Name That Cupcake CONTEST: Mom's Night OUT Edition!

I know how you all LOVE a good contest...and this one is really going to be FUN!

I'm participating in what promises to be another AMAZING LOCAL EVENT hosted by Macaroni Kid Cedar Rapids. The MK Kid Mom's Night Out is scheduled for Saturday, March 3rd from 6:00 to 9:30pm at the Hillside Wesleyan Church in Cedar Rapids.

Your ticket (cost is ONLY $15....purchase HERE) includes a sit-down dinner, performance by comedian Travis Hempstead, door prizes, shopping from over 30 LOCAL VENDORS and much, MUCH more!

I am a TOP SPONSOR of this event! I'll be providing YUMMY desserts for you ALL to enjoy...who doesn't LOVE samples right??? Mini-CUPCAKES & CAKE POPS so you can indulge on YOUR night out...SWEET right?!?!

Oh wait...I mentioned a CONTEST didn't I? ;)

Name That Cupcake Contest: Mom's Night OUT Edition!

The Name That Cupcake Contest is ALWAYS a fun one for me to put-on. I LOVE getting so many amazing flavor suggestions from you all ;) It's a great way for me to find out what YOU want to see on my menu. Usually the hardest part, for me, is selecting a handful of FINALISTS from SO many DELICIOUS suggestions.

For the Mom's Night Out Edition of the Name That Cupcake Contest, things will be a little different...so be sure to read below for ALL the details:

HOW TO PLAY:
1. Submit a Cupcake flavor suggestion on the Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats Facebook Page {HERE}!
   -Make sure to look at my MENU before you submit your suggestion to make sure it's not a flavor I already make!
   -If you have participated in The Name That Cupcake Contest before, but didn't WIN, feel free to resubmit your previous flavor suggestion; but PLEASE NOTE: this is a NEW contest, I do not have record of entries in past contests!
 2. Get your FB friends to "LIKE" your flavor suggestion!
 -"LIKES" may help us determine finalists, but are not a definite determination of the final selection.

HOW TO WIN:
1. Finalists will be chosen by Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats & Macaroni Kid Cedar Rapids.
 -Again, "LIKES" will be taken into consideration, but they do NOT determine the final selection.
2. BALLOT-STYLE VOTING will take place AT the MK Kid CR Mom's Night Out event on Saturday, March 3rd!
3. If YOUR flavor suggestion is selected as a FINALIST be sure to recruit VOTES & ATTEND this FUN event!

***The FINALISTS' flavor suggestions will be available for TASTING at the Mom's Night OUT event!!!****


THE PRIZE:
The flavor suggestion with the most VOTES will be added to MY menu!
The person that submitted the WINNING flavor will win 1DZ CUPAKES in the newly created flavor!

GOOD LUCK & HAVE FUN!!!

I was fortunate enough to connect with Charlotte, our local MK Kid Publisher, early-on. We were both in the early stages of pursuing business paths that were near and dear to our hearts. I love what she is doing for our community, and have appreciated her support of my business more than I can express! I always say how one of my FAVORITE (and most unexpected) rewards that has come out of me starting Sweet Cheeks, has been meeting SO many AMAZING and INSPIRING people...and Char is definitely at the TOP of that list!

~Audrey

Popcorn Cupcakes!

Well....sort of...these are actually Vanilla Cupcakes topped with MILLIONS (not quite) of tiny MARSHMALLOWS, cut and then hand-painted with food coloring to LOOK like they're covered in POPCORN!

Cute RIGHT?

I made these for a Carnival-themed Birthday Party and was really pleased with how they turned out! I found INSPIRATION at Under the Table & Dreaming by Stephanie Lynn. She gives a step-by-step tutorial if you want to try your hand at these! They are time consuming, but really easy and the effect is SO super cute! I found I didn't even need to cut the marshmallows all the way in half, and some I snipped in fours for a varied look....play around with it...that's the FUN part!

Of course...I HAD to make some coordinating Cake Pops...nothing too fancy...but sometimes SIMPLE & SWEET make a BIG statement too :) I LOVE using paper straws as sticks for the pops...it gives them some added WOW factor...don't ya think?

That's all for now folks!
Peace out ;)
Audrey

Virtual Valentines Party!

I was invited to participate in a Virtual Valentines Party, hosted by Lindsay Ann, the owner and founder of Dollhouse Bake Shoppe!

If you are one of the MILLIONS of people addicted to watching Cupcake Wars on Food Network....you will probably remember Lindsay as the WINNER of the series premiere. I LOVE watching the show and find SO much inspiration from the bakers...BUT I seriously break out into hives from sympathy-stress for the contestants ;)

I'm bringing my LOVE POTION FLOATS and ROSE CAKE POPS to the party....DRINKS & DESSERTS....that's what it's all about right?!?!?

Love Potion Float Tutorial: HERE!

Rose Cake Pop Tutorial: HERE!

Both of these treats are sure to bring some SWEET festivity to your Valentine's Day table this year ;) If any of you have tried either of these, or are planning to...I'd LOVE to hear from you!

I hope you'll ALL pop on over to the Virtual Valentines Party THIS Sunday to check out the FUN ideas and tutorials! I know I'll need something to do while the rest of my house is glued to Superbowl-vision :)

~Audrey

My Cake Pop Journey...

So...unless you've been curled up, nice and cozy style, under a rock somewhere....you've heard of Cake Pops right??? Hopefully, you've even had the chance to taste or make your own.

A mere 4 years ago (TODAY) Bakerella shared her unbelievably sweet and inspiring Cupcake Pops on her blog...and the rest...well...you know ;) She graciously asked her followers to share their Cake Pop experiences on her POST declaring today NATIONAL CAKE POP DAY....and I wanted to share MY Cake Pop journey with all of you.

In 2010 my daughter was born, so that meant we had 2 kiddos under the age of 2 in daycare, and I was looking for a way to make a little extra money. I worked a full-time job, but was hoping I could start doing something I really LOVED and make it profitable...just enough for me to be able to stay home with the kiddos and offset the cost of daycare...I wasn't looking for world domination here ;)

I founded Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats that summer. I started selling baked goods, cookies, cupcakes, pretzel dippers...really anything that I liked to bake was on the menu. It was GREAT because it gave me a real excuse to get in the kitchen and bake my little heart out...my friends and family had been telling me I should for YEARS!

I stumbled upon Bakerella's AMAZING baking blog about one month into my little venture...I was instantly SMITTEN! The Cake Pops seriously STOLE MY HEART! I started simply, making basic pops....even then I doubted that I could tackle the detailed character pops.

I had a friend who relentlessly badgered me into attempting some Elmo Pops for her daughter's birthday party....they turned out SO stinkin' cute! It really was a LIGHTBULB moment for me! Trying to tackle something I thought I couldn't do, and succeeding....I wanted to try SO many more! I realized that that was it...I felt like I had really found my niche!

That fall, I participated in a Cupcake Skewer Contest hosted by Pizzazzerie...for which Bakerella was a judge, and  part of the prize package included a SIGNED COPY of her book! I entered....and WON!

Then, when a signing tour was announced....I was BEYOND giddy! I traveled with my sister to Chicago (from Iowa) to meet her! I was so excited I seriously could...barely speak....for those of you that know me personally, it may be a hard concept to get your brain around...me...without WORDS - LOL!  I felt a little stalkerish to be honest....I wanted to THANK her....for inspiring me...for making me feel like I could do this...but instead, I spoke a handful of words and giggled - LOL!



See...I look CRAZED...I'm surprised I was allowed to get that close to her - LOL!


Later that year I had some of my Cake Pops selected to be in Bakerella's POP STAR section! This was HUGE for me...to have something I created on HER site, where I continue to find inspiration...well I'll just say...it was kind of  BIG DEAL!

After I had been taking orders for a little over a year, my husband and I decided it was time for me to take the plunge and stay home! I felt SO blessed....blessed to have found a way to be home with my kiddos during the day, blessed with the support of AMAZING family and friends, blessed to have met SO many amazing people online and in person through this business....the Cake Pop community is one of the most supportive and generous that you'll find ANYWHERE!

I try to post new Cake Pop creations as I make them...and have even posted a couple of Cake Pop tutorials myself! I've had people ask WHY I posted tutorials...when I make a living SELLING my Cake Pops...why would I want to show other people how? It's one of those things....when you find REAL JOY and PASSION doing what you do....I think it's only natural to want to SHARE that...to put a little bit of it back out into the world....I mean really, what would Bakerella do? LOL! Sidenote...when I'm working through a new pop I ask myself that ALL THE TIME...WWBD...maybe we should get bracelets ;)

TUTORIAL: Apple Pencil Cake Pops!

 

TUTORIAL: Rose Cake Pops

So here is a round-up of some of the Cake Pops I've made...I hope you enjoy! Thank you ALL for continuing to support this venture....it has been rewarding BEYOND MEASURE!

If you don't follow me on FB please pop over...I post new Cake Pops & Cupcakes there too!!!

 





classic white cake pops used as wedding favors









~Audrey

It's Peanut Butter Jelly TIME!

I've wanted to make Peanut Butter Jelly Cupcakes for seriously 5 years now! Why-OH-WHY did it take me SO long? I have NO good reason, but I FINALLY got around to making some this week to take to Brickside Cafe.

Let me introduce you to my PEANUT BUTTER JELLY SURPRISE CUPCAKES!

It's a Peanut Butter Cupcake with Grape Jelly filling....the SURPRISE is the Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting ;) I make Peanut Butter Jelly Surprise Sandwiches for the kiddos sometimes and sneak a little Marshmallow Creme in the middle, so it only made sense to incorporate that into the cupcake.

These are one of my newest FAVES....I think I say that every time I make a new flavor....but in my defense...I MEAN it EVERY time - LOL!

~Audrey

Love Potion FLOATS!

I have a super CUTE, super EASY and super YUMMY Valentine's Day treat to share with you all!

Let me introduce you to LOVE POTION FLOATS!

I'm SO excited to share this FIZZY DELICIOUSNESS with you all....and even MORE excited that they're also being FEATURED over at one of my absolute FAVORITE party inspiration sites, PIZZAZZERIE!

I've been making LOVE POTION FLOATS with the kiddos for the past few years and they're always a BIG hit. You can easily change them up using different flavors of ice cream or sherbet, and by changing the type of soda you pour on....the options are seriously ENDLESS!

Here is what you'll need to make our FAVORITE version:

LOVE POTION FLOATS

Ingredients and Supplies:
Raspberry Sherbet
Raspberry Ginger Ale
Whipped Cream Topping
Sprinkles
Serving Glasses
Ice Cream Scoop
Straws
Stickers or other embellishments

Directions:
First, add enough scoops of Raspberry Sherbet to fill each of your serving glasses almost to the top.

Next, pour the Raspberry Ginger Ale over the Sherbet until the bubbles reach the top of the glass. Be careful not to overfill the cup or they'll bubble right over!

Put a big SWIRL of whipped topping on the Ginger Ale-Sherbet mixture and add FESTIVE sprinkles to the top.

Finally, I like to add stickers or other fun printable embellisments to the paper straws before serving...to give them that EXTRA cute factor!

These are absolutely PERFECT for Valentine's Day treats...and SO yummy, you'll be making them ALL the time!

Enjoy ;)
Audrey

VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIALS!

VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIALS!

Taking PRE-ORDERS NOW through February 10^th!

Contact Audrey at sweetcheeks at southslope dot net or call 319.241.8647

All Valentine’s Day orders will be available for PICK-UP on either the 13^th or 14^th!

Specify which date you prefer when you place your order.

CUPID’S CUPCAKE & CAKE POP COLLECTIONS

Give your Sweetie Pie an AMAZING Sampler of YUMMY Cupcakes and/or Cake Pops that Cupid HIMSELF would be THRILLED to receive!

 THE CUPCAKE COLLECTION

$12 per 6PK

Each 6PK will include the following Cupcake flavors:

SURE THING CUPCAKES – Pink Champagne Cupcake stuffed with a Fresh Strawberry Marscapone Filling, topped with Champagne Buttercream Frosting and finished with a Strawberry Slice.

CHOCOLATE ERUPTION CUPCAKES – Rich, Dark Chocolate Cake, topped with decadent Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Sprinkles and finished with a Chocolate KISS.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES – Scrumptious Red Velvet Cake, topped with silky Cream Cheese Frosting and finished with a JUMBO HEART sprinkle.

THE CAKE POP COLLECTION

$15 per DZ

Each DZ will include the following Cake Pop Flavors*:

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY – Strawberry Cake Balls dipped in Chocolate, sticked and sprinkled

STRAWBERRIES & CRÈME – Strawberry Cake Balls dipped in White Almond Bark, sticked and sprinkled

RED VELVET – Red Velvet Cake Balls dipped in Chocolate, sticked and sprinkled

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE – Chocolate Cake Ball dipped in Chocolate, sticked and sprinkled

*exact flavor combinations can be substituted without notice