A couple weeks ago we reported rumors of a giant 7,000 lb cupcake being planned.  The initial plan was an unveiling event that included breaking the Guinness record as well as selling each 1 lb cupcake “slice” for $5 to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation.  If successful, a single cupcake would net a cool $35,000 for charity!

Instead of putting a 7,000 lb of cupcake batter inside an oven, an oven was constructed and hoisted on top of the batter.   During an all-night baking process, the bakers were horrified to find that a heating element had dislodged in the middle of the night and had split the massive cupcake in half.  Scrambling to bake a new cupcake in time for the event, they rallied to make a smaller cupcake through the night.

The new cupcake took 12 hours to fully bake and weighs in at a record setting 1,224 lb, still shattering the old record by a massive margin.

Who knew cupcakes have even made its way into the national health care debate? Oh the power of the simple cupcake.

Seattle’s Cupcake Royale owner, Jody Hall, has weighed in with her thoughts on the effect of rising health care costs on her small business.

… Hall says something has to be done about the expense of providing health coverage. She says her premiums have increased 20 percent in each of the past few years, and a couple of years ago, they went up 40 percent.

“It’s unsustainable to manage that kind of expense hike, so we are forced to cut our quality of coverage to make it more affordable, and that doesn’t do much for society,” she says.” A lot of small businesses are doing that or cutting insurance altogether.”

Additionally, Jody took part in a White House discussion and gave her perspective about the challenges of health care costs for small businesses.

Last March, Food Network’s Duff Goldman lives up to his Ace of Cakes title by baking the largest cupcake in history — which was entered in the Guinness Book of World Records.  The 61.4-pound creation is more than a foot tall and entirely edible. Reportedly 150 times the size of a regular cupcake, this record-breaker called for 16 pounds of butter, 10 pounds of sugar, and three ounces of food coloring.

Although it was widely reported that Duff broke the record, his record was disqualified in 2009 when it was revealed that his cupcake was baked in two parts!  Not only do I want to see the cupcake, I want to see the oven capable of handling a cupcake this size!

Recently, the londonist.com announced:

This Thursday, at the Covent Garden Real Food Market, the world’s largest ever cupcake will make a nervous debut on the East Piazza. Nervous, because it will be a short-lived appearance: thousands of people will soon be wolfing it down. The baked behemoth will measure 2 metres by 1.25 metres, and it’s expected that around 2,000 will enjoy a slice.

Now consider this.  Duff’s cupcake is 150 times larger than a normal cupcake.  This londonist cupcake will be 10 times larger than Duff’s cupcake!  No mention about whether it will officially take the Guiness Book of World Records crown though.

Cupcake are often times used as symbols.  Usually cupcakes symbolize something happy and delightful, but lately it has been invoked in a growing debate regarding school food policies.  There is no doubt that childhood obesity is a growing problem, but is school food to blame?  If it is, what is the necessary reform needed?

In the heated debate, school boards are considering banning some foods from the school entirely including cupcakes.  A board member asks, hopefully rhetorically:

“They can’t have cupcakes? … One birthday party a month?” she said. “…I think it’s better to have happy children. They learn better, it’s pleasant for all. Along with the healthy foods, the kids have to be happy.” – The Evil Cupcake

In another article, a worried pediatrician retorts:

In a typical classroom of 26 children, there are up to 26 days of birthday cupcakes to contend with. Then you add in celebrations for holidays, and many classes have a party every week. There are many healthy birthday options, and we can use them to celebrate our children’s birthdays without sacrificing their health. – NYT Letters

What do our dear ATC readers feel about this issue?  Should cupcakes be banned from schools?  Or is it throwing the baby out with the bath water?

It looks like the cupcake concept has gone to Malaysia.  We found this report of a massive 20,000 cupcake Malaysian flag being created.  According to the original news story, 150 members started working in shifts on thursday morning until staurday noon to complete this monumental task.

Unfortunately, no pictures of the final 23 feet by 15 foot cupcake flag was provided.  We do know that the malaysian flag looks like this.

This would be a stretch, but do we have any Malaysian readers who might have witnessed the event?

Just got word of a recent contest up in our northerly neighbor Canada.  Cupcake Camp Ottawa is a cupcake contest that involved 3400 cupcakes, almost 100 bakers, 30 volunteers, and nearly 500 tasters we reached our goal of $2000 for Woman Alive!!

Some amazing photos of the event captured by Anna Hakim Photography.

Contest results below:

Best in Show ~ “Red Velvet Purse” by Michelle Morrison!!

Best Chocolate ~ “Before 9 Minipops” by L’Oven!!

Best Decorated ~ The “Oreo Sunrise” by Kristen LaFrance!!

Most Unique ~ “Irish Car Bomb” by Anne Patenaude!!

Honourable Mention for tastiness ~ “Lemony Lemon” by Colleen Forer!!

Shown above… mark I-Mark Custom Pick Eye Shadow, and mark Shine Tubes Hook Up Lip Gloss

My friend Stephanie and I are a survivors of Domestic Violence, and the cause is near and dear to our hearts. (A few weeks ago I finally got out of an abusive relationship.)

Each month Stephanie will take 10% of her mark profits, as well as donations from her church and other supporters, and place them in a fund. This fund goes to purchase supplies to make care kits for women in her favorite shelter, La Casa de las Madres.

These kits contain makeup and personal care products, a bible, a journal, and a pack of pens. She is trying to expand in the future to add things like a prepaid phone card and a gift certificate for a clothing purchase.

These women have had their self esteem SHATTERED. A small luxury like a tub of mascara or a can of hairspray can be a major step in rediscovering themselves and their incredibly self worth.

If you are interested in purchasing some great cosmetics for low prices while also helping an important cause, check out her store mark.

How sweet it is.  Kelly Ripa, talk show host, and veteran of the school bake sale scene, used her new Electrolux range to bake a signature batch of cupcakes to kick off a digital campaign to help fight ovarian cancer.  For every virtual cupcake sent at electroluxappliances.com this February, Electrolux will donate a $1 to The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. 

Along with sending a virtual cupcake this Valentine’s Day, Electrolux is selling “Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve” T-shirts, designed by Ripa, on its Web site (www.electroluxappliances.com)  For each T-shirt sold, 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the OCRF to support research to find a cure.

And to top it off, Electrolux is auctioning off a one-of-a-kind red kitchen suite on eBay.  The bidding on the “Red Hot Red” kitchen – which includes a built-in range, dishwasher, refrigerator and microwave – starts Wednesday, February 11th at 3 p.m. EST and lasts until 3 p.m.  EST on Wednesday, February 18th.  All proceeds of the charity auction benefit the OCRF as part of Electrolux’s commitment to help this worthy cause.

From ZillyCakes.com in Buffalo, NY

This gorgeous work of cupcake art took over 40 hours to complete in 9 different shades of fondant. It spanned 5 feet by 6 feet, and was fed to Volunteers at Buffalo’s Obama campaign headquarters.

Our hats off to you, ZillyCakes! You make gorgeous cakes, and this is a true work of art and labor of love! I’m sure members from either party can appreciate the craftsmanship and work that went into this piece.

I am hosting an Auction for Conner this Saturday October 25th. 90% of the items are homemade by moms! I am donating a custom tutu set, and many other things. Since a large majority of the items are custom you can request things cupcake themed! :) All of the profits are going towards Conner’s surgery!

Here is a little bit of information about Conner…

Little Conner is in need of emergency surgery and unfortunately the only doctors who can deal with his case are in NY. This means that her insurance won’t cover the operation, because it is out of state. Conner has AVM or Arterio Venous Malformation if not treated it is deadly. The doctors say that he needs the surgery as soon as possible. His AVM is much worse than it typically can be and is progressing extremely fast.

Conner absolutely needs this surgery as soon as possible, the doctors say NO LATER than November.

Please visit Conner’s site, Keep Conner Smiling, for more information on the little guy.

Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Cupcake Clip Art

Tricia has created this clip-art design for all of you. Use them on your web-site, in notes, however you wish, to show support to all woman, our sisters, mothers, aunts, friends and neighbors. Tricia hopes this gift lifts your spirits.

Please visit Tricia-Rennea to see all of her other Think Pink designs.

FROSTED CUPCAKES – Special Edition 9.5 oz Cleansing Sugar Scrub $12.50

Frosted Cupcakes smells like delicious fresh-baked cupcakes topped with rich buttercream icing (YUM)!

This is a very special limited edition scent! Not only does it smell scrumptious, but it’s special because the seller will be donating proceeds to help raise donations for her future sister-in-law (Julie Levin) as she embarks on the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk (benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund) in Atlanta in October this year. She’s joined together with her best friend from Atlanta to create a team and I’d like to help support her & the great cause.

$5.50 of this sale will be donated directly to her fundraising campaign to benefit Susan G. Komen and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund! That’s 44%!

Ingredients:
Sucrose (Sugar), Vegetable Glycerin, Water, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Kaolinite (White Clay), Sorbitol, Propylene Glycol, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Chloride (Salt), Fragrance, Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Tetrasodium EDTA

Also available…

FROSTED CUPCAKES – Special Edition 0.35 oz Roll-on Perfume Oil $6.50

FROSTED CUPCAKES – Special Edition 4.5 oz Velvet Butter Cream $7.50
Available at The Garden Bath.

Getting MORE out of Fall

October Specials and Promotions at MORE

About MORE

MORE, located at One East Delaware Place at the intersection of State Street and Delaware in Chicago, is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Sunday. For more information, contact MORE at (312) 951-0001 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Please visit www.morecupcakes.com.

“Help MORE, Hope MORE
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, and with one in eight women still being diagnosed with breast cancer, MORE hopes to use sweetness in the fight against cancer. On Saturday, October 4, MORE?s glass wall will feature the special “Hope MORE” cupcake, a treat worthy of this cause, a White Velvet cake base with luscious pink vanilla butter cream, garnished with pink and white curls.

Throughout the month of October, a portion of the sales of the “Hope MORE” cupcake will continue to go directly to numerous breast cancer charities.  Enjoy a ?Pink? White Velvet cupcake and hope MORE for a cure.”

Score MORE, Win MORE, Want MORE
Chicago is witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime event with two hometown baseball teams in the Playoffs and MORE is in on the action. The day of, or the day following a Cubs or Sox win, customers decked out in the winning Chicago team’s garb are invited to visit MORE (One E. Delaware St., Chicago, IL). With a purchase of six cupcakes, the decked-out fan will receive a free

“MORE” cupcake.*
The “MORE” is a delectable and decadent chocolate cupcake, filled with housemade marshmallow, and iced with a silky chocolate ganache, fast becoming a favorite flavor at this newly opened Gold Coast bakery.

While the teams score more and win more, the fans score MORE and win MORE, and will of course, want MORE. This promotion will run for the duration of the playoffs as long as a Chicago team stays in, which leaves the fans only one option: don your favorite team apparel, cheer on your team, watch them score and get thee to MORE!

* A customer wearing both Sox and Cub attire at the time of a six-cupcake purchase does not grant him or her two free cupcakes, just two times the opportunity to gloat.

Vote MORE
Starting now until the November 4 Presidential election, MORE will take a bipartisan view and feature both “Obama” and “McCain” cupcakes. Both cupcakes are a rich, cocoa-embodied red velvet cupcake, topped with the signature MORE cream cheese frosting.  The only difference between them lies in the simple star propped upon the pillows of frosting. Cast your vote.  A red star cupcake represents your vote the McCain-Palin ticket, while a blue star cupcake represents a Obama-Biden vote.

With their Presidential Cupcakes, MORE encourages customers to “Vote Early and Vote MORE” as they will be tracking the sale of each Presidential cupcake and updating the results; a mouth-watering Gallup Poll indeed. MORE employees will also be donning the trademarked “Vote MORE” t-shirts which will be available for politically-minded customers to purchase and sport while snacking on their favored Party’s cupcake. If only the actual vote tasted this good.

In honor of Cancer Awareness Month, Sugarbaby’s Cupcake Boutique is promoting 2 unique ways to show your support for those whose lives have been affected by cancer.  On special days this October, Sugarbaby’s will be offering Pink Ribbon Cupcakes honoring Houston’s Young Survival Coalition (Oct. 16th – 18th), and the 5th Annual “Cupcakes for a Cause” week honoring CancerCare for Kids (Oct. 21st-26th).  A portion of proceeds for each cupcake design will go to the designated organization.

October is breast cancer awareness month, so Mount Dora Cupcakes is teaming up with the National Breast Cancer Foundation to help raise money to support breast cancer awareness. 

They’re offering PINK cupcakes for the month of October and half of the proceeds will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. They will be offering at least 2 PINK flavors a day for $3 each.  They hope other cupcake shops will join in.  Go to their web site to find out more.   http://www.mountdoracupcakes.com/in-the-news.html