Any ideas on how someone can get their cakes/cupcakes in a restaurant or store? Everything is franchised now and extremely tideous. Any suggestions? Or what would be a great convention to display my items?

Wal~Mart, for one, supports local vendors. I know they used to require details such as packaging, display, production and demand(as in your plans on filling the demand...would you be able to continue the supply and/or for how long. The items were strictly vendor managed at store level. Then, depending on how well it did, could be asked to supply for district or even company wide.

I'm not sure how it's done anymore but there used to be a vendor request form (not sure the name of the form)

Dewey's Pizza serves desserts from local companies. They have stores in Ohio, Kentucky, and Missouri if you're near those areas. And they have great, fresh pizza... a real quality product.