variety and their liberal use of color and design.

Below are more shots of their t-shirts and accessories…

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Christina Applegate on the red carpet for Cats and Dogs last month. Image from Growing Your Baby.

I was reading today in Celebrity Baby Scoop that Christina Applegate has admitted to having a different kind of died during her pregnancy.  Apparently her healthy diet has fled in the wake of some serious food cravings, and what did she indulge on?

What else but a Sprinkles Cupcake and fried cheese!

So I thought I would assist Christina in her challenge to more closely combine these two taste sensations, and thanks so much to Clever Cupcakes found this – the cheese cupcake!

What to choose as the cupcake design when you are getting engaged?

One thing is for sure, you will need a lot of them, so it is probably best to go for a simple design, but if you still want something amazing and stunning then these cupcakes by Isabella’s Sweet Tooth are sure to be perfect.

Depending on the amount of time you have you can create just 3-5 of the amazing little fondant birds (in white cuts down on time mixing a color), or just go with that funky heart!

When creating a tall stand up cupcake topper like the heart, use a toothpick in the fondant.  This also makes it easy for those eating it to remove it!

Cover your other cupcakes with the same color icing to create a uniform look, even thought the actual decoration on top may be different and less work.  Isabella’s Sweet Tooth cupcakes are vanilla with strawberry buttercream.

If you happen to be in Washington tomorrow then you are in for a Sweet Treat!  D.C.’s Hello Cupcake is celebrating their 2nd birthday, and will be giving away free cupcakes at 10am until they all run out!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HELLO CUPCAKE!

One of my favorite things is seeing the different tattoos that you our readers submit to us!  I could never have believed that we would see such diversity in cupcake tattoos! Today is no different, we have total opposites for you!

Our first is from Emma who got herself a Zombie Tattoo, yup thats right a Zombie! She admits to being crazy about cupcakes, with her own cupcake business ‘The Cupcake Emporium’ and also about Halloween so she combined the two to come up with this little green Zombie Cupcake. Personally I am strongly hoping that she doesn’t combine these two passions while she is baking those cupcakes!  hehe, I’ll have a batch of cupcakes, but you can hold the worms!

Emma plans to create a five cupcake series with a werewolf, a Dracula, a skeleton and a witch or Frankenstein on her lower back.  All in cupcake form of course!  If you think Emma should go in a particular direction let us know!!  Perhaps she will be share the image with us again when she has it done!! :)

Our second cupcake tattoo is from Kambry who wanted something to signify her daughter, but instead of going the been there and done that name or foot print she went for a cute cupcake! Soon she will have her daughter’s date of birth printed underneath!

Marisela totally rocked it with this awesome cupcake design that she created for her niece’s ‘Off to College’ Party.  Marisela got the idea watching DC Cupcakes where she saw them make two cupcake pictures using a company’s logo and planning it out on a grid in order to map out the picture.

Without time to do a trial run or practice at all, Marisela pulled this off brilliantly creating the monogram for the college.  She used no less than sixty mini cupcakes, all red velvet and topped with cream cheese frosting.  The occasion was a small BBQ, so she used a styrofoam base underneath covered in foil to hold each cupcake in place with a toothpick.  Now I think that is a great idea!

Well what did her niece think of all this effort?  She was totally stoked!!

What else would you wear to a cupcake party, but a cupcake dress!  Well that was Helene’s thinking, but when you cannot find the right thing you may just have to resort to making it yourself.  Helene is obviously pretty talented whipping up this gorgeous little lime green cupcake dress in just two days while also making a stack of cupcakes for her cupcake birthday!

It looks great teamed with a cardigan too, see below!

So next time you need to strike a cupcake pose, why not consider making one? Cupcake fabric is easier to come by than pre made cupcake dresses!

This cupcake tattoo is literally still hot only being done a week or so ago!  But what makes it so cool is the unique idea that Margo had.  You see Margo has three gorgeous kids, so she asked them to each select a frosting and then had each one tattooed on her back. The picture to the right here is Margo showing off her new tattoo less than an hour or so after it was done!

Our second idea was found and greatly admired by one of our readers.  It is a cool swirl of blue in the middle of which sits a very prim and pretty cupcake adorned with bow and pearls!

Thanks Margo and Angie for sharing.

Have you ever heard of TUK Shoes?

They are pretty huge in the music scene.  TUK create underground Rock n’ Roll inspired footwear for men, women, children and rock n’ roll bands like Green Day and the base guitarist from Slash’s recent tour.

They love to create inspired eclectic designs and often push the boundary of what you would expect on a shoe!  And then some of those designs just happen to include brilliant little cupcakes, and in the case of the purple ones and pink pumps, skulls as well.

I so want the purple ones!  I think they are so adorable I just had to share them with you all!  They would be my concert going shoes :)

What do you think?  Would you find somewhere to wear cupcake shoes?

The idea for a cupcake tattoo may to some of you be a wild and fanciful idea that although tempting is too permanent to seriously consider.  Plus those big cupcakes that take up a whole shoulder may cause you concern, perhaps you do not want to be defined by your tattoo, but merely want to have a little piece of what is important to you close to you at all times.  If this is you, then maybe a smaller cupcake tattoo is more your style!
The smaller the tattoo the less detail you can capture, but you can still achieve something amazing as these two reader submissions clearly show.  The first one above is quite simply adorably cute.  The girly lashes and that fifties fringe curl are just so sweet.  And if you are looking to make it smaller skip the additional candy.

This is Sue’s tattoo and she used this site to find a design that she liked, she then adapted it into this irresistible cupcake.  Her tattoo was  created in Pont Credit Ontario.

The cupcake tattoo in the picture to the left is another idea at how to create a gorgeous little cupcake tattoo, that is both discreet and funky.  Danielle got her cupcake done because it reminded her of her mother’s name for her ‘cupcake’ but it has become more a symbol of where she has come from and gone too.  Danielle now has her own successful cupcake business which she runs from home.

I was pondering 50’s style earlier today, looking at the dresses, the fantastic matched accessories (hats, gloves, bag, shoes) and then got to thinking, as is the progression, to cupcakes and wondering what I could find in the way of 50’s cupcakes!  Well that is 50’s memorabilia for cupcakes and baking as opposed to an actual 50’s cupcake!  Firstly I adore this little picture of a girl rolling pastry, she is adorable.  And I loved this old baking poster.

Then I found these classic images…

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What do you think??

Do we need to keep it traditional and go cake over cupcake?  Are we messing with an age old tradition?  Do cupcakes really not have a place at this big event?

I ask the question, because Muskoee Phoenix has a story that suggests that when the author goes to a wedding she wants “to see two things”, that being “the bride’s gown, and a work of art, the wedding cake.”  She goes on to say that “they should not be served on the most important day of a woman’s life, next to having a baby.”

I’m sorry, but in my view it is your wedding and so therefore your choice!  Cake or cupcake, why not? and given some of the gorgeous cuppies around, you can certainly go glamorous with the little ones, like these gorgeous cupcakes from Ban Bakes – In Paris!  But what do you think?

Do you love cupcakes but think they don’t have a place at a wedding?