Oh, Oh, I'll vote too!! I love anything that can help kids. And Lord knows $2,000 would help any school and for it to be for good healthy snacks is great. I teach at a low looow economic school and most of my kids dont get good meals at home. So this one hits close to my heart.

Good luck Julie! Please keep us updated!

Ok, so I have to share my good news with my gals! I made the tushie cake for a friend of mine who was hosting a baby shower for her friend. Well, today I got a call from a lady who's daughter attended the shower and told her mom all about my cake and now she wants me to make her one for a shower she is hosting! I usually only do cakes for my friends and family, but I took this as a compliment and I am excited to do this for her. I am not a licensed bakery and I am charging her the cost of ingredients, so thats not too against the law, is it? Anyway, I'm excited and wanted to share!

Lisa, unfortunately, depending on your states laws, yes, that is *technically* illegal. HOWEVER, some states will allow you to do it without licensing as long as you meet certain criteria. For example, I do not require a license, but I cannot do over a certain level of income. (But it's like 25K or something ridiculous, I don't even get close) and I cannot bake and sell to commercial sources that will then resell them to people. There are a long list of rules, but as long as I am within those guidelines, I am legal.

I used yellow cake mix, non doctored, and so far, they look gooey and chocolatey where the candy pieces are, I chopped them up so they'd be about the size of a pea or smaller. The kit kat ones I practiced on last night, had little crunchy pieces throughout them, I made 2 boxes of kit kat in chocolate cake mix, and they were gone by noon, if I hadnt had one for breakfast before work, I wouldnt have gotten taste them!!

Mel, shhhh... please dont tell...

I have a question about making strawberry bettercream.....DO I just add a strawberry extract or do I need to add anything else? I have the already whipped kind! OH yeah its for a man so I wouldn't wanting the icing to be pink

I know I am not doing this the best way, but I dont do a lot of cakes and when I do, they are all usually for family and friends. I bake a lot and send them to work with my husband most of the time.

Anyhow, I have been on the hunt for a rental space, like a rent by the hour. Of course around here in BFE there arent any places like that. I have always been a city girl and the second I move out to the stix I decide to make this my hobby. Go figure. Cant get any bettercream and I couldnt even use it legally if I had some! I need some connections for a good rental space. Any ideas for a newbie?

Thanks Lisa!! I'd do anything for kids too! and animals!! I see the cute kitty in your picture (or is it Avatar???--still not used to all the computer lingo, but trying). Good luck on the Tushie cake, it's very flattering when other people want you to do something for them!

Take care and I will keep you updated, thanks for asking.

Julie

Thanks Julie... yes, that is our new kitty. Rescued from the doorstep of the school I teach at. How sad is that?

Good luck in your contest, let us know how it turns out. I sent the link to some family and friends.

Yah Lisa, I want to smooch my screen every time I see your avatar! Hehehe. I am kitten crazy!! If they stayed small like that I'd have at least a dozen!

Well, I have her sister in my other bathroom if youre interested!! LOL

Thanks for spreading the word!

You sound like me -- I rescued a cat (about 1 year old or less) last winter in Chicago area when temps were 20 below with the wind chill. Someone (jerk) must of dumped her off in my neighborhood she was not a wild cat because she was friendly and desperate. She was pawing at the windows and doors to get in my house and who could blame her! I had to leave for Florida the next day, so my son made a little house with blankets and a crate on the back porch and my neighbor feed her -- she was still there when we got back and is now fat and sassy and living comfortably indoors!! I worried the whole time I was in Florida. I guess she knew just where to go.

Julie

Aww, how sweet!! Youre right, she knew whos windows she was scratchin on! I have 2 pound puppies , one kitty we found at McDonalds, later named Mac, and now this little rugrat. I picked up 2 of them, still trying to find a home for the other one. But, I honestly think they were left there for a reason, as with our other babies. We were meant to have them all! They fit perfectly in our home!

We have a lot in common!

Ok, youre lucky this time! I think I may have found a home for her. A girl in my cake class is going to let me know for sure if she can take her, but I know she and her mom were really excited last week.

But next time I find a cutie like this one, I'll be knockin at your door! Kitty in one hand, and some cuppies in the other, of course.

hi all.. sorry to jump in :p but could i ask if anyone has tried replacing melted chocolate with hazelnut spread/ nutella?? I love nutella and would love to make a nutella cupcake but haven't had any luck finding a nutella cupcake recipe that actually uses nutella as an ingredient in making the cupcake batter.. anyone knows?

Okay, a disclaimer before the pics: I just got a new super fancy SLR camera a couple of weeks ago. We're still getting used to each other, so the pics taken inside are still a little rough. I need to figure out which lens/ setting I need to use and just havent had time to sit down and play with it. I'll take better shot's of the finished cuppies tomorrow when I can take them outside in good lighting.

The first show is the cc's without icing. Like I said, not pretty, but VERY tasty. (They look overdone, but the insides were PERFECT- I guess because of the lime juice?)




The second is the cuppies without decoration. You can see the tiny flecks of lime zest in the icing.



The last is the cc with lime decoration (and BAD lighting). These are not the candies I wanted, but I just didnt feel like going to a real candy store and getting the ones that actually look like limes.



Oh, I have to add that I had like 10 people try these today (thanks to my daughter's gymnastics class ) and EVERYONE loved the icing. The adults were thrilled that it wasnt too sweet and the lime juice and zest in the cake batter gave it a definite zing! I'll def be making these again.

Julie-- those are sooooo cute!! And sound amazing. Your piping is beautiful!

Julie ! Way to go ! They look wonderful !

Julie, those look great! I'm anxious to try those with the strawberry/cream cheese. Sounds sooo good!

Chef Julie your cupcakes sound extremely yummy! The strawberry/lime is wonderful I bet!

Schmulie65 a.k.a Julie

Julie you are very welcome and I sure hope you win.

GrandmaG sorry to hear that yours weren't on clearance but maybe they will go on clearance soon. I hope so.

I'm thinking about going back and getting more. At those prices they are probably gone anyway.

Have yall seen these? I found them in the template gallery. I thought they were too cute, and they're made out of plates!! I have seen plates like these everywhere, I even think they are on clearance at my WalMart right now!

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_88358.html
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_88359.html

Lisa,

Those are so pretty and I've seen those sets too. I think it was at Walmart also. I might have to go check it out especailly if there's a chance that they are on clearance. I love all the color possibilities.

Thanks,
Meemaw

Wow, Lisa,

I love the stacking plates, glad you found and shared the idea! I won't rest until I go to the Dollar Store or Wal-mart. I think, if I remember correctly that Walgreens has summer stuff on clearance and they did have some plastic plates and cups as well. It might be worth checking out too!

Schmulie (Julie)--Not sure what name to use, I know that there is at least one other person named Julie on this thread, right??

Schmulie65.. Might want to use your CC name , The other Julie is part of her CCname to !(chefjulieatkins)..Just a thought !