NYC Food Blogger Bake Sale - Share Our Strength

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I’m joining a team of NYC food bloggers in the Great American Bake Sale! We are working to end childhood hunger in America.

Cake pops and more at Brooklyn Flea

Cake Pops

Stop by Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene, on April 28th from 10a-5p to feast your eyes on

glistening blogger-baked goods and satisfy your sweet tooth. I will be donating some delicious (and CUTE) cake pops!

The proceeds from the bake sale will benefit Share Our Strength, the national nonprofit organization working to end childhood hunger by 2015.

More ways you can help end childhood hunger

  • Take the No Kid Hungry pledge. This is the easiest way to help, and it takes no time at all!
  • Volunteer to bake or sell sweet treats on April 28th.
  • Vendors: become a sponsor and donate baked goods, baking supplies, or match donations! Contact NYCBakesale [at] gmail.com
  • Tweet and share! Follow #NYCBakeSale on Twitter for the latest updates, and invite your Facebook friends to the bake sale!
  • Donate online if you can’t make it to the bake sale. Help us reach our $2,000 goal!

Help out any way you can. I love baking for a cause!! I’ll be posting pictures of my cake pops, so stay tuned!

Starbucks Cake Pops

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Starbucks is turning 40! As part of the new Starbucks Petites line, they are now offering cake pops, along with other mini cakes. The tiny confections are advertised as 200 calories or less each, but seriously, who the heck is counting? They offer each petite for $1.50, and a package deal if you order in sets of two ($2.50) or six ($7.50).

Yesterday, I ordered and enjoyed all three available flavors of cake pops: (listed in ascending favorite order…) Tiramisu, Birthday Cake, and Rocky Road. I go to Starbucks solely to drink coffee, and these desserts were a delightful surprise.

As I bit into my first Starbucks cake pop, softly cracking through the colorful candy shell, I was met with a nice moist bite of not-too-sweet cake. Cake pops can sometimes have a mushy or loose texture, but as Goldilocks would say, these were “just right”. I have a feeling Starbucks must make the pop with cake and syrup for the ball, rather than cake and icing as they claim.

The Tiramisu pop was my favorite, a true “pick me up”, laced with espresso and topped with a chocolate coffee bean. Unfortunately, there was no rum in it, but it was still the best of the three. >_^

Starbucks is running a promo from today, March 10 until March 12th from 2pm-5pm! You get a free cake pop or any other of their petites for FREE with the purchase of a drink. Sweet deal!
Cakeb0t TipTo make your own cake pops, check out this Cakeb0t video!: How To Make Cake Pops (Maybe test them with flavored syrup too!)

I <3 Craft Shows

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In need of a new apron, and being new in Florida, I was psyched to hear about a local craft and arts show in West Palm beach. Tarte- The Queen of Art and Tartes Indie Craft Show featured a list of talented and inspirational artists. Many of them with a love for baking:


Be My Clementine!
On a mission to find a new apron, I scored a super cutie fresh & fruity apron from Sabrina V (even cuter!) of www.bemyclementine.com. The shop features full and half aprons (for the hostess/non spaz baker, unlike me), plus children’s aprons! These would make a great *best Christmas ever* present for the holiday. ^_^

Pin Up Pie & Pastry
Now these are new to me! What a great idea! These baked goodies are from Tara of www.pinup-pieandpastry.com! Pie in a mason jar?? Brilliant! Pin Up offers a wide selection of pastries: pies, cheesecakes, cupcakes, brownies… all in a repurpose-ready jar! She also customizes the lids for events. Supercool!

Felt and Paper
Artist Sarah Nastri’s cute buttons and magnets of silhouetted retro kitchen gear caught my eye: an oven, a mixer, a perculator… all on top of retro floral patterns. Baker-friendly custom buttons and magnets are available at her Etsy store, along with an array of other cute felt and paper goodies!

More about Tarte
Organized by Tara of Pin Up Pie & Pastry and The Original Bully Boy - gentleman accessories, along with Kate of Sydney Lou Whoo? - tutus, childrens clothing, adult shirts, and super cute jewelry - this was Tarte’s debut show! It was a smooth show, you would never know it was their first. Fantastic show! I had fun. Look out for the next show in March 2011!

“We just really love the idea of getting as many people involved as we can and having lots of people benefit from what we have. Tarte 2010 is hopefully just a start! We would love to see more people come out and support this event knowing that they are giving back to their local community and supporting the art and crafters as well!”

Yes, Tarte gives back! Tarte is sponsored by the Dropkick Murphys Claddagh Fund, and supported by many others in the music community. The proceeds are forwarded from the fund to Home Safe in West Palm Beach, an organization to help abused children. They also took a toy collection at this event which will be given to local families via Love Doctors Charities.

Thanks Susan of makebakebehappy.com for the heads up on the local show!
Support your local artists, and therefore, your community! And buy handmade from Etsy!!

Got any good baker-friendly Etsy links? Share them here! ^_^

Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People

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God, I love Amy Sedaris. She just came out with Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People. I am so excited about this!! There is no doubt, you will read this, and laugh until it hurts. And, you’ll learn real craft craftiness along the way!

This is the follow up to her hospitality book, I Like You… (my favorite book ever!).
Simple Times is a must have! Especially if you’re CRAFTY. (And poor!) …(like me.) -__-

Cake Decorating Supply Stores and What to Look For

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Cake Supply Store
Cakeb0t just moved to sunny Florida! Whenever I make a move, I try to scout the area for a good Cake Supply Store. A good idea when you’re looking for a store: do an internet search and find two or three stores to visit that are nearby.
If you get lucky (which I did), you only really need one good store for all your supplies!


I look for 10 basic things I’ll need for my cakes:

  1. Fondant
  2. Gum paste (or Tylose to add to my Fondant to make gum paste)
  3. Gel Coloring
  4. Petal Dust & Luster Dust
  5. Lemon Extract
  6. Dowels
  7. Cake boards
  8. Piping Bags
  9. Parchment paper
  10. Cake boxes

This is just a list of the consumable items that I would need for cakes. I also look around for tools and supplies that I want to add to my arsenal, or things that I may already have that might need to be replaced. I look for piping tips, baking pans, cake rings, and spatulas. I also look for new products, or fun extras like stencils, silicon molds, and shape cutters!

I was lucky enough to find a store with just about everything I need. All the pictures shown here were taken at the Palm Beach Cake & Candy Supply in Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.