I have been meaning to blog about this exciting adventure for a little over a month now.  Fellow cupcake bloggers Cupcakes Take The Cake have announced that they are going on a cupcake lovers cruise!  The best part is you’re invited! The week long cruise is taking place August 19-26th 2012.  The cruise departs from New Jersey and docks in Bermuda for three days.  One of the best parts of the cruise, aside from that it is cupcake themed is the amazing guest speakers and workshop hosts.  The authors of Hello Cupcake, and What’s New Cupcake as well as the authors and owners of Baked will be on the cruise.  These are just the announce guests, there will also be some surprises!  If you would like to book a ticket or for more information you can email [email protected] or call 800-828-4813. This sounds like a fun vacation that I would love to go on, if only I had $999.00 which is the starting price!

Today in remembrance of September 11, 2001 the Los Angeles location of Canter’s Deli is offering free cupcakes for servicemen.  This is Canter’s Deli’s way of saying “thank you,” so if policemen, firemen, or military personnel show up in uniform or provide some form of ID they will be presented with a free cupcake!

Sprinkles Cupcakes is giving away free cupcakes this week at their Washington D.C. and Chicago locations!  If you live in either of those areas, you’re probably wondering how you can get in on this great deal!  You’re probably also wondering what cupcakes could have to do with fitness.  Read on to find out! Read the rest of this entry »

The Cupcake Collection, a bakery in Tennessee, is helping four of their high school graduates pay for college.  This summer the bakery owners will be lending their “cupcake bus” to these employees so that they can take a road trip to four major east coast cities, beginning in Atlanta and ending in New York City.  They will sell cupcakes along the way and put the profits toward their college education.  Be sure and track their trip on the bakery’s Facebook page.  Who knows–they just might be visiting your city!

The Cupcake Bus

The Priscilla Cupcake

New York City’s Magnolia Bakery will once again release the “Priscilla Cupcake” on Monday, June 6.  This green pistachio cupcake, iced with pistachio meringue butter-cream icing and topped with a meringue kiss and colorful confetti, was inspired by the dancing cupcakes from the Broadway musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Read the rest of this entry »

A while back, we brought you news of the Scharffen Berger Cupcake Adventure Contest! Well, the winners are in. The rules were that bakers had to create an original cupcake recipe that included one of several “adventure ingredients.”  Among the choices were: stout beer, ricotta, adzuki bean, fresh beet, chili pepper, and coffee beans. Talk about adventurous!

The crazy part? All three of the winners chose Stout Beer as their adventure ingredient. In fact, the first prize cupcake, the “You Make Me Wanna ‘Stout’ Cupcakes” featured Stout in four different ways: batter, filling, reduction and frosting! Now that’s adventurous!

The judging panel included Top Chef: Just Desserts guest judge and award-winning chef Elizabeth Falkner; Scharffen Berger chocolate co-founder John Scharffenberger; chocolate expert and award-winning cookbook author Alice Medrich; award-winning food blogger, photographer and art director Matt Armendariz of MattBites.com; and baking expert and blogger Angie Dudley of Bakerella.com. Cupcakes were judged on creativity, spirit of adventure, ease of preparation, appearance and flavor.

Click here for the winning recipes! And congrats to all the winners from ATC!

Simply Cupcakes of Naples started as an online cupcake store four years ago, taking orders online and delivering cupcakes to Naples, Florida residents. Two years ago, the first store was opened and now a second store is being opened on Marco Island.  They have over 9500 Facebook fans.  Simply Cupcakes is considered the premier cupcake store in Southwest Florida and they also supply cupcakes to Nordstrom’s and ship bundt cakes worldwide.

Simply Cupcakes offers 28 cupcake selections in gourmet size and minis. They are booked for at least one cupcake wedding a week through April and are in the process of hiring their 5th baker.

In addition to being a very successful cupcake store, Simply Cupcakes offers training for people who want to open their own cupcake business; either storefront or online. In a little over a year, they have trained people in 25 locations from California to Puerto Rico. The training is either ‘hands on’ in Naples or through a Distance Learning Program. It includes the very popular recipes, a license to use the Simply Cupcakes name, an exclusive territory with only on Simply Cupcakes in a county, a logo, a website, marketing, recommended suppliers and ongoing support. The ‘hands on’ training sessions are only done four times a year with the next one March 19-21 but the Distance Learning Training can be started any time.  Details can be found here.

Joanne Glasgow, owner of Simply Cupcakes said “When I first started out, it was trial and error since there was nowhere to get info on starting a cupcake business. After I started, many people contacted me and asked for help. They said that they could bake but had no idea how to start a business. That’s why I created this program.”

“We train people to do what I did… start online and build a customer base. Then if they decide to open a store, they have customers from the first day. We have been told that our training program is the only one of it’s kind anywhere. All of the people we have trained have become a community who exchange ideas and info at our online Message Board. The entire program is unique and has been proven to work. It’s the same concept of a franchise… being in business for yourself but not by yourself… but without the big franchise fee, restrictions or ongoing expenses.”

This is a sponsored post by Simply Cupcakes.

Do you love creating you own cupcake recipes? Well, get out your mixers and muffin cups and enter the Scharffen Berger Cupcake Adventure Contest!  Cupcake recipes must include their chocolate and one or more of these selected “Adventure Ingredients”:

Stout beer
(including oatmeal, chocolate, imperial or any other stout)

Yes, some of these ingredients are a bit more unusual but who doesn’t love a good challenge?   I say go for the ricotta and fresh beet!   Contest prizes include money (woo, hoo!), books, chocolate, a trip to New York and the chance to have your recipe published on Food Networks magazine!   How amazing would it be to have one of our wonderful fans win this contest?   Click here for all the contest rules and details.  Good luck!

 You should also check out the new interactive cupcake builder on the Scharffen Berger website.  You can select a base cupcake batter and virtually build a cupcake using adventure ingredients, get tips on how to use the ingredients and more.

While combing the internets for cuteness, I found Japan LA and their adorable store. Among the Hello Kitty and the sushi scarves, there I discovered some prize cupcake accessories.

Rilakkuma Cupcake Pouch - oh no, it's brand spankie new and it's already sold out!

Yummy You! Knitted Cupcake Scarf - $65

Yummy You! Knitted Cupcake Purse - $70

   Would you like to be part of the next Cupcake Wars? 

              Here’s your chance! 

                       And here’s the official casting call …

NOW CASTING SEASON 2 OF THE FOOD NETWORK’S HIT NEW COMPETITION SHOW, “CUPCAKE WARS”!

 We are casting bakers (store owners, caterers, pastry chefs, new bakers…)

NATIONWIDE, so get in touch with us ASAP to apply for the show.

 If you think you and your cupcakes have what it takes to compete against the best bakers in the country, then we want to hear from YOU! The winner of the show will have their cupcakes featured at a HOLLYWOOD EVENT and receive WORLDWIDE PRESS!  The winner of each episode also wins $10,000!!!

 We’re looking for great bakers with AMAZING personalities in every city.

 To be considered for the show, please e-mail us your name, phone number, photo (and website if available!) to: [email protected]

Be sure to tell us what makes you the perfect candidate for “Cupcake Wars”!

Two of my guilty pleasures are joining forces:  Cupcakes and Farmville.

Farmville is the great time-sucking application on Facebook.  It is a seemingly simple game which gifts you with a virtual farm, on which you can design your avatar, buy a puppy that will follow you around, and then you can plant and harvest your own crops.  I avoid real life tasks I should be doing by planting virtual coffee, lilacs, carrots, and pumpkins.

The game is ridiculously popular.  Farmville has over 82.4 million active users.  That’s more than 1% of the entire world population.  The game started one year ago today, and in celebration of the birthday, the newest crop in Farmville’s lineup is … you guessed it!  Cupcakes!  I can now plant cupcake seeds, and 8 hours, later, I can harvest them!  Could it get any better?

Here’s my (beautiful and virtually yummy) first crop:

The Eat My Blog Bakesale will be held next Saturday, June 19, 2010 from 10am to 4pm at  Zeke’s Smokehouse in West Hollywood on.  The charity bake sale will donate all proceeds to  the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank.  While the bakesale will have over 1000 sweet items to choose from, daring cupcake lovers will be inticed by Kurogoma Cupcakes with Matcha Cream Cheese Frosting.  If you’re like me and have never heard of Kurogoma, it is black sesame seeds. According to a Los Angeles Times article, Cathy Danh started the bake sale because she found herself looking at food blogs thinking, “I wish I could eat that.”  She decided to turn that desire into a reality and put the proceeds towards a worthy charity.

That’s right, this month the baker’s battlefield will be set.  Icing bags will be loaded and beaters revved as the Food Network launches its new prime time series ‘Cupcake Wars’. The first episode of this premier series will be aired on June the 15th at 9pm ET/PT when four of the country’s top bakers will go head to head, but it is not until the Tuesday 27th July when our very own sponsor Stefanie Gaxiola of Red Velvet Stefanie will get to show off her amazing stuff.

Each episode will feature a different theme, from a SeaWorld Birthday Bash in Round 1 to the Film Festival Face Off, in which Stefanie will need to beat her opponents Arleen Scavore of Sweet Arleens, Zoey Devail of Bee Sweet Bakery and Johnny Mangamiotis of Mr Cupcakes to feature her cupcakes at a film festival. Stefanie’s episode will air at 10pm on Tuesday the 27th of July, so lets cheer her on! You can read more about the all upcoming shows and contestants on The Futon Critic.

All of us here at ATC will be right behind Stefanie, who could see herself into the elimination rounds if she wins.  The overall prize for the best cupcake baker is $10,000 and the opportunity to showcase their cupcakes at the winning gig!

There is only one week left to enter the 2010 Ice Cream Cupcake Challenge held by Scoopalicious and  Cupcake Project.  Daring bakers can submit their ice cream cupcake creations by May 31, 2010. Prizes for the challenge include Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker and a prize pack from OXO.

Here are the official rules:

• Dates: You can enter any time through May 31, 2010.
• How to Enter:

1. Write a post on your blog during the month of May and include a link to both this post and to the post at Scoopalicious. (If you don’t have a blog, you can still enter, but why not start one?)  Sorry, we are allowing just one entry per person this year – so make it count!  International readers are welcome to enter, but prizes can not be shipped internationally.  You will win bragging rights and you will have the opportunity to gift your prizes to any person or organization in the United States.
2. Upload a photo of your cupcake to our Flickr group.  Please upload as large a photo as possible so that we can be sure to best showcase it in the roundup.
3. Then, complete the entry form.

• Entrant Voting: All ice cream cupcake roundup entrants are required to vote for their favorite ice cream cupcake some time during the second week of June.  Entrants must pick their first, second, and third favorite ice cream cupcakes and they are not allowed to vote for their own cupcakes.  Entrants that do not vote will become ineligible to win.  (To summarize – you are being judged by your cupcake creating peers – no pressure!)  The top three cupcakes as chosen by the entrants will go on to the public vote.  All three entrant-voted winners will win OXO prize packs, but the public will determine who wins the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.  In the event of a tie, the cupcake that received the most second place votes will win.  If there is still a tie, we will look at third place votes.  If there is still a tie, we will have a quick – one day only – vote between the two tied cupcakes.
• Public Voting: Public voting will take place during the second half of June.  Anyone with a valid email address will have an opportunity to choose their favorite of the top three cupcakes.  You’ll want to vote because two voters will win the same prize pack as the semi-finalists!  In the event of a tie, we will have a quick – one day only – vote between the two tied cupcakes.

In an attempt to make tax day a little less taxing, participating Cinnabon locations are offering free cupcake bites on April 15, 2010 from 6-8pm.  Each guest is allowed 2 cupcake bites.  If you are not a procrastinator and filed your taxes months ago, you might have time to enter the Cinnabon Tax Day Bites Essay Contest where you could win a $100 Cinnabon giftcard (you could buy a lot of cupcakes with that)!

Another great cupcake announcement shared with me by my sister.  She noticed a post on Slashfood explaining that McDonald’s Germany is now offering New York City Themed Cupcakes in McCafe’s.  Four New York City neighborhoods (if you count Central Park as a neighborhood) have been assigned what McDonalds feels is their cupcake persona. The flavors offered are as follows, Soho=vanilla, Chelsea=Chocolate, East Village= Cappuccino, and Central Park=Strawberry.  Burger Business had a great article on the cupcake release explaining how McDonald’s is fascinated with current popular trends, in addition to American cities which they in turn use as a marketing technique.

I am not sure if I would try a McDonald’s cupcake, I love cupcakes but I can’t decide if I would love one from McDonald’s.  I would really like to hear what someone who has tried one thinks!  Let us know if you think you would try a one or if you already have!

Making headlines since it was announces earlier this week was the news that a Cupcake Vendor will now be located outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.  The 5th Avenue spot once featured a Hot Dog Vendor but now cupcakes are seen as a possible money making possibility for the city.   Cake and Shake will be providing the cupcakes and have already said that flavors have unique names but are based off of childish ideas.  Since New York is often a trend setter, it is no surprise that the company is green, featuring organic ingredients, solar powered carts, and eco-friendly packaging.  Cakes and Shakes will set up shop in June.

In December I was lucky enough to do a review of Stefanie’s Red Velvet Cupcake mix which was delicious!  Yesterday I received an email informing me that the Red Velvet Stefanie website had been updated.  Now you can purchase the Red Velvet Cupcake mix in addition to new flavors such as Snickerdoodle, Vanilla, and soon, Black and White.  Also available on the website are catering orders and cupcake apparel.  Stefanie has even added a mix of the month club where you receive two packets of that month’s featured mix and Stefanie’s recipe guide to match the mix.  After trying the mix myself, seeing how easy they were to make and how great they turned out, I would recommend anyone visit the site and don’t forget, this is the same Stefanie that came up with The Cheesecake Factory’s Stephanie’s Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake!

Today, March 26th is Purple Day which The Great Purple Cupcake Project supports. The Great Purple Cupcake Project aims to raise awareness of epilepsy, a condition that effects over 3 million Americans.  During the week of March 26th, bakeries are asked to sell purple cupcakes and that a portion of sales go back to Purple Day  for epilepsy awareness.  Purple Day and The Great Purple Cupcake Project are associated with the Anita Kaufman Foundation (AFK). On the website there is a complete list of participating bakeries by state along with international cupcake shops participating in purple day. Just to list a few cupcake shops that have tweeted about todays event,  Cake Love with locations in Virginia, Maryland and DC announced on their twitter that they are participating by offering a blueberry cupcake. Similarly, Two Sweet Cupcake in Richmond VA tweeted that they are offering Blueberry Pancake and Cranberry Charbord as their purple flavors today.  There are more special purple cupcakes today so if you are thinking about a cupcake, eat one today for this great cause.

In case you did not already hear, Magnolia Bakery is expanding.  Included on the list of locations for cupcakes shops opening soon is Los Angeles.  Magnolia Bakery opened two locations, one in the Dubai Mall and one in Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan in February.  The Los Angeles location is set to open in May.  One article says the west coast store’s decor will match the original east coast location.

My best friend emailed to inform me that she had a cupcake from Cinnabon!  At first it sounded a little strange, Cinnabon if famous for cinnamon rolls, not cupcakes but the company’s website says “After 25 years of making our world famous cinnamon roll, we’re kicking off the next 25 years by introducing the world’s best cupcake!” There are four flavors to choose from including, Cinnacake Classic, Chocolate Passion, Vanilla Bliss, and 24-Carrot Cake.

My best friend tried the Chocolate Passion (pictured above) and said that “it was really good but messy!”  She also noted that “they warm them up so the frosting melts a bit.” These cupcakes sound like they would be worth trying and  are available in 4-count, half dozen, and dozen packages.

The task that Food2 (the Food Network’s sassy younger sibling) puts to challengers is deceptively simple: take pictures of cupcakes, submit them at the Food2 website, and may the best photo win.  Multiple entries are allowed, and the cupcake or cupcakes don’t have to be yours (but the photos do, of course).  Food2 started taking submissions for the Cupcake Cup yesterday and the will continue taking them for the next 40 days.  Photos have already started to come in if you’d like to take a look at the competition, or vote for them for that matter.

And what will you win?  A silicone bakeware Giant Cupcake Baking Set… and the eternal glory of being the first person to win the Cupcake Cup.

Cupcakes are versatile things. They’re tasty, portable, come in many flavors, have been known to create jobs, and also happen to be really good for fundraising.  Emma Klassen of Kelowna, BC made the right choice when she decided to make 300 gourmet cupcakes to exchange for donations to the Canadian Foundation for the Children of Haiti.

Klassen put together this Saturday’s Sweet Exchange to collect money and supplies for the Haiti Home for Children, an orphanage and school run by the CFCH. Though the orphanage’s buildings have been damaged, the children and caretakers were not hurt in the earthquake and are presently living in the orphanage’s courtyard.

While the Sweet Exchange is over,  the Haiti Home for Children still needs your help. You can send donations to the CFCH at:

The Canadian Foundation for the Children of Haiti
11400 Seafield Crescent
Richmond, B.C. Canada. V7A 3J2

(CFCH is a registered Canadian charity. CRA Business No. 89000 4591 RR0001. Donations qualify for CIDA’s matching grant program.  Tax receipts will be issued for donations over $20)

After half a year of losing access to our Twitter account, we have regained it again!  The official ATC Twitter account is at @allcupcakes.  Follow us for cupcake tweets!

The recent earthquake in Haiti has had a real affect on everybody’s mind, body and soul. We all want to help the victims of this tragedy. And the Bleeding Heart Bakery is doing their bit by cooking cupcakes to help raise money for the people of Haiti.

The bakery will cook up special cupcakes in coconut, banana and pineapple flavors. The owners of the bakery wanted to their bid for the victims and have decided to sell these special cupcakes this weekend. All the proceeds from this sale will go to Red Cross in the aid of the earthquake victims. The cupcakes are priced at $3 per cake.

So, go to the Bleeding Heart Bakery and purchase as many cupcakes as you can. They are not only delicious, but also have a type of goodness and kindness attached to them.

http://gapersblock.com/drivethru/2010/01/14/cupcakes_for_haiti_at_bleeding_heart_bakery/