Cake Byte: New Teacher Cuppie Rubber Stamps by Taylored Expressions!

Totally sweet! Taylored Expressions has released some new stamps with CakeSpy imagery--this time, why not stamp something sweet to show your appreciation for a great teacher?

Here's the scoop, from the Taylored Expressions newsletter:

Cuppie is back in three brand new A La Carte images from Jessie Oleson! This is the first time we've offered Cuppies in the single image option and we think you'll find them irresistible! Pick up one, two or all three. Not only can you incorporate these adorable images into cards for your kids' teachers, but it's a great opportunity to get your kids involved too!

P.S. How cute is this: customer Melissa Sauls had a wonderful idea when she stamped a Cuppie card and had her son color it in for his teacher! (pictured left)

See all three A la Carte Cuppie stamps by clicking here; you'll also want to hop over the TE Gallery to see all the sweet samples by the Baker's Dozen!

Cake Byte: Two New Cake Molds You Need

It's no secret that CakeSpy loves Fred, that arbiter of creative and cute products like the ABC Cookie Cutters and the "Peace" of cake mold.

And now they've done it again, with two fantastic new cake molds, both of which can be purchased at WeeCanShop, who kindly alerted me to their existence: the Cakewich Sandwich Cake mold, pictured above, which is described thusly:

The best thing since sliced bread… is cake!  Our silicone Cakewich Sandwich Cake Mold is shaped like a big hunk of white bread - just bake and slice to make double-decker sandwich cakes with yummy fillings.  Be creative and create a raspberry-vanilla Reuben or even a chocolate-butter-creme Sloppy Joe...  Use your favorite cake recipe or try the recipe and assembly instructions that we've included for our Famous PB&J Pound Cake! 

and then there's also the TeaCupcakes mold, which has this description:

Bake and serve your cupcakes right in these teacup-shaped silicone molds and delight your tea party guests! We’ve included four reusable, food-safe silicone baking cups complete with saucers for a most elegant presentation. TeaCupCakes are 100%-pure silicone and phthalate-free plastic. 

Yup, that's right. You don't want these--you need them. Buy them at WeeCanShop.

Salty and Sweet: Bacon and Cupcake Mugs by CakeSpy

Dudes. Dudettes. Brace yourselves for the awesome: it's time to introduce the newest CakeSpy product, the bacon-and-cupcake mug!

The perfect intersection of sweet and salty, this sweet mug has the imagery to sum up some of coffee's finest complements! And in case you failed to notice, they're also wielding mini cocktail glasses--so pretty much all the bases are covered. Worried that your vegan friends will judge you? Please, don't panic: rest assured that these mugs are not only vegan, but gluten free and calorie-free to boot!

These are classic 11-ounce mugs printed in full color so you get a bright and vibrant hit of sweetness every time you reach for a cup of coffee! 

Pretty much the only mistake you could make is not buying one.

Available at cakespyshop.com. Doughnuts not included (sorry).

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet and Cute Things!

Hungry for something sweet? Well, there's only one solution for that: eat a delicious baked good! And then, to tide you over til you're hungry again, enjoy these sweet (but not sugary) treats:

To have and hold:

Baker Ninja by Shawnimals: This adorable plush toy (pictured left) is the perfect collector's item for the stealthy sweet tooth. As cute as it is, even more fun is the backstory: "Working deep in the maze of caverns under Mt. Feroshi, the Baker Ninjas not only have the unique skill to craft the secret Ninja Star Cookies, they can also withstand the deadly heat and toxic fumes. They wear special quilted, anti-lava Ninja robes, an inch-thick visor, and a fancy apron, too." (thanks to Bethany of Boofy Cakes for the tip!)

Speak Sweetly Stationery: Speaking of the multi-talented Bethany of Boofy Cakes, check out the new line of sweet stationery she's selling on Etsy--it's all handmade and largely cake and baked good-themed.

Miss Cupcake Mini Series by Kid Robot: Sweet but not delicious, these cupcakes are a delight to have and hold (pictured left).

Donut Plushies by Heidi Kenney for Kid Robot: Who doesn't love Heidi Kenney's adorable work? These donut plushies remain sweet long after the breakfast donuts have gone stale.

Crochet Black and White Cookie from Bluebottle Art: Even if you're not in NYC, you can enjoy the iconic treat whenever you like with this handmade crochet back and white cookie by artist Alicia Kachmar. (pictured top, top center)

CakeSpy ornaments: Not just for Christmas, these plush sweeties would look great hung from a rear view window, or in your cubicle! Make every day sweeter! (pictured top, bottom left)

To wear:

Aaron Meshon Zipper Pulls: You'll want to zip it good with these coo-worthy zipper pulls designed by artist Aaron Meshon.

Let's Mix it Up Tee by Loyal Army: Love to bake? Let the world know with this tee, featuring anthropomorphic ingredients. (pictured top, top left)

Girl Scouts Cookie Time Pin: This embroidered pin (pictured left) is better than any watch, because it always has the right time: Cookie Time!

To hang or decorate:

Girl Scout Cookies Magnets: Of course you love Girl Scout Cookies, but what about the sad times of the year when they're not available? You can comfort yourself by hanging up recipes or notes on the fridge with these Girl Scout Cookie-inspired magnets. (pictured top, bottom right)

Lemon Meringue Pie Print by Christine Larsen: Seattle-based illustrator Christine Larsen is a CakeSpy soul mate, frequently painting robots and delicious sweets. A favorite pick? How 'bout this double decker dose of deliciousness to hang in your house: a print featuring a sweet slice of lemon meringue pie! (pictured top, top right)

Steve Morris Gnome and Cake Print: Everyone loves cake...but throw a gnome and ladybug into the mix, and you've got some sweet art on the table (or on the wall, as it were). These limited edition prints would look great in a kitchen. (pictured left)

Justin Richel Prints: While we're talking about cake art, it would be remiss not to remind you of how awesome Justin Richel's delicate cake and confectionery paintings are (an absolute CakeSpy favorite! pictured top, bottom center).

Whipped Dream: Ice Cream Lamps from Whippy

You know that song, Blinded by the Light? Where they say "Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun...but mama, that's where the fun is"?

Well, catchy as the song may be, it's wrong. All the fun--and sweetness--is much better illuminated in these sweet ice cream-shaped "Whippy" lamps by Mixko designers Nahoko Koyama and Alex Garnett. Unfortunately for US citizens they only seem to be available in the UK, but it sure is sweet to dream about them from over the pond.

Lucky enough to be in the UK (or, ready to shell out some serious shipping fees)? Visit this site to purchase.

Cake Byte: Totally Sweet Rolling Lego Cookie Cutter

This is a sweet find from Cake Gumshoe Matt: a Rolling Lego Cookie Cutter! This is not something I want--this is something I need.

Get the full scoop on cnet.com; to purchase, visit the Lego Online Store.

Cake Byte: CakeSpy for All-Mighty!

Do you love cupcakes? Do you love dogs? Do you love cute?

Well then, my friends, prepare for the triple threat of awesome that is the new CakeSpy / All-Mighty.net collaboration!

All-Mighty is an online shop run by CakeSpy buddies Erica and Jen and their adorable Boston Terriers, Mighty and Stinky! Their shop features all sorts of adorable clothing for humans and their furry friends, and I have collaborated with them on several sets of pins which are now available for purchase in their shop.

First, there's the pack of "Paris Pins", which includes three adorable pins with scenes of Parisian puppies and pastries. They come on a nice thick postcard made of 100% recycled matte paper--and each set comes with a frame-able print on the back.

There's also a pack of "Big Apple Badges" which includes three pins portraying some sweet street scenes from the Big Apple; like the other sets, they come on a nice thick postcard made of 100% recycled matte paper--and each set comes with a frame-able print on the back.

They can be purchased (along with a lot of other cool stuff!) at all-mighty.net!

One Smart Cookie: Love at First Bite with Carol's Cookies

Our love affair with Carol's Cookies began in an unlikely way.

It all began when the Starbucks (a local company, you may have heard of them) marketing people sent us a coupon to try out their new Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. Not prone to turning away free stuff, we ventured over to the 'Bucks, where we sampled the goods. The hot chocolate has a nice flavor--with the slightest salty aftertaste to balance the sweetness--but it's rich as all get-out, and gave a delirious sugar-high after about 6 of the 12 ounces of a small--er, "Tall". Unable to sit still and draw cupcakes after that jolt, our spy ended up taking a long walk and idly looking at the Whole Foods bakery case: it was there that Cakespy encountered the $2.99, 8-ounce (yes, we weighed it) chocolate-walnut deliciousness made by Chicago-based Carol's Cookies. Clearly, it was time to prolong that sugar high.

Our first thought was that these were similar to the large cookies made by Levain, but upon the first bite it was clear that the resemblance was only visual--their textures and flavors, while both delicious, were very different. Whereas Levain's cookies have a delicious crunchiness to the texture,  Carol's cookies are a dream to cookie-dough lovers: lightly crisped on the exterior, giving way to a so-good-it-tingles soft, gooey interior, with pockets of caramel-y brown sugar, studded--but not saturated--with chocolate chips and nuts. The rich flavor is chased by the slightest bit of nuttiness (perhaps due to their use of wheat flour?) and a baby-bit of saltiness. 

And if they hadn't already won us over with their flavor, the indulgent cookie enhancement ideas on the site sealed the deal--once we saw their suggestion for the Breakfast of Champions--"Break up an Oatmeal Raisin with Pecans Cookie and add your favorite milk for a great way to start your day"--we knew we'd discovered a kindred spirit. 

Intrigued? Carol's Cookies are available at Whole Foods locations all over the US.

Eat Your Art Out: Sweet Masterpieces by Patianne Stevenson

Cakespy note: The above cupcake is sweet, but not delicious: it's made of cardboard!

What's so awesome about dessert? Well, there's the obvious answer--everything! But if pressed, we might say that our favorite aspect is that it's such a simple and attainable luxury--something that can so easily turn around a bad day, make an event special--something that just makes life sweeter. Literally.

And that sweetness is celebrated beautifully with Art on the Menu, a collection of artwork by Seattle-based Patianne Stevenson. We're equal parts in love with her painterly renditions of sweets, and completely awe of her painstaking cardboard renditions of dainty desserts (yes--the pictures to the left are made of cardboard!). Our Head Spy Jessie recently wrote a story about her for DailyCandy Seattle, and in researching it got to pick her brain a bit about her art; here's what we learned!

Desperately seeking sweetness: who is the artist?

I am a real foodie, and an artist. That's Art On The Menu: a life combing both my loves. I am formally trained in the visual arts, however cooking and baking are also an art form for me. Place painting, sculpture, cooking and baking in the bowl and stir until incorporated. They each have the quality of creating something from something. In my life, this not only gives me the picture perfect subject, I get to eat it later! Tasting my subjects is part of the process. And there is never a lack inspiration. At times a painting or cardboard sculpture will begin with a recipe which I will make; at other times I just have to eat french fries for dinner...all these moments are inspirational. If I don't have a feeling for what's next in the studio, I "go out". Going out can mean anything from visiting a bakery to shopping the farmers market, or simply discussing food with my foodie friends.

What's the story behind her process?

I seem to have the "deconstructing" nature that I notice in the prose of professional food writers. They are able tell you about the meal, including the look, taste, and ambiance, by poetically describing the parts. I too focus on the bits and parts of a meal to evoke the whole. Rather than words, I use color, pattern, texture and shape. This is how I approach my work, including commissions, which can be anything from depicting a family recipe, to creating a site and color specific piece for that little slice of wall under a cabinet and above the counter in a client's kitchen. It's the same process with my cardboard sculpture. Although it is three dimensional, cardboard has color, pattern, texture and shape. I especially love the inconsistencies and little imperfections that arise in the final pieces from the "Cardboard Kitchen". It's just like finished recipes from the other kitchen in that way, but without the oven of course!

Why does she do it?

I love painting sweets! They're always beautiful, happy, and fun. But, my favorite baked subject has to be the cupcake! The variations are endless. It's like a fashion show! Enrobing can run from classic buttercream to the cupcake encrusted with the most outrageously gorgeous colors and fondant decorations. Even the outer garment, the paper cup, can make a stylish appearance. And of course there's the cake as the surprise. I just bought a little beauty to paint from a local bakery. The cake is pineapple rum flavored. I am so excited! So now I have to admit I also love to eat them. I think of it as eating a whole cake at once!

On her hometown:

We Seattlites are incredibly lucky to have many truly wonderful cafes, bistros, restaurants, and bakeries. I can never decide on just where to take visitors, unless I have a month. And are we ever blessed in the cupcake department! We not only have several very well known bakeries dedicated to the cupcake, we have a head spinning array of bakeries producing delicious, elegant, high quality gemlike cupcakes! Are we in heaven?

What's next?

That's easy...there is so much beautiful food out there!

Wanna buy some art?

Large format paintings are available through the artist's website, artonthemenu.com. Small format paintings, and cardboard sculpture are available through her etsy shop, artonthemenu.etsy.com.

Sweet Stuff: Cool Cake Finds from Cakespy

Some say that the hours between 9 and 5 on the weekdays are for dedicating yourself to your career. Hours between which one ought to tirelessly performs tasks, answer inquiries with a smile, and work toward that "life's purpose".

However, there are others who call these hours "prime time for scouting cool stuff on the internet"--and man, have we spied some cool stuff lately!

The first find, thanks to Cake Gumshoe Kimberly, is the newly released Batter Finger by Fred. Fred is a company we frequently look to for inspiration and cool products--and this is no exception. A functional spatula, it makes a clever play on how we're all really scraping the bowl clean (you know, when nobody's looking)--but provides a safe alternative to using your fingers, you heathen, you. Don't miss their heart-shaped measuring spoons either! Batter Finger, $7.99;

The second thing we're lusting after this week is the cheeky, punky yet still sugar-sweet pendants by Stoopidgerl. We first came across her work through her flickr page, and have become obsessed with her creations: rendered with real sugar and candy, they're finished with resin that makes them look positively candy-coated. And this brand of sweetness won't leave you with a sugar hangover later. Left, Sugar Skull Pendant, $20; available online.

The third one is so hot it's not even in stores yet--adorable cupcake sculptures by Bonnie B Pottery! Bonnie, a talented artist who has also worked as a professional baker, has baked up batches of these tiny rattle / sculptures which we hope will soon be surfacing on her Etsy store. Made with tiny clay balls inside, they make the happiest little sound when you shake them. Keep them in your pocket as a sweet talisman, or place it on a shelf or windowsill as an objet d'art; ours always makes us smile. Available by special order; contact Bonnie via bonniebpottery.etsy.com.

This one may be old news for savvy Seattleites, but hold tight, sweetsters across the nation: back by popular demand, Cupcake Royale has relaunched their beloved "Legalize Frostitution" tee-- we love the new heather grey-and-pink color combination! Better still, they're done on supersoft American Apparel tees. And while we could rhapsodize at greater length, perhaps their website says it best: "Sass it up. Sass it up good." $16; available at Cupcake Royale.