The holiday season may be just beginning, but this month's Cake Poll is now closed. The entries have been logged, and if we do say so ourselves, you've all given us some fantastic ideas for holiday baking--as well has having introduced us to some sweets we'd never heard of before! In fact, we're even toying with printing up a small booklet of our favorites--stay tuned!

But first things first--who won the sweet stuff?

The cupcake tote by Penguinbot goes to lucky winner Rachel G from California! Rachel's dessert choices are classic: for Thanksgiving, she likes apple pie; for Christmas, she enjoys cutout cookies--decorated with frosting and sprinkles, but of course! You can find her cutout cookie recipe here!

The first copy of Confetti Cakes For Kids: Delightful Cookies, Cakes, and Cupcakes from New York City's Famed Bakery goes to Layla from Indiana! Layla's got a fantastic-looking Butterscotch Pumpkin pie recipe from Bon Appetit; for Christmas, she loves another classic--the Snickerdoodle!

The second copy will go to reader Emileee, who is clearly after our own hearts with her Christmas cookie preference, the bon-bon. She also definitely opened our eyes to a new dessert with her Thanksgiving preference: the PRETZEL JELL-O DESSERT. Never heard of it, you say? Well, here's the recipe:

PRETZEL JELLO DESSERT

1 stick melted butter
1 1/2 c. crushed pretzels
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 lg. container Cool Whip
1 c. sugar
1 (6 oz.) pkg. strawberry Jello
1 lg. pkg. frozen strawberries

Mix melted butter, pretzels, and 1/2 cup sugar together and press into 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 6 minutes at 350 degrees.
Dissolve Jello in 2 cups boiling water and add frozen strawberries. Let gel.
Combine cream cheese, Cool Whip, and 1/2 cup sugar; put on top of crumbs. When Jello is starting to set, pour over cheese layer and refrigerate until firm. It's heavenly!

But we digress. Back to the prizes--who won the rest of the prizes?

The first pack of Cakespy Christmas cards goes to reader Mark from NYC! Mark's favorite Thanksgiving-time treat isn't pumpkin pie...it's cake! His birthday falls late in November, so he prefers to take the cake: in his case, vanilla birthday cake with strawberry icing (perhaps like this recipe)! When it comes to Christmas cookies, keep his classic: he'll take sugar-coated gingerbread, please.

And finally, it gives us great pleasure to say that the second pack goes to Veggiegirl! We've been avid fans of her blog for some time--she serves up vegan (and a lot of raw) delights of a deliciously moist and decadent nature that even non-veggie people will enjoy. Ms. Veggie prefers pumpkin pie for her Thanksgiving treat (with a dollop of cranberry sauce for a delightful sweet/sour contrast)...and when it comes to Christmas cookies, she's with her fellow winner Mark: gingerbread, baby!

Thank you to everyone who entered--and who shared their favorite recipes and holiday sweets preferences! And thank you again to the great prize donors, Penguinbot, Hachette Book Group and Cakespyshop.com. Til next month's Cake Poll...stay sweet!