Giveaway: Win a Copy of Love? Maybe. by Heather Hepler!

Sweet! You could win a copy of the adorable new novel by fellow sweets enthusiast Heather Hepler, called Love? Maybe. The author was kind enough to donate a copy for one lucky winner!

Want a description of the book? OK: 

Just because Piper's birthday is on Valentine's Day does not mean she's a romantic. In fact, after watching her father and then her stepfather leave, she's pretty sure she doesn't believe in love at all. Then her friends concoct a plan to find them all Valentine's dates, and somehow Piper finds herself with the most popular guy in school. But true love never follows a plan, and a string of heartfelt gifts from a secret admirer has Piper wondering if she might be with the wrong guy.

In this heartwarming romance, true love is more than a maybe—and it might be closer than you think.

How do you enter to win a copy of Love? Maybe.? It's easy. Simply leave a comment on this post saying what sweet treat you'd love to receive from a Valentine this year! 

US and Canadian entrants only for this contest (as set by the prize donor); this giveaway will close one week from today, on 2/10/12, at noon; the winner will be announced as soon as they have been contacted.

So You Wanna Be a CakeSpy? Official Contest Rules

Legally, I have to give you the nitty gritty for this awesome contest. Here it is:

Official Rules for the Are You a CakeSpy? Contest

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT ENHANCE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia, age 18 or older.

How to Enter:

1) To enter the SO YOU WANNA BE A CAKESPY Contest ("contest"), review these Official Rules and complete the entry requirements, including your first and last name, and email address. Contest begins December 1, 2011. Entries may be sent via this website only and must be received no later than January 15, 2012, 11:59:59 PM Pacific Time. Limit one entry per person. The sole determinant of time for the purposes of receipt of a valid entry will be the computer servers of CakeSpy and Sasquatch Books ("Sponsor"). Proof of transmission (screenshots or captures, etc.) does not constitute proof of receipt.

2) Entries are void if they are in whole or in part incomplete. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for incomplete entries.

3) Sponsor is not responsible for technical, hardware or software malfunctions of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications caused by the sender, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this contest which may limit the ability to participate, or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the entries in this contest. If for any reason the contest is not capable of being conducted as described in these rules, Sponsor shall have the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the contest. In the event of a dispute over the identity of an online entrant, entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized holder of the email account associated with the entry.

Winners:

1) From all eligible entries received, one grand-prize winner, one second place winner, and one third place winner will be chosen based on creativity, documentation, and presentation on or about January 30, 2012 by Jessie Oleson.  Decisions concerning all matters related to this contest are final and binding.

2) Winners will be contacted via e-mail. The odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries received.

Prizes: 

1) A round-trip trip for two to Seattle, Washington, with accommodations for two nights; a visit to the CakeSpy headquarters; and a dessert tasting with Jessie Oleson.

2) A custom framed watercolor painting by Jessie Oleson, featuring the (pastry) theme or scenario of your choice, as well as a signed copy of CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life.

3) A $50 gift card, good for use at CakeSpy Shop in Seattle or online at cakespyshop.com; a signed copy of CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life.

4) Runners-up (4): Signed copies of CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life.

5) In the event that there is an insufficient number of eligible entries, Sponsor reserves the right not to award the prizes. 

Eligibility: 

This Sweepstakes is open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia, age 18 or older. Employees of Sponsor, subsidiaries, affiliates or other parties in anyway involved in the development, production, or distribution of this contest, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible to participate in the contest. Void where prohibited by law. All state and local restrictions apply.

General:

1) No substitutions, transfers or assignments of prizes allowed.

2) All expenses, including taxes (if any), related to receipt and use of prizes are the sole responsibility of the winners.

3) Winners may be required to execute an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release ("Affidavit") and if so, the Affidavit must be completed and returned within fourteen (14) days of notification or winner will forfeit their prize and another winner will be selected. Should the ARV of the prize equal or exceed $600.00, winners shall be required to provide a Social Security Number or a Taxpayer Identification Number to Sponsor for issuance of a 1099 Form.

4) By accepting a prize, winners grant to Sponsor the right to use their names, likenesses, contest entries, hometowns, and biographical information in advertising and promotional materials, including posting on the Sponsor's and author's website, without further compensation or permission, except where prohibited by law.

5) By competing in this contest and/or accepting a prize, entrants release Sponsor and the authors and/or editors of any books promoted hereby from any and all liability for any loss, harm, injuries, damages, cost or expense arising out of or relating to participation in this contest or the acceptance, use or misuse of the prize.

6) Any dispute arising from this contest will be determined according to the laws of the State of Washington, without reference to its conflict of law principles, and the entrants consent to the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in King County and agree that such courts have exclusive jurisdiction over all such disputes.

Winners List:

To receive a full list of winners, please email custserv@sasquatchbooks.com

Sponsor:

Sasquatch Books
119 S Main St Suite 400
Seattle WA 98104
(206) 467-4300

Giveaway: Ultimate Cookies by Julia Usher

You know what? Because you're sweet and I like you, I feel like offering up a giveaway.

The sweet prize you could win? How 'bout a copy of Julia M Usher's Ultimate Cookies book?

If you're not familiar with Julia Usher's work, well then, you're in for a treat. Full of gorgeous aspirational cookies (I say that because I personally have not made anything from the book yet, but I have looked through it lovingly, and said "someday" at many of the projects), this book contains recipes and tutorials for cookies that are certain to wow a crowd, such as cookie sailboats, fancy cookie rings, and 3-d collage cookies. It's really a delight.

How do you enter to win a copy of this beautiful book? Oh, it's easy. What I need you to do--in the comments section below, or on the CakeSpy facebook page--is simply tell me the following:

What kind of cookies are you most excited about baking this holiday season?

The fine print: this giveaway will close on Friday, November 11, at noon PST; a winner will be chosen at random. Because of high shipping rates, I am only able to offer this giveaway to US and Canadian entrants!

Buy My Book! And a Giveaway Too

Dudes and dudettes. You knew this day was coming, and now it is here.

My book is now out--it is in stores, and available online. If I do say so myself, it is a masterpiece of cookbookery, and if you don't trust me, then trust my mom, because she agrees (and she has promised to buy at least three copies at full retail price, although she hasn't paid me yet).

But I digress. Basically what I am saying here is: My book is out, and therefore, It Is Time for You to Buy My Book.

How to buy it? You can purchase a signed copy directly from me here; you can purchase a regular (unsigned) copy from Amazon (be sure to give it a glowing review!) , Barnes and Noble, Elliott Bay Books, Powell's Books, or find a local bookseller here. OR, I find it acceptable to wait if you'd like to buy one from me on my national bakery book tour, Tour De Sweet!

But because you've been so patient, I'm willing to give away one copy of the book per week for the next four weeks. Wow, lucky you! 

How do you put yourself in the running this week? Since it's October and officially Halloween Month, simply leave a comment on this post or on my Facebook page answering this important question: Candy Corn or Mellowcreme Pumpkins? And Why? I'll pick one lucky winner one week from today (10/13) and send them a signed copy of the book! Because I'm feeling generous, this giveaway is open to the US and abroad!

Sweet Giveaway: Win a KitchenAid Mixer or a Cupcake Kit, Compliments of Top Chef Just Desserts

I'm sure that there's something better than winning stuff, but at this moment, nothing is coming to mind.

That's because my friends (we're totally BFF, didn't you know? Of course, see note at bottom) at Bravo have offered up this totally mega-sweet giveaway because of their extreme happiness surrounding the premiere of Top Chef Just Desserts Season 2. Want to read more about it? OK: 

The chef'testants and the sugar are back for season 2! As the pastry chefs meet and greet, they are surprised by host Gail Simmons and head judge Johnny Iuzzini with their first Quickfire Challenge.  One of the first challenges includes a fairy-tale inspired dessert. Imagination and talent are a must to survive the not-so-sugar coated competition. Will the chef's be able to get past their first-challenge nerves and fight their way to sweet success, or will the pressure make some contestants crumble from the start? Find out this Wednesday 8/24 @ 10/9c on the PREMIERE of BRAVO's Top Chef Just Desserts 2

Two winners will be chosen. A grand prize winner will receive a gorgeous Kitchen-Aid Mixer; a runner-up will win this cute and sweet cupcake kit. 

How do you enter? Totally easy. Since this week not only marks the premiere of Season 2 of Just Desserts but my own 30th season of life (aka, it's my birthday on the 26th), tell me what kind of birthday cake you're wishing for this year. Leave it in the comments section below (comments are moderated so don't cry if you don't see it pop up right away!) or on the CakeSpy facebook page! But don't delay: this giveaway closes on August 26th at 5pm PST.

The fine print: This prize was provided by the BRAVO Network but BRAVO is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this giveaway. All opinions expressed in the post are my own and not those of BRAVO. Per prize donor: entrants from the USA only.

UPDATE: The winners! The KitchenAid went to Erika of Fargo, ND, and the cupcake kit went to Suzanne S. of Austin, TX! Congratulations, ladies.

Sweet Giveaway: CakeSpy and Google Places offer a Trophy Cupcakes Giveaway in Seattle

Dudes. Dudettes. If you're in Seattle, you must enter this awesome contest. CakeSpy has partnered up with a big, and totally sweet entity for a giveaway: GOOGLE! You've totally heard of them. And now, it's time for a Google Seattle Cupcake Contest with Cake Spy. This partnership with Google Places is made of fun!

What's better than delicious cupcakes? Delicious FREE cupcakes, of course! That's why Cake Spy is teaming up with Google Places, the new personalized local recommendation engine powered by the reviews of users and their friends! Google wants to give you the opportunity to win a a dozen of custom from Trophy Cupcakes, just for doing what you already do: sharing your opinions on the best cupcakes in Seattle. Here’s how it works:

1.Follow @GoogleSeattle
2. Go to Google.com/Places and select “Start Rating” (you’ll need to create a Google account if you haven’t already). 
3. Fill out this form: http://goo.gl/Lju0t. 
4. Review as many Seattle places (especially cupcake shops!) as you like by 11:59 P.M. on Friday, August 26th. Each review you write will be judged as a new entry.
5. We’ll go through all the reviews you write during the contest period and give them points. The top 5 entrants with the highest number of points will win a box of custom Trophy Cupcakes! 
6. The winner will be notified via email and may collect their prize on Friday, September 2nd at the Trophy Cupcake shop in Wallingford! 

Even if you don't win the contest, there will be lots of fun to be had with Google Places (reviewing and swag!)! We will reward other cool Google swag for people who come close to winning!  

The rules:

- 18 and up only (if you're under 18, I'm sorry you are so youthful! Enjoy it while you can.)
- Full contest rules here. 

Sweet Giveaway: Win a Copy of You Are My Cupcake By Joyce Wan!

FACT: You could use some more cuteness in your life. But how? Answer: a copy of You Are My Cupcake , the adorable new book by Joyce Wan, which focuses on terms of endearment, delivered with a ton of cute illustrations.

And--lucky you--Joyce has offered up three copies to give away on this very site! Like, OMG!

How do you enter to win? It's like, so easy. Simply confess the cutest pet name you use for your partner (or your pup, or kitty, or sister, whatever) in the comments section below, or on the CakeSpy Facebook page. It doesn't have to be pastry-related (but you know that we'll probably enjoy those ones best).

Three winners (US only this time, please!) will be chosen at random on next Friday, August 5; the winners will be contacted and announced once they have been confirmed.

Good luck!

Taking It To the Sweet: All The News That's Fit To Eat and a Sweet Giveaway

Fact 1: CakeSpy Loves to bake. 

Fact 2: CakeSpy is a prolific baker. 

Fact 3: CakeSpy Loves mischief.

It may not be scientific or anything, but what all of these facts add up to is generally lots of fun. Here's how it went down last night.

Now, it is true that I had recently made truffles, gooey butter cake, and millionaire's shortbread for various baking experiments and projects, but when I received a parcel of the new Naturally Nora cookie mixes, I couldn't help but bake up a batch or two.

The chocolate chip cookies were my quarry, and I made two batches: one "plain", and one with two tablespoons of peanut butter added. The cookies came out quite nicely, I think, with a nice, nugget-y look and a soft on the inside, lightly crispy on the outside texture. The peanut butter, while not necessary for deliciousness, sure didn't hurt things (does it ever?).

But now I had a problem: a cookie surplus!

Luckily, this is, as problems go, not such a bad one, so I decided to share my sweet bounty with the world at large. Yup: time to Take it to the Sweet!

and so I put the cookies in sweet twosomes in bags, tied them with ribbon, and wrote sweet little notes to go along with them.

and then I decided on the best place to have a positive and sweet impact: the newsstand! Why? Well, the news can be--how do we say, kind of a downer--so this seemed like a natural and especially good place to brighten someone's day. I think that even if the finder might not be brave enough to eat these mystery cookies, the fact that they found them might just, you know, kind of give them pause in their everyday life, add a sweet aspect to their day, and at least give them a good story.

I chose this lineup on 15th Avenue East because it was under a streetlight and just seemed like a nice little row.

I put some cookies inside of each box, but in the case of USA today, which had not yet been stocked, I put it on the outside, near the payment slot--maybe it would brighten the night of the newspaper delivery-person?

Here's proof that Tom Skerrit loves cookies:

I thought this one, on top of Seattle Weekly, worked especially well.

So there you go--even the news can be made sweeter!

Have a totally sweet day, love CakeSpy.

P.S. Giveaway Alert! Naturally Nora has also kindly offered up a sweet giveaway! Want to win some cookie mix? Sweet! To enter, simply leave a comment below (US only, giveaway closes next friday, May 27 at noon PST) or on the CakeSpy Facebook Page saying how you'd make the world (or maybe just a friend's day) sweeter with these cookies! 

Sweet Giveaway: Win 4 Cupcakes Baked in Jars!

Canning is all the rage, but I'll tell you the truth: I'd rather eat a cupcake than a jar of preserves any day.

And if you're like me, you'll freaking love this giveaway, for 4 Cupcakes-In-A-Jar!

These sweeties are baked with love by Betty Crocker Wannabe, and one lucky winner will win four delicious treats: 2 each of the Turtle and Chocolate Lover's flavors. 

WHAT IS A CUPCAKE-IN-A-JAR? Cupcakes-In-A-Jar are delicious, fully cooked, ready to eat cupcakes layered in a half pint jar and packaged with a signature orange spoon. Each jar contains the equivalent of 2 regular sized frosted cupcakes. Eat immediately upon receipt, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 weeks. What makes Cupcakes-In-A-Jar truly unique is their ability to ship. Each jar is carefully packaged to insure safe delivery. 

How do you enter? It's so easy. Simply leave a comment below addressing this important dessert subject: when at a restaurant, do you like to share dessert? Or do you like to like to keep it all to yourself?

One lucky winner will be chosen at random one week, on Thursday, April 14th at noon PST. Since the prize is perishable, US entrants only! If you can't wait, go ahead and order some at Betty Crocker Wannabe.

Best Giveaway Ever: Win a Copy of Big Little Felt Universe AND a Handmade Felt Cake by Jeannette Lim

Dudes. Dudettes. You know that I don't like to speak in absolutes (yes I do) but...this is, without a doubt, the biggest, best, awesomest giveaway ever.

Here's the deal. Indie crafter/Etsy artist, Jeanette Lim has just come out with a new book entitled Big Little Felt Universe: Sew It, Stuff It, Squeeze It, Fun! --which I learned about thanks to my friends at Lark Crafts. BLFU features over 70 fun stitched-felt projects—including food items, desserts, and interactive play kits.

And you can win a copy--awesome, right? But wait, there's more: The author, Jeanette, handmade the cake shown at the top of this post for the book, and she donated it for this special giveaway on CakeSpy!!! As you can see, it’s a vanilla cake with eight different kinds of fruit topping, and it comes with candles that stand up via magnets, a serving plate, spatula, and a cake box with a ribbon (not shown) -- all made out of felt!

I know, I know: you want to win this. But how to enter?

It's easy. All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me what kind of cake you're going to have for your birthday this year. I can be a cake you're sure you'll have, or just the dream cake--fantasy allowed.

But--since I'm not above coercing you to like me, I'll enter you in the running TWICE if you "Like" me (CakeSpy) on Facebook. Yeah, you heard me. Do it. 

Giveaway will close on Tuesday, March 29 at noon PST!

 

Where to Go: A Sweet Giveaway For a $50 Amex Gift Card

Photo: Bakery NouveauSo. Recently Where.com offered to donate a $50 Amex Gift Card to one lucky reader on my site for giving their site a plug. (See how I just gave them a plug right there?).

Thanks for the giveaway, WHERE!And this offer got me to thinking about how many delicious baked goods could be purchased with $50, so I agreed--because surely there's got to be someone out there who would be thrilled to have money with which to go buy baked goods, right? Plus, I already have a giveaway going on for the kids--this one is for the grownups!

But here's the thing. To enter to win, you've got to do two things.

First, you've got to promise me that you will use the $50 gift card to buy baked goods or some sort of baking related equipment. You've got to PROMISE ME, and not be lying.

Second, you've got to leave a comment below telling me where you'd spend this gift card, and on what. I'll tell you right now, if I were the winner, I would, right this instant, get my butt over to Bakery Nouveau and buy an entire King Cake, and with any leftover money I'd buy a bunch of smaller pastries and be sure to leave the counter staff a nice tip. Wouldn't that be a sweet way to spend $50? 

How about you--what sweet treat would you buy with $50, care of Where?

This giveaway will close one week from today, on March 4 at 3pm PST.

Sweet Giveaway: Win a Copy of What Kind of Fairy Is Merry Berry, a Cupcake-Themed Kid's Book

Finally, they've written my life story as an illustrated children's book.

Just kidding. It's not my life story. I'm not *actually* a cupcake fairy.

But thanks to the lovely folks at Chronicle Books, I have a copy of a book about one--entitled What Kind of Fairy Is Merry Berry? by Lindsey Renee and illustrated by Susan Reagan--to give away to one lucky reader (US or Canada only, please!). It's perfect for a sweet kid in your life--or, you know, your sweet inner kid.

How do you enter? It's so easy. Simply leave a comment below saying what your favorite children's book is (or was). It doesn't even have to be cake-related, because all children's books are so sweet!

But don't delay. This giveaway will close one week from today, on March 4, at 12pm PST! Good luck!

Sweet Giveaway: Reusable Tote from Bake and Destroy!

When I travel, I have a cute little nickname for myself: "Pastry Bag Lady". Because, you see, I keep on going from bakery to bakery, and while I eat some things as I go, some things I save for later (or save for Mr. CakeSpy to consume later). 

And when I am in Pastry Bag Lady mode, it is very helpful to have a fashionable tote for my sweet treasures.

Enter "the handiest tote you'll ever own", from Natalie of Bake and Destroy! As she puts it,

Made with 100% recycled cotton – more sustainable than virgin cotton. A 12.25″ H x 12″ W x 6.5″ D tote with two sets of handles – one long enough to sling over your shoulder and another, shorter set for carrying by hand. (DIYers can snip off the short handles if you prefer a straight-up tote bag.)

And you can win one, sweet stuff! That's right, Natalie has kindly offered up one of these totes for a giveaway, for one lucky US entrant. 

How do you enter? It's startlingly easy. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post with a response to this open-ended question: cookie, cake, or pie?

This giveaway will close one week from today, on February 17th, at Noon PST, and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Should you feel the need to buy a tote in the meantime, visit the Bake and Destroy store! Oh, and you should totally visit the site and Twitter too.

Sweet Giveaway: Sweet Art For Sweethearts!

For no particular reason, other than I think you're sweet and I like you, I'd like to offer up a sweet giveaway: a framed CakeSpy print!

This 5x7 framed print depicts a sweetly subversive scene: Cuppie enjoying a red velvet cupcake and some delicious coffee! It has an inner mat and is printed in vibrant ink on a thick cardstock paper.

And it will go to one lucky winner! How do you put your name in the hat? It's, like, totally easy. Just leave a comment below weighing in on this important question: when it comes to Red Velvet Cake, what is your favorite frosting? A traditional boiled frosting? A classic cream cheese frosting? Or perhaps a vanilla or even cocoa buttercream?

This giveaway will close one week from today, on February 13, at noon PST. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Of course, if you can't wait to buy CakeSpy art, click on over to cakespyshop.com!

Sweet Giveaway: A Melange of Chocolate Cake and Brownie Mixes from Naturally Nora

Guess what? Today is officially National Chocolate Cake Day (which basically means that every other day is unofficially chocolate cake day, no caps involved).

And to celebrate, Naturally Nora, a manufacturer of all-natural, no-creepy-ingredient cake mixes, has kindly offered up a sweet prize for one lucky reader: a parcel containing a box of their chocolate cake mix, a box of their chocolate frosting mix, and a box of brownie mix. 

Having sampled these sweet mixes for myself during my week of birthday cake making, I can attest that they are highly delicious--and everyone knows that for a quick fix, it's fun to use a mix. (Yes, I just made that up)

How do you put yourself in the running? Simply leave a comment below stating your favorite type of chocolate cake. Perhaps it's German chocolate? Or Black forest? Or a simple chocolate birthday cake with fluffy buttercream frosting? 

The giveaway will close on February 2 at 12pm PST; the winner will be announced shortly after. US Entrants only, please. Oh, and if you can't wait for these mixes, find a retailer near you via the Naturally Nora site; you can also find them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Sweet Giveaway: Win a Copy of Take The Cake by Sandra Wright

Sometimes, eating cake isn't enough. You want to live it.

So, for those non-eating times, reading a book in which cake plays a big part probably sounds like a fun activity. Well, here's a new novel bound to interest cake-lovers: Take the Cake by Sandra Wright. Here's a synopsis:

Sometimes
 you
 just
 have
 to
 take
 life
 one
 cupcake
 at
 a

time. Kate Shannon is happy
 with
 the way
 things are. She
 doesn’t

have
 a Mr
. Right
 or
 even a Mr
. Right
 Now, but
 what
 she
 does
 have
 is

a
 thriving
 bakery
 in
 Greenwich
 Village
 called
 Take
 The
 Cake,
 and

that’s just the way
 she likes
 it.

 Better still
 is the cupcake to match

the daily
 quote
 competition
 with
 her
 barista as they try to
 outsmart

each
 other
 every morning with
 their
 creativity.
 Producing cupcakes

with
 names
 such
 as
 Woodstock
 Afterburn
 and
 Vegan
 Rehab
 is

enough to keep
 her
 on
 her toes,
 who
 has time
 for
 dating?

Across
 town,
 Michael Forrester
 has
 gone
 from enjoying
 the
 thrill
 of success

to wallowing in
 the
 depths
 of
 despair.
 With
 a collection
 of
 critically

acclaimed
 novels in
 his wake,
 Michael
 now spends
 his days battling

writers’ block.

With
 nowhere
 to
 go
 and
 nothing
 to
 write,
 Michael’s in
 the

right headspace to
 find
 exactly
 what
 he
 didn’t
 know he was looking

for..

Are you drawn in? Well, happily, you can win a copy of this sweet novel. One lucky winner will win a copy, by leaving a comment below with the answer to the following: what is your favorite book or movie which prominently features food?

The giveaway will close on Monday, January 24 at noon PST; a winner will be announced shortly thereafter. In the meantime, check out the author's site here.

Sweet Giveaway: Valentine Cupcake Wrappers from Bella Cupcake Couture

Want to bake some sweets for your sweet?

Well, put 'em in a pretty package with these delightful valentine cupcake wrappers from CakeSpy sponsor (and buddy!) Bella Cupcake Couture!

That's right: Bella Cupcake Couture has kindly offered up a pack of these sweet cupcake wrappers for two lucky CakeSpy readers!

How do you put your name in the hat? It's like, so easy. All you have to do is leave a comment below answering this important cake question:

In your opinion, what is the most romantic cake flavor?

Is it a sexy red velvet? Decadent flourless chocolate? Or maybe it's gooey butter cake that proves sweetly alluring? Curious cake fiends want to know! This giveaway will close on January 21 at 12pm PST and the winners will be announced shortly after! In the meantime, check out Bella Cupcake Couture's website here, and find 'em on Facebook here.

Sweetie Pie: CakeSpy Loves High 5 Pie and a Butter Love T Shirt Giveaway

Guess what, sweeties?

At long last, High 5 Pie has opened its retail operation in Seattle, on 12th and Madison. Which, not that you asked, but is right along my usual route from home to the store each day. You know what that means: CakeSpy's gonna be high on pie forever!

Now, I was pretty primed to love this bakery. After all, I've been a big fan of their pies (previously primarily found at owner Dani Cone's Fuel Coffee locations) for a long time.

Aaaand (full disclosure) I was a consultant for some recipes on their menu, which has expanded with the new retail operation (fun game: to to the bakery, and guess which flavors I helped develop). High 5!

But upon visiting on New Year's Day with Mr. Spy--our first official bakery visit of the year!--we were even more impressed than we expected.

Here are just a few reasons you should love the new High 5 Pie retail location:

 

  • The pies are delicious. They come by the slice, in mini pie form, in hand pie ("Flipside") form, or as pie fries! And since they sneak crack into the pie crust, you bet your bottom dollar it's good.
  • They serve them a la mode, if you'd like, with Bluebird Ice Cream.
  • The space itself is beautiful, with a slightly more minty green version of Tiffany blue used all over the place--on the custom espresso machine, on the signage, you name it.
  • But of course, they still maintain some secrets.
  • And they have delicious cookies (and biscuits, and a few other items in addition to pies...including a nice variety of gluten-free and vegan items)
  • ...and they have this t-shirt. BUTTER! LOVE!

 

Now, here's the thing. I bought this t-shirt, in Unisex Small, but as it turns out, your dear Spy is smaller than small, and it doesn't quite fit.

This is good news for you though, because I'm doing a giveaway! Even if unisex small isn't your size, I'm sure you can find a willing recipient for this BUTTER LOVE tee.

Want to enter? Simply leave a comment below, telling me what flavor of pie you favor best. The giveaway will close on Thursday, January 13, at noon PST; one winner will be chosen at random. US and Canadian entrants only, please.

For immediate pie gratification, visit high5pie.com.

Sweet Giveaway: Enough Salt to Turn You into a Seafarer from Morton Salt

As Dorie Greenspan wisely said, "salt is pastry's unsung hero...a pinch is enough to balance the sugar in a tart crust, underscore the flavor in any chocolate dessert, give caramel that certain je ne sais quoi."

And oh, the sweet (and salty) places you'll go with this gift pack that Morton Salt (still my favorite salt package design!) has offered up for giveaway!

When it rains, it pours, and one lucky reader will win a big ol' parcel full of the following:

  • Season-All Brand Seasoned Salts
  • Nature's Seasoning Product
  • Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
  • Morton Sea Salt Grinder

but wait, there's more! The package also comes with salt accessories, including

  • Sea Salt Container
  • Morton Salt Stadium Blanket
  • Morton Salt Coffee Mug
  • Morton Salt Dog Treats
  • Coupons for additional Morton Salt products!

So what are you waiting for? Enter yourself to win this parcel of salty awesome. Simply leave a comment below saying what your favorite sweet-and-salty treat is. Chocolate-covered potato chips? Maple bacon bars? Or simply salted caramel?

One lucky winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday, January 12 at noon PST. US entrants only, please. In the meantime, remember to check out Morton Salt on Facebook! Good luck!

Sweet Giveaway: Delicious Candy from Sarris Candies

The holidays can be a stressful time. Stress makes you hungry.

But at least one lucky reader (well, from the lower 48 US States, that is) won't starve to death, because Sarris Candies was kind enough to offer some sweet booty for a giveaway!

Never heard of Sarris Candies? Too bad, because not only do they have delicious chocolates, but they come with a delicious backstory which includes both chocolate and love:

You might say it all started when Frank Sarris found a sweetheart. As a young man trying to win the affections of the lovely Athena, Frank presented her with a gift as sweet as she was, a box of chocolates. Athena's face lit up as she lifted the lid and Frank knew he was in love. He also knew he could make better chocolate.

And so he began, first producing small amounts in his basement for friends and family and then, as the word spread, he began making more and more candy for the local market. Frank and Athena married soon after and Sarris Candies was born in the basement of their Canonsburg (PA) home. 

and it goes on...

To this day, Frank and Athena are still sweet on each other. One taste of Sarris Chocolates and you'll fall in love, too!

What could you win? Good stuff. The parcel will start with a one-pound assortment:

Our most popular assortment containing old time favorites such as freshly roasted nuts, double dipped in our rich milk chocolate, assorted meltaways, fresh fruit creams, toasted coconut, caramels and more all nestled in a beautiful gold foil gift box

But wait, there's more! Said reader will also receive a sweet and salty delight known as the Pretzel Bag:

In the kitchen, bakers hand-twist fresh dough into those old, familiar knots, then oven-bake them to just the right crispness. Each pretzel is then lovingly dipped into decadently rich milk, dark or white chocolate. 

How do you put your name in the running? Simply leave a comment below saying what your favorite type of chocolate is when you receive an assortment. Do you dig in for the often square-shaped caramels, like me? Or do you try to find an elusive maple cream? Or perhaps you covet the chocolate covered cherries?

Of course (duh) if you can't wait, you can always order online here.

The giveaway will close on Tuesday, December 28 at 12pm PST!