(CLOSED) Cake Poll: Totally Sweet Snubbr Cookbook Giveaway!

Who's ready to win something sweet?

(pause for deafening applause)

(realization that on the internet, you can't hear anyone cheer)

OK, so here's the deal. It's a totally sweet giveaway sponsored by Snubbr.com!

What cookbook have you always wanted to try?

We're giving away a 1 free cookbook, any cookbook you want - it could be a baking cookbook, vegan cookbook, whatever (as long as it's under $30) to 1 lucky reader.

How do you enter? Just leave a comment below with the title of the cookbook you covet, and why you want to win it, and next Friday, June 4, at 12 p.m. PST, we'll pick one winner at random and send you the cookbook. US residents only this time, please.

Of course, if you need recommendations for cookbooks, head on over to Snubbr.com (the ones sponsoring this sweet giveaway). It's a new site that is like Yahoo Answers for shopping advice. You just ask them a question like "What's the best cookbook?" and their experts will dish out recommendations for you.

Cake Poll: Totally Sweet Jessie Steele Apron Giveaway!

My only regret with this giveaway is that I myself cannot enter--I'm told that this is what they call a "conflict of interest".

Too bad, cos it's a totally sweet prize: a duo of mother-and-daughter aprons by Jessie Steele!

Yup, that's right: one lucky winner (US and Canada entrants only, please) will win not one but two Jessie Steele aprons (a prize worth over $50 USD!) in their popular "Audrey" design--aka, the one with the cute cupcakes! One is sized for adults, and one is sized for children. Undoubtedly even if you don't have children of your own, you won't find it hard to give this pint-sized apron a happy home.

How do you put yourself in the running? It's easy. Just leave a comment below with your response to this pressing cake question:

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one dessert with you, what would it be?

The fine print: Simply post your response in the comments section and you will automatically be entered! The cake poll will close at 12pm PST on Tuesday, March 16, and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Of course, if you find that you can't wait and simply must purchase these aprons, click here to buy. Good luck!

UPDATE: THE WINNER! We have a winner, chosen at random from about 450 entrants: Elizabeth from Jacksonville, FL! What is she gonna make in her Jessie Steele apron? Maybe her "desert island" dessert: "Smores made from my homemade marshmallows and graham crackers to go with my bonfire by the sea". Congratulations to Elizabeth, and come back soon for a new giveaway!

Brownie Points: a Simply Divine Brownies Giveaway!

Brownies are a masterpiece of American cookery. This is not opinion--it's fact. They are--to sum it up concisely--a simply divine treat.

Oh--what a perfect time to introduce the treasure of Portland, Maine--Simply Divine Brownies. They boast a retail bake shop, and will ship their brownies nationwide.

And oh, the brownies. At Casa de CakeSpy, we'd been mildly obsessed with these brownies since having discovered the adorable brownies that look like cupcakes, with the other items on the menu--like dense, chewy brownies in a plethora of flavors and sizes--just adding to the obsession.

And now, dear, lucky readers, you too can share this sweet joy.

Yup: Simply Divine has kindly offered a brownie care package for giveaway on this site.

What can you win? A parcel of pure pleasure, including a sampler of 12 assorted brownie flavors, a package of sweet brownie bites (perfect for smaller appetites, or, you know, eating 3 at a time), and one of those adorable aforementioned trompe l'oeil brownies. Not for nothin', but based on my calculations this is a parcel worth over $75, considering shipping and stuff.

Yeah, you wanna win this.

So how do you enter? It's easy. Just answer the following important brownie questions below in the comments section and you'll be entered to win this sweet package of postal bliss! Of course, if you couldn't possibly wait for brownie bliss, you can mos' def check them out online here and check out their blog here!

Fine Print: The giveaway will close on Sunday, February 22 at 12pm PST; the winner will be announced within the next 48 hours. Entrants in the US only, please. Good luck!

1. What's your type of brownie: chewy, cakey, or fudgy?
2. Frosting on brownies: yes or no?
3. Which brownies in the pan do you covet most: edge or middle?

UPDATE: THE WINNER!

We have a winner, friends! It is Pruittiporn from New Haven, CT, who has this to say about the above brownie poll:

1. I oscillate between fudgy and chewy.

2. No - I prefer my brownie add-ons baked in!

3. I prefer edge, but I'm not opposed to the middle either

A-Weigh We Go: A Cake Poll and Kitchen Scale Giveaway!

Bad Idea: Obsessively weighing yourself. It leads to non-enjoyment of cake, plus you're perfect the way you are (awww).

Good Idea: Obsessively weighing your ingredients when measuring them out for baking. Why? Weighing ingredients is common practice for professional bakers, allowing precision and control over the final outcome of your sweets, so that you'll have reliable results. Don't believe it? Check it out this entry on Brown Eyed Baker, where she experimented to see some of the real differences.

And happily, the supercool Eat Smart Products has kindly offered up one of their Multifunction Digital Kitchen Scales for giveaway! Not only does it have handy functions like a tare feature which allows you to remove the weight of the container your ingredients are in, but it can measure ounces, pounds, grams and kgs -- perfect for if you're trying a recipe from one of those metric system-usin' countries.

How do you enter? It's easy! Simply weigh in (get it?) on the important question below, leaving your response in the comments section below:

Which do you prefer: pie or cake? Why?

Good luck! 

The fine print: This giveaway is open to US entrants only, please. Winner will be able to choose their favorite color scale: they're available in red, white, silver, black chrome, and white chrome. The giveaway will be up until 12 p.m. PST on Sunday, January 31st; the winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Please include your contact information (email) in the comment form so that I know where to find you if you win!

UPDATE: THE WINNER! Congratulations to Laura from New Haven, CT who is definitely on Team Cake! Her prize has been sent out!

Thanks to everyone for participating in the cake poll!

Cake Poll: Sweets In Movies, and a Sweet Giveaway!

Are you ready for some Christmas magic? Heck yes! With that in mind, how 'bout another giveaway?

This time, it's a totally sweet prize pack brought to you by the movie It's Complicated, featuring Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, which was directed by Nancy Meyers and will be in theatres on December 25. Why this movie? Well, because as you know I am fascinated with dessert in movies, and this one features the inimitable Meryl as a baker!

Here's what you can win:

Prize 1: “Uncomplicate Your Holidays with a Visa Cash Card!” -- one winner will receive a $50 Visa Gift Card, and an It’s Complicated tote bag filled with an apron, t-shirt, blanket and the official soundtrack!

Prize 2: Five additional *daily* winners will receive an It’s Complicated Tote Bag filled with an Apron & T-shirt!

These sound like some sweet prizes for movie enthusiasts!

How do you enter?

It's easy: just leave a comment below saying what your favorite food-in-movie scene is! And since I'm feeling generous, feel free to post your favorite sweet or savory food moment in movies!

The giveaway will run for two weeks! In the meantime, check out the trailer below--you can also find out more about the movie on the official website or on Facebook!

Cake Poll: Favorite Christmas Cookies and a Huge Wilton Cookie Exchange Giveaway!

So, check it. Several weeks ago I received an email from Wilton asking if I'd like to check out their new book, Wilton Cookie Exchange--a collection of ideas and recipes for creative Christmas cookies, with plenty of cookie-exchange party ideas. Um, of course I would like to check it out. And to my surprise and delight, about a week later, I received a package--with not only the book, but a veritable truckload of sweet cookie swap schwag--from cookie cutters to decorating gel and sprinkles, to parchment paper and decorative boxes, and even invites--so that I could host my own cookie exchange party. Yes! And so I did. Here are just a few of the cookies people brought:

Pretty much, it was the awesomest holiday party ever, with dozens and dozens of beautiful cookies and great company.

And you know what? You too can experience this cookie nirvana. Wilton has very generously offered to donate the works--the cookie exchange book and comprehensive party package, including what by my estimation tops over $100 worth of cookie decorating and party products--to one lucky CakeSpy reader.

How do you enter yourself to win? It's totally easy. All you have to do is leave a comment saying what your favorite Christmas cookie is (while not necessary, please do feel free to link to a recipe!) in the comments section below. But enter soon: the Cake Poll will close at 12PM PST on Tuesday, December 8, and one winner will be chosen at random. US entrants only this time, please. Good luck!

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UPDATE: The Winner! The winner, chosen at random, is Mandy from Wisconsin! The prize has been received and she reports that she will be hosting a cookie party this weekend! (By the way, her favorite cookie? "Mexican Wedding Cakes/Swedish Teacakes, or whatever you like to call them. Ground pecans, and double-dipped in powdered sugar! Very strong memories of home and baking cookies with my mother.")

Cake Poll: Unusual Cupcake Flavors, and a Chance to Win a $50 Gift Certificate to Sweet Cuppin Cakes!

It's time for a totally sweet giveaway, dudes and dudettes.

Sweet Cuppin Cakes Bakery & Cupcakery Supplies has kindly offered up a $50 gift certificate to one lucky winner! I'm sure you'll have no trouble putting it to good use on cute cupcake and baking accessories: they've got some fantastic cupcake liners, sprinkles and other garnishes, and display items too!

How do you put yourself in the running? It's easy. Just answer the following question:

What is the most unusual cupcake flavor you've ever tasted?

Maple bacon? Chai cardamom? Bananas foster? There are all sorts of unusual cupcake flavor combinations out there--have you sampled any of them? Or if you haven't sampled any unusual flavors, are there any you've wanted to try?

You can enter yourself in the running for a $50 gift certificate to Sweet Cuppin Cakes by entering your response to the above question in the comments section below; you might want to browse their shop in the meantime! The cake poll will close at 12 p.m. PST on Friday, November 13, 2009. Good luck!

Cake Poll: Mixing it Up with the Cake Mix Doctor, and a Giveaway!

Growing up, there were a few things that were forbidden in our house, for various moral or health reasons: Doritos, the show Full House, and cake mix.

As a result, I grew up harboring a secret and dark love for all of these things. The crackle of a Doritos bag opening thrills me; I can't hear the theme song from Full House without feeling just a little shiver of excitement; and while I've come to appreciate homemade baked goods far more, I still don't have a huge problem with cake mix.

So it would stand that I've always been intrigued by the "Cake Mix Doctor" series, and as a result, when Laura at Workman Publishing contacted me to see if I'd like to check out the new and improved The Cake Mix Doctor Returns (a revamped re-release of the original book, with even more recipes), I jumped at the chance.

If you're not familiar with the concept, basically what author Anne Byrne does is take a cake mix and "doctor" it up, offering creative alterations and ingredients that will make all sorts of desserts (not just cakes) with the mix which taste far better than simply mixing-and-baked per the box instructions. And by starting with a cake mix, you have the added ease of not having to make sure you have all of your dry ingredients on hand, which can be helpful for infrequent bakers.

So I tried out several of the recipes in the book, and I have to say, I have been very pleasantly surprised with the results. One in particular though, the "Houdini Bars"--a dense bar cookie with a yellow cake crust filled with a custardy cream cheese, nut, and coconut filling, was so delectable that true to their name, they disappeared in hours (I'll share the recipe in a few days!). Of course, Byrne isn't offering a quick fix to everything--while cake mixes are the core of the book, she insists that you make your own frostings, citing wise words indeed: "frosting is the first and last taste you experience when forking into a slice of cake. It should never be an afterthought", adding that "you can get away with a cake from a mix, but you must make your frosting from scratch."

So, overall, I have to say I was pretty impressed with the book. And I'm not just saying this because Workman donated three copies to give away (although they did)--which leads to the next subject...

Sweet Giveaway!

So, I have three copies of The Cake Mix Doctor Returns to give away! To put your name in the running, simply answer this important ethical question in the comments:

If you make a cake with a mix, is it wrong to hide the fact that it's not completely "homemade"?

Let the games begin! The Cake Poll will close at 12 p.m. PST on Friday, October 2; the winners will be contacted shortly thereafter. If you are leaving an anonymous comment, please be sure to leave an email address so you can be contacted if you win!

UPDATE: THE WINNERS!

The poll is now closed: here are the three winners who were chosen at random!

Felice from Hawaii, who writes the site All That's Left are the Crumbs

Melleah from South Carolina, who writes the site Goode Taste

and finally, Krystel T.!

Thanks everyone for entering!

Cake Byte: Brand New CakeSpy Felt Ornaments, and a Giveaway!

I'm so excited about these new Cuppie ornaments that I can't even come up with a dessert-related pun!

This is a sweet ornament version of Cuppie the Cupcake! This felt puffy ornament is made of layered pink, grey and red felt, finished with embroidery for the eyes and cupcake cup detailing, and of course the pink frosting has some shimmery glittery finish! It measures 3.5" tall. This ornament isn't just for Christmas--it will add sweetness when hung from a window or keep you inspired if hung in your cubicle!

And, happily, they were made in collaboration with local company Party Partners! To purchase, visit cakespyshop.com.

Sweet Giveaway!

Now, this awesome is too good to be contained, so here's a little cake poll to enter to win one of five giveaway Cuppie ornaments! Just answer the following question:

What was the last baked good or dessert you ate?

Just leave your answer in the comment section below before the cutoff of 12 p.m. PST on Friday, 9.25.09; the winners will be chosen at random and announced shortly thereafter. Sorry, US entrants only this time!

UPDATE: THE WINNERS! Five winners have been chosen at random, and have been contacted for the correct addresses to send their prize. Congratulations winners, and til the next giveaway, stay sweet!

Winners:

1. Allie from
2. Sara from Berkeley
3. Julie
4. Cake For Breakfast
5. Kristine from Chicago!

If you are listed here and have not claimed your prize, please email me at jessieoleson@gmail.com.

Cake Poll: Baking Vs. Eating Preferences

It's July, and high time for a sweet giveaway! This time, Carolyn's Kitchen, a very cool company which designs retro-inspired aprons and kitchen accessories, has kindly donated one of their fashionable aqua cupcake aprons (retail value $42!) for the giveaway. I hope I don't need to tell you that this is a totally awesome prize.

How do you put your name in the running? It's easy. Just satisfy my curiosity about sweet preferences. Is what you like to bake the same as what you like to eat? Or are they different? Just answer the following in the comments section below and you'll be entered in the running!

*Please note this giveaway is only open to US Residents. The Cake Poll will close on Monday, July 6 at 12 p.m. PST, and the winner will be contacted for their size/address/info shortly thereafter. If you'd like to shop at Carolyn's Kitchen in the meantime, click here!

• What is your favorite baked good or dessert to make?
• What is your favorite baked good or dessert to eat?

Good luck!

CAKE POLL UPDATE: WE HAVE A WINNER! Christina of the lovely and amazing blog She Runs, She Eats was chosen at random from over 350 entrants (between emailed responses and comments). Thank you to everyone who entered!

Cake Poll: The Winner!

When it comes to eating cupcakes, the methods of eating them are as eclectic as the creative flavors that can be found at the nation's wonderful cupcakeries. But regardless of the method--from inverting and eating sandwich-style to carefully nibbling so as to ensure a bite of cake and frosting in every bite--it's clear that CakeSpy readers take the art of cake eating seriously. 

But honestly, you already knew that. So who won the awesome suite of sweet prizes? 

The winner, chosen at random, is...Tiffany from Everett, WA! Tiffany admits that she will "eat cupcakes any way" -- however, if given the choice, her m.o. is "to break off the bottom and put it on top to make a cupcake sandwich". Delicious!

Congratulations Tiffany, and til next time...stay sweet!

Cake Poll: How Do You Eat A Cupcake?

Musing over methods of snack-eating is practically an American pastime. There have been ad campaigns centered on how people eat Reese's Peanut Butter Cups; there have been studies on the characteristics associated with various methods of Oreo-eating.

But now, it's time to attack the sweetest treat of all: the cupcake. Tell us how you eat yours in the comment section, and you'll be entered to win a completely awesome prize pack, which will include:

• an original framed piece of CakeSpy artwork: Cupcakes and Zombies!
• a set of Bella Cupcake Couture cupcake liners
• a box of CakeSpy notecards
• a brand-new (hot off the press!) mini notebook featuring Cupcakes at CBGB!
• a pack of cupcake lip balm

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How do you eat yours?

Do you eat it with a knife and fork, pinkies out?

Do you tear it in half and discard the bottom so as to increase the frosting-to-cake ratio?

Do you invert it, sandwich-style, to keep your fingers free of frosting?

Do you eat yours with a spoon, served in a dish of milk?

...Or do you just dig in?

Can't wait to read your responses! A winner will be chosen at random shortly after the cake poll closes at noon (12 p.m. PST) on Friday, May 15.

Cake Poll: Let Me Eat Cake!

Do you love cake?

Do you really love cake?

Do you love cake so much that whenever you're in the same room, you find yourself unable to resist its siren call?

Then certainly Leslie F. Miller's new book, Let Me Eat Cake, is for you. Now, let's get it straight--though the book has a few recipes, that's not what it's about--it's more about the culture of cake, its lure and the lore behind it, baked up full of personal anecdotes and cake stories galore. And--as we were surprised and delighted to discover--there's even a mention of CakeSpy.com!

And you, dear friend, could be the winner of a signed copy of the book. Oh, you want this!

To put your name in the running, simply answer this question in the comments. You can be as literal or as figurative as you like, just be sure to leave your thoughts on this important subject:

What is the best thing about cake? 

The poll will be closed on Monday at 12 p.m. PST, and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter. If you're interested in purchasing the book, click here. Oh, and in case you were interested, the cupcake shown is a Chai Cardamom cupcake from Seattle's Trophy Cupcakes!

Cake Poll: Baked Good Trends!

Spring has sprung, and it's time for another sweet giveaway! 

There will be three lucky winners who will receive one of the following prize packs, complete with CakeSpy pins (shown below) and awesome stationery items with retro cake imagery donated by the cool company 11:11:

Prize Pack 1: A retro cake design notebook by 11:11; a pack of CakeSpy travel buttons; a Cuppie figurine

Prize Pack 2: A retro petit-four design checkbook holder by 11:11; a pack of CakeSpy travel buttons; a Cuppie figurine.

Prize Pack 3: A retro cake design business card / credit card holder by 11:11; a pack of CakeSpy travel buttons; a Cuppie figurine.

This time, we're talking about baking trends. Weigh in on these important issues! Just enter your responses as a comment below and you'll automatically be put in the running for the super sweet prizes! Three winners will be chosen at random, and the poll is open to entrants everywhere. The Cake Poll will close at 12pm PST on Saturday, March 28.

Here goes:

1. Bacon in baked goods: so good or so over?
2. "Designer" cake and baking mixes (for instance, those made by celebrity chefs or famous bakeries)--yay or nay?
3. Salted caramel: totally sweet or way too...salty?
4. Cupcake shops opening everywhere: enough is enough, or room for more?
5. French macarons: delicate delight, or way overhyped?
6. Chilling dough for perfect cookies: is it worth the wait?
7. Savory cupcakes (for instance, meat loaf cupcake with mashed potato frosting): yum or yuck?
8. Whoopie pies as the next big thing: do you agree?

Cake Poll: Love and Chocolate!

How time flies! It's been a while since our last Cake Poll, so we're making up for it by offering a very sweet treat: an original (not a print!) Cakespy watercolor! The watercolor (shown top) will come in a 4x5 inch frame and will go to just one lucky winner. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment with your responses to the below poll, centered around the star of all February sweetness: chocolate! Here goes:

1. Chocolates for Valentine's Day: cute or cliché?
2. The chocolate box: which flavor would you rather leave for others?
3. Milk chocolate: amateur hour or respectable citizen?
4. Chocolate in savory foods (mole sauce, etc): awesome, or awful?
5. Hot chocolate: with or without marshmallows?
6. Chocolate-flavored or scented body products: ooh, or eww?
7. What's your favorite chocolate dessert?

The poll is open for anyone (US and international!) to enter; the deadline is 12 p.m. PST on Saturday, February 14. The winner will be announced shortly after! 

Cake Poll: WINter Wonderland Giveaway!

Halloween and the election are over...whew! And now, we're at the cusp of the sweetest season of the year, that series of two months where we eat copious amounts of delicious pumpkin pie and christmas cookies. That's right--November is the point of do not pass go, do not diet until New Year's.

And in celebration, we're offering a seasonal sweets poll! It's a bounty of five sweet prizes--for five separate winners! The following prizes are being offered:

• One lucky winner will receive a cupcake tote bag from Penguinbot! Love is in the details with this sturdy, durable vinyl tote--it's delicately reverse-appliquéd with an adorable cupcake, with the an inner lining of bright, contrasting pattered fabric. It's an extremely well-made bag which would usually retail for $50 (and would be worth every penny). Even if you don't win, you should probably buy one (you know, to help the economy); you can get one here.
• Two lucky winners will receive Elisa Strauss' new book, Confetti Cakes for Kids. Even without kids, these recipes are super fun and the pictures are amazing to look at!
• Two winners will receive a pack of Cakespy Holiday notecards! Each pack includes an assortment of cards which are guaranteed to make this the sweetest holiday season ever!

What do you have to do to enter? Don't worry, it's easy. All you have to do is answer the following two questions.

1. What is your favorite Thanksgiving dessert?
2. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

But wait, there's more! If you copy and paste (or include a link to) a recipe for either of your responses, you'll be entered into the drawing twice! That's right...double your chances of winning!

SORRY--THE POLL IS NOW CLOSED!

Cake Poll: Fall Treats!

Sure, the days are getting shorter and cooler, but they're also getting sweeter. Halloween is just around the corner, a sweet kickoff to what promises to be a fall and winter full of pies, puddings and wonderful holiday treats.

And in celebration of all of this sweetness, this month's Cake Poll focuses on fall treats! The lucky winner will receive an original Cakespy watercolor depicting L'il Cuppie being chased by ghosts (pictured top)--looks like they didn't want to share their candy!

How do you enter? Just answer the below questions to be entered in the running! Responses may be entered in the comments section or emailed to jessieoleson@gmail.com.

• Which do you prefer: candy corn or mellowcreme pumpkins?
• Fun-size candy bars: do they make you happy or leave you hungry?
• Trick-or-treaters without costumes: give 'em candy anyway, or turn 'em away?
• Halloween candy-eating method: eat it as fast as you can, or ration it out to last?
• Favorite cold-weather beverage: hot apple cider or hot chocolate?
• Fall pie faceoff: apple or pumpkin?

The fine print: The poll will be closed at 12 p.m PST on Friday, October 17. As usual, the winner will be chosen at random. 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.

....and we have a winner! Our winner was JEAN from New Jersey! Jean entered in our comments section and most definitely prefers Candy Corn! While Mellowcreme Pumpkin may not approve, we were more than happy to see the piece of artwork go to such a sweet home! 

Cake Byte: Cookie Poll Winner!

Someone's weekend just got sweeter--and that someone is Allyson A., from Chicago, Illinois! Allyson's name was randomly drawn in our recent Cookie Poll!

Allyson, whose favorite type of cookie is Oatmeal with Chocolate chips and toffee bits and isn't adverse to a little cookie dough eating (but asks that you please use a spoon and not stick your finger in the mixing bowl!), will soon be the proud owner of an original piece of Cakespy artwork!

Congratulations to the lucky winner, and til the next poll...stay sweet!

Cake Poll: Oops, Make that a Cookie Poll!

It's that unique time of year that summer starts to fade into early fall; the skies are a piercing blue, days are getting shorter, and school's back in session. Even those who are long out of school are not impervious to the allure of this season, nostalgically recalling the excitement newness of a new school year, punctuated by freshly sharpened pencils and maybe a brand new trapper keeper. And what else goes better with back to school time than milk and cookies at the end of the day? 

And so, this month our Cake Poll is not about cake, but rather cookies--and the winner will get the framed original painting, featuring Cuppie and Robot making cookies, featured above! Responses may be entered in the comments section or emailed to jessieoleson@gmail.com.

1. What is your favorite type of cookie?
2. Oatmeal Cookies: With raisins, or chocolate chips?
3. Dunking your cookies: Deliciousness, or a soggy mess?
4. Slice n' bake cookies: Guilty pleasure, or never ever?
5. Jumbo bakery cookies: too much, or just enough?
6. Bar cookies: are they really cookies, or a different category entirely?
7. Which is better: Slightly underbaked or slightly overbaked?
8. Eating cookie dough: so wrong, or so right?

The fine print: The poll will be closed at 2 p.m PST on Thursday, September 4 (we're leaving it open for a week since we hope many of you are avoiding your computers over the holiday weekend!). As usual, the winner will be chosen at random. 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. Of course, if you don't win, you can always buy Cakespy artwork and gear at jessieoleson.etsy.com!

Birthday Cake Poll: The Winners!

The Birthday Cake poll is closed! The response was staggering: between comment and email entries, there were 401 entrants in all. Wow! 

But before getting to the winners, we have to say that it turns out we won big too: we were surprised with a Cakespy anniversary / birthday present for Head Spy Jessie--cupcakes by Naomi Henderson featuring Cakespy artwork (pictured top)! Though she's in Australia and we weren't able to taste them, this sweetness transcends all geographic challenges! (To learn more about Naomi's work, read our interview with her!).

Also, calling all Cake Gumshoes in the Seattle area--if you're around on August 23rd, join us from 6-9 p.m. at Cupcake Royale in Ballard (the home of the giant cupcake pictured above) for an open house celebration for the Cakespy Anniversary and Head Spy Jessie's birthday! Did we mention they'll be debuting a new cupcake flavor for the occasion?

But seriously--enough suspense. Who won the prizes? Here are the names we chose at random:

Winner 1 was Elizabeth from MA, who won the mini original Soothsayer Cupcake Painting. The future is sure to be bright for her if she gets her wish next birthday: either German Chocolate or Red Velvet cake! Hey, why not both!?

Winner 2 was Janis from WA, who won the Hipster Baked Goods t-shirt! The tee will keep her sweet and fashionable as she continues to grow and learn, as in the case of fruit-filled cakes, of which she says the following: "...I am finding as I get older I am changing my mind a bit on the fruit issue. I don't know if it will ever reach the level of sweet surprise, but I will probably make it out of the disappointment category in 10 years."

Winner 3 was Queen of the Click, from Brooklyn, NY. She actually wrote in her response "I hope I win the notecards". Well, that wishful thinking paid off! All of those notes will look super sweet, but not as sweet as her next birthday cake, which she hopes will include cherries, pineapple and cream. Yum!

Winner 4 was Krysta from CA, who also won a pack of notecards! Krysta is a longtime Cakespy reader--and her daughter is a proud owner of original Cakespy artwork! So clearly there's no lack of sweetness in this household, which welcomes birthday pies but just says no to syrupy strawberry filling in their cakes.

Thank you to everyone who participated! If you didn't win, you can always pick up Cakespy gear at the etsy store. And be sure to check back next month for the next cake poll!

Stay sweet!