A Very Special Cake Poll and Giveaway: It's Cakespy's Birthday!

Do you remember the day you were born, Cakespy? After all, it was one year ago--on August 1----that we made our inaugural post. How the time has gone! In some ways we can't believe it's been a year, and yet at the same time, it seems inconceivable that it's only been a year. One sugar-filled, dentist's nightmare of a year.

While we could regale you with the story of Cakespy's birth, we thought it would be much funner to have a poll and give away some sweet stuff! In keeping with the birthday theme, our subject is birthday cake. And since it's a special day, there will be not one but four winners! 

• Winner 1 will get the original painting shown at the top; 
• Winner 2 will get a Cakespy T-Shirt (Unisex sizes XS-L, winner will be notified and asked for a size; no need to put it in your response); 
• Winners 3 and 4 will receive a box of 10 assorted Cakespy Notecards!

The fine print: The poll will be closed at 12 noon PST on Wednesday, August 6th; responses may be posted in the comments section or emailed to jessieoleson@gmail.com. As usual, winners will be chosen at random, and will be assigned prizes in the order mentioned above (sorry, no swapping). Entries from the US and beyond are welcome. Your info will never be shared and these questions are solely motivated by our nosy spy tendencies.

Cake Poll: Birthday Cake!

1. What kind of cake did you have for your birthday when you were little?
2. What kind of cake do you want for your next birthday?
3. Whipped cream frosting: yes or no? (Feel free to explain)
4. Licking the frosting from the bottom of the candles: do you do it?
5. Fruit filling: a sweet surprise, or disappointment in the middle?
6. Ice cream cakes: awesome or awful?
7. Is it wrong to have a birthday pie instead of a cake?
8. What's the best thing about birthday cake?

Please note--the poll is CLOSED! 

Cake Byte: The Results of our Giveaway!

Show's over, folks--the cake poll is closed, and we've chosen a winner from over 250 responses (the total between comments left and responses emailed!).

And the lucky winner is Maddi from Florida!

Let's learn a bit more about Maddi, shall we?

• Her ideal time for cake-eating is late morning, almost noontime--"It makes a great breakfasty snack!"--and she always enjoys hers with a glass of ice cold milk.
• As for her cupcake color choice? Pink frosting every time--a girl after our own hearts.
• As for the part of a sheet cake she likes best? The middle.
• As for cake a la mode, she's not committing quite yet: "It depends on the cake, but I myself will never turn down a good scoop of vanilla ice cream."
• As for grocery store cakes, living near a grocer with a particularly good bakery section, she's not opposed--but as for ice cream cakes, "now...those are a a whole different story."
• When it comes to temperature, she'll take her cake room temperature.
• As for baking vs. decorating, her favorite part is the decorating: "Despite how labor intensive it is, it's a labor of love!"
• And finally, when it comes to her special occasions, cakewise it's usually a semi-sweet white cake is the norm for most occasions in my family, but once in a while chocolate will make a comeback.

Congratulations Maddi, and thank you for everyone's responses! We loved learning more about you and your cake references--even though we are not able to respond to every entry, we read every single one!

Til next time--stay sweet!

{Bitter}Sweet: A Cake Poll and Cakespy Book Giveaway!

It's that time again: our monthly cake poll and giveaway! Our giveaway this month is pretty awesome--the winner will receive a copy of our first ever book--an illustrated collection of Cakespy illustrations entitled {Bitter}Sweet: A Study in Contrasts. Each page has a "sweet" scene (cupcakes acting cute!), contrasted with another "bittersweet" image (cupcakes in peril!) on the accompanying page! It's a sweet collection including 32 pages, packed with illustrations in full color--perfect for any lover of cake, illustration, or, you know, both. Learn more about the book here.

As for the poll? This time, we've got cake on the brain! It must be the time of year--Cakespy's birthday is coming up on August 1--we already have all sorts of birthday cake visions floating in our mind!

CAKE POLL: CAKE PREFERENCES!

1. What's the best time of day to eat cake?
2. What's your favorite beverage to accompany cake?
3. There's a plate of frosted cupcakes--all the same flavor--but frosted in pink, white, yellow, blue, green, and lavender. Which would you reach for first?
4. On a sheet cake: Do you prefer and end, middle, or corner piece?
5. Cake a la mode (with ice cream on the side): simply perfection, or simply too much?
6. Grocery store birthday cakes: guilty pleasure, or simply never?
7. Do you like your cake cold, room temperature, or warm?
8. When baking a cake or cupcakes, which part of the process do you like best: the baking, or the decorating?
9. What kind of cake do you like to make (or eat) for your most special occasions?

How can you put your name in the running? It's easy! All you need to do is this:

• To satisfy our nosy tendencies (we are spies, after all), fill out the above Cake Poll! You can leave your responses in the comment section, or send your responses via email to jessieoleson@gmail.com.
• At 12pm PST on Wednesday, July 9, the Cake Poll will be closed. The winner will be chosen at random, not based on their responses. The prize will then be shipped to the lucky winner within 48 hours, via the most economical method.
• As for our fine print: The results of this poll will be used for entertainment and Cake Gumshoeing purposes only; we may summarize the results of this poll in upcoming posts. Your private information will not be shared with any outside parties. Also, we've elected to leave the cake poll open to all US Territories, Canada and abroad--so even overseas cake enthusiasts can take part!

Cake Byte: The Results of our Regional Specialties Giveaway!

Well, the long weekend has chipped away, and now it has come to a close--as has our May Giveaway! And we have a winner...(drumroll please)...

Marla, from Hawaii! 

A big congratulations to Marla, whose name was chosen at random, for winning our super May Giveaway, which includes a wonderful Dorie Greenspan book (c/o our friends at Yummr) as well as a Cakespy Magnet and buttons (!). 

But even more so a big thanks to Marla, who alerted us to the following Hawaii specialties which cannot be missed:

Malasadas from Leonard’s Bakery, which she describes as "a pastry dough that is deep fried until lusciously crispy on the outside. It’s a pseudo donut minus the hole, sprinkled in sugar…with variations like cinnamon sugar coated or FILLED (drippingly divine) with standard cremes and more local versions."
Ensemadas, which are described as "an egg bread spiral roll with a fluffy butter spread on top dusted with confection sugar."
Coco puffs (famous at Liliha Bakery), a "gem" that " starts with a basic crème puff, but oozes with a chocolate pudding type filling and it’s topped with Chantilly. These are addictive!"

Congratulations again to Marla, and we think we know what we'll be eating when we go to Hawaii!

Cake Poll: Regional Specialties and a Giveaway!

What's sweeter than a long weekend? How about Cakespy's Monthly Cake Poll and Giveaway?

This month, you're in for a treat: the kind folks at Yummr have donated a great book for our giveaway, Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours (c/o Houghton-Mifflin Books). This tome of sweetness has recipes ranging from pinkies-out desserts like Coconut- Roasted Pineapple Dacquoise to simpler but no less delicious Brownie Buttons or mouthwatering pecan biscuits. Can we say delicious?

But wait, there's more: the lucky winner will also win a 2-pack of Cakespy Buttons and a jumbo magnet featuring the sweetest scene, like, in the world--a robot giving a cupcake a flower! 

*Also, readers who don't win the cookbook also have other chances to win by visiting Yummr's "Cookbook a Day in the Month of May" Giveaway.
Of course, if you're bummed that you missed out on the buttons, they're for sale at jessieoleson.etsy.com!

How can you put your name in the running? It's easy! All you need to do is this:

• To satisfy our nosy tendencies (we are spies, after all), fill out the below Cake Poll! You can leave your responses in the comment section, or send your responses via email to jessieoleson@gmail.com.
  
• At 5pm PST on Monday, May 26, the Cake Poll will be closed. The winner will be chosen at random, not based on their responses. The prize(s) will then be shipped to the lucky winner within 48 hours, via the most economical method.
  
• As for our fine print: The results of this poll will be used for entertainment and Cake Gumshoeing purposes only; we may summarize the results of this poll in upcoming posts. Your private information will not be shared with any outside parties. Also, we've elected to leave the cake poll open to all US Territories, Canada and abroad--so even overseas cake enthusiasts can take part! 

Cake Poll: Preferences and Regional Specialties!

1. Where are you originally from? 
   
2. Where do you live now?
   
3. *If* the Cakespy crew were taking a road trip across the nation, what baked goods or bakeries would be a must-try in your area (either the area you live now, or the area you're originally from)?
4. What was your favorite baked good or dessert item when you were little?
   
5. What is your favorite baked good or dessert item now?
   
6. What was the last dessert item or baked good that really "wowed" you?
   
7. Are there any desserts or baked goods that you just can't stand?