Cupcakes

This week was the week of cupcakes. Trying to get my business going, I decided to run a contest on my Facebook page. I asked what everyone's favorite flavor cupcake was. Their comment entered them for a chance to win 6 cupcakes. The response was good... of course it could have been better, but I was happy with how many comments I received!

The contest ended on Wednesday... so I began baking for the winner.  I think *maybe* I went a little overboard.  :)  My original idea was to make 3 flavors, and put 2 of each flavor in a box.  Well... I tend to dream big... 

Above: French Vanilla w/ Raspberry puree filling and French Vanilla Buttercream (going by the name Wedding Delight), Strawberry Lemonade, and Snickerdoodle

... so I decided to make 6 flavors!  In addition to the 3 mentioned above I also made a Death By Chocolate (top left), Orange Creamsicle (bottom, middle), and Red Velvet (bottom right)

I finished at 1:00 in the morning.... which is why I didn't notice that pink tower of leaning cupcakes.  Which is why I woke up at 7:00 in the morning to Joseph saying "Mommy!  You better come out here!"  Thankfully only a dozen cupcakes were ruined... and the kids wound up having "floor cupcakes" for breakfast.  They have a rough life.  :)

My kitchen is still trying to recover from baking day.  I started around 10:30 in the morning... and made 6 flavors of cupcakes, 4 fillings, and 7 icings.  That's in addition to the batch of cupcakes I made Tuesday night... but I decided they didn't have the "wow" factor... so they are in the freezer until I decide what to do with them.

In addition to the Facebook winners (there were 2), I boxed up cupcakes by the half dozen and delivered them around town (along with some business cards).  I got home, after delivering to a few places, and found a message on my answering machine (which is always exciting because our phone never rings!)  The message was from a woman who tried one of my cupcakes.  She said it was the best cupcake she ever had and she was going to tell everyone about me.   (confession: I didn't delete the message yet) :)

We still had an insane number of cupcakes leftover.  (do you want to know how many cupcakes I actually made?  Oh. my. stars.  It might be best that I don't over share.  Ya'll will think I am off my rocker.)  So Saturday we boxed up some more cupcakes and went around to people that were having yard sales.  I specifically tried to target yard sales that were listed as having children's items.  (birthday parties!)  Everyone was so excited!  I was asked to do a wedding cake... which I had to decline.  Of course the wedding is in October!  I don't think I can handle a wedding cake so close to my due date.  Wedding cakes are crazy stressful.
 I am excited to see what, if any, business will come from that.  If nothing, it's ok.  It was truly a joy to see people get so excited over cupcakes.  I had a 10ish year old girl hug me, an 8ish year old boy squeal "no way!" as he opened the cupcake box, and grown women smile from ear to ear as they read the flavor list on the front of the box.  Absolute blessing. 

And now I'm thinking I need to trade someone the last of my cupcakes for a clean kitchen.  Any takers?