Mabel’s Labels has gone and created a mind-blowingly awesome new label that combines technology with organization! Tell me you haven’t been frustrated at one time or another as you delve through bins in your crawlspace trying to remember what’s inside the ruddy things without hauling each and everyone out to investigate.

Trying to locate those summer clothes? Good luck. And unearthing those holiday decorations? Anyone’s guess. With the new Scan & Store labels from Mabel’s Labels, you will never misplace your items again! Here’s how they work:

1. Apply the label to a bin, tote or other container.
2. Scan it with the Write Away! app. (yep, there’s an app!)
3. Store the title, location, description and a photograph of the container. A photograph!!

From your phone you can: store the names and photographs of an unlimited number of items as well as assign them to a container, search for containers or items and much more! Organizing has never been so easy. Or so much fun! Be sure to try out these new amazing labels today.

Happy Organizing!

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UPDATE:  Offer extended until Friday, December 21, 2012 at 8pm EST!

In a rare move, I have come out of hiding long enough to spread some holiday cheer!

I am having a Christmas Cake Pop FLASH SALE from now until Tuesday, December 18th, 2012.

For $25 you receive 10 delicious cake pops, 5 each of our Holiday Premium and Classic varieties, in assorted flavors, all beautifully packaged in a festive holiday mug and wrapped up in cellophane. These are guaranteed to put a smile on even the Grinchiest of faces. Makes the perfect hostess gift or fun holiday centerpiece. Gift tag is included.

Our Premium cake pops come in colorful Christmas trees, snowmen and reindeer while the Classic cake pops in red, white and blue come plain and with sprinkles. Flavors may include vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, Oreo, lemon-lime and/or banana. Note: Flavors & designs may vary by order. There are no substitutions.

Inventory is limited, however, so once they are gone, they are gonzo!

Offer expires Tuesday, December 18th, 2012.

To order, please email info.egcakes@gmail.com. Available for pick-up only in Aurora, ON and must be picked up no later than Friday, December 21st, 2012.

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Cake pops. How can two such delicious little words instill so much terror in the hearts of bakers around the world? I’ll tell you how. Cake pops look deceivingly simple to make. Don’t be fooled. They’re not.

I mean sure, cake pops are the perfect bite-sized, portable, satisty-your-sweet-tooth kinda treat. But they can also be temperamental, time-consuming little buggers. What’s so hard about making cake pops, you ask, feigning ignorance? You just roll, dip and decorate, right? WRONG! And I’ll bet you dollars to donuts cake pops that the majority of bakers, from the novice to the professional, will tell you the same thing.

They drip, they slip, they lump and clump and crack. But they are so yummy that they keep us coming back.

So, yes, I’m back amidst some birthday and holiday orders for some friends. And it was today of all days, after two years of cake popping that I finally had a revelation. (This would be a good time to remind you all that baking is an evolving art, especially when you are self-taught. Also, Google is, to quote my friend, Jen, “geniuspants”!)

You see, my two biggest and most infuriating challenges when working with cake pops are the consistency of the melting wafers (I use Merckens because I can get them at my local Bulk Barn) and the cracking. Oh, the CRACKING! There are times when I quite literally hear the chocolate coating POP! I’ve come to understand that these issues are somewhat directly correlated.

I have Googled ‘Why are my cake pops cracking?’ and ‘How do I thin my Merckens candy melts?’ and ‘Why can’t I be like Bakerella?’ and any variation thereof about a kajillion times. Apparently I need some sort of space-age, hyperbaric-like, air-tight chamber with exact air temperature and humidity control where I can dip my perfectly-chilled-but-not-too-cold cake balls into the not-too-cold-not-too-hot perfectly-melted chocolate. See? Easy peasy.

Are. You. Freaking. Kidding. Me?

So today, as I prepared to battle it out with my nemesis: the WHITE Merckens wafers and after I was met with a big clump of nastiness instead of liquid white gold, I Googled ‘white Merckens won’t melt’ (no kidding). And guess what I discovered in a head-slapping AHA! moment that should have come a long time ago? That if the wafers are not fresh, they won’t melt well! Ding, ding, ding! So much for my theory that candy or chocolate, if stored tightly in a dark, cool space will keep for ever and ever. Of course, this also means I have to throw away about $200 of white and dark chocolate melts. So my AHA! moment was quickly followed by an Oh, F*** me! moment.

Thus, I rounded up my posse and headed to Bulk Barn to replenish my supply and set to work dipping. Funny thing, with the fresh, perfectly-melted Merckens, the cracking, though not completely eliminated, was greatly reduced. That hyperbaric chamber idea is sounding better and better.

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Don’t let this spook-tacular offer from Mabel’s Labels scare you!

From now until October 19th, or while supplies last, Mabel’s Labels is offering a $3 off coupon for Allergy Alert labels, with all Halloween Loot Bag Combo purchases.

The Loot Bag Combo was inspired by celebrities who love to include the Mabel’s Labels waterproof Sticky Labels and Bag Tags in their children’s birthday party loot bags. These sweet combos make great party favours and add a personalized touch to gifts!

Best of all, you save $3 off Allergy Alert labels. Perfect, for keeping your child safe this Halloween.

Don’t miss your chance to shop this great offer!

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Even I have Mabel’s tags on my handbag and iPhone cover.

Why?  Because to not label is to pretty much kiss your stuff good-bye.

So check this out:

Right now Mabel’s Labels is offering their popular Limited Edition Camp Combo™ for the early bird price of $37.95 until February 28^th!

Each Limited Edition Camp Combo™ is available in a choice of three solid color palettes or over 40 multi-colored designs and includes:

10 Sticky Labels
24 Skinny-Minis™
50 Tag Mates™
8 Shoe Labels
2 Bag Tags

Plus:  2 FREE friendship bracelets

Plus a Bonus Offer:  you can add a sheet of 40 Iron-Ons for only $14.95

Hurry!  Just click on the link over here on the side menu bar to order your Limited Edition Camp Combo™ before this offer runs out!

(Note:  this post can also be found at diaryofadomesticdiva.com.)

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Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Whipped Lemon Topping

This cake is best assembled the day it is served but can be refrigerated overnight in a covered container, if possible.

First, begin with a white cake.  My recipe is adapted from a white cupcake recipe, but you can use your own favorite white cake recipe or a box mix. (I know…I know…)
(Yields one 9”x13” or two 8” or 9” rounds)

Preheat oven to 350°F (or follow your own recipe instructions)  Also, remember that if you are using a dark or coated pan to reduce the temperature to 325°F.
Grease and flour two 8” round pans.

2 C        all-purpose flour
1 tsp      baking powder
½ tsp    baking soda
¼ tsp    salt
1½ C     granulated sugar
½ C       unsalted butter, at room temp
4             egg whites
2 tsp      vanilla extract
1⅓ C      buttermilk (or soured milk:  measure 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp of lemon juice or vinegar and add non-fat milk to measure the 1⅓ cups; let stand for 10 mins)
2 Tbsp   grated lemon rind (depending on your lemonyness taste)
2 Tbsp   poppy seeds

1. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer or, as I prefer, a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat together the sugar and butter until well combined, about 8-10 mins.  It will go from being very crumbly to fluffy.
3. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Mix in vanilla extract.
5. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of the buttermilk, beating until smooth.
6. Stir in lemon rind and poppy seeds until well combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth tops.  Bake in preheated oven for 25-35 mins.  (I usually bake mine in a convection oven and begin checking with a toothpick at 25 mins.  Usually done at 28-30 mins.)  Cakes are done when they begin to separate from the sides of pan and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8. Cool on wire rack for 10 mins then remove from pan and continue to let cool on rack.  I find that when the cakes are still a little warm is the best time to level the tops with a serrated knife or cake leveler.  Then I wrap well with saran wrap and put into a freezer bag and freeze until ready to use.

Lemon Filling

For the Lemon Filling you can use the store bought variety and make as directed.  I use a recipe from my Joy of Cooking cookbook, although for some reason, this time it ended up quite runny so I had to improvise with some leftover lemon buttercream.

You could also make Lemon Curd which is very similar but tarter and tangier.  I actually found this great video on how to make the lemon curd on the Joy of Baking website which is easy peasy.  Click here for the link.  The regular recipe yields about 1⅓ cups but you will need to DOUBLE it just to be sure you have enough.  The lemon filling keeps, refrigerated, for up to 2 days and the lemon curd keeps for up to a week.

You will need about 1-1½ cups to fill the cake and the rest will be reserved for the whipped topping.

Whipped Lemon Topping

This lusciously light topping is not overly sweet and has a little tartness from the lemon filling.

500 ml   whipping cream
¼ cup    confectioner’s sugar (adjust to taste)
1 tsp        clear vanilla
1-1½C    reserved lemon filling

1. Place your beaters (or whisk attachment if using stand mixer) and glass or stainless steel bowl in the refrigerator to chill for at least 20 mins.
2. Whip cream until soft peaks begin to form, about 3-5 mins.  Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla.
3. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form, really stiff.
4. Take about 1 cup of your lemon filling and gently fold it into your whipped cream.  Add more if desired.  You don’t want it to be completely blended.  You should still see little flecks of the lemon filling throughout the whipped cream.  You also don’t want it to be runny.
5. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Assembling the Cake

1. Level your cakes and place one half on your serving platter, cut-side facing up.
2. Using a spatula, spread lemon filling or lemon curd on the cake and then place second cake-half, cut-side down, on the first, sandwiching them together.
3. Now, with an offset spatula begin frosting the sides of the cake first and then the top with the Whipped Lemon Topping, smoothing or doing swirls as you go.  The fluffier it looks, the better!
4. To finish, take a pinch of poppy seeds at a time and, carefully tilting your cake platter, sprinkle the sides and then the top, if you wish.

Enjoy!

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As you know, I love cake.  Obviously.  And the next best thing to actually eating cake, or some delicious treat derived from cake (cakepops, cupcakes) is to watch TV shows about cake.  Or, in this case, cupcakes.  And the cool part is that a lot of these shows like Ace of Cakes, Cake Boss and, ahem, The Cupcake Girls, interact with their fans on Facebook and Twitter.  And so it happened one day about two weeks ago that I read an update on my Facebook page about The Cupcake Girls’ Heather White and Lori Joyce coming to Toronto (likely as a bit of a promotion for their upcoming Season 3 premiere on the W Network as well as to scope out franchise options for a Toronto location.)  They were inviting fans to join them, on a first come, first served basis, on a Toronto streetcar converted into their very own pop-up cupcake shoppe!  Fingers flying over the keyboard, I fired off an email faster than you can say ‘swiss meringue buttercream’ and shortly afterward I received my email invitation!

My ‘plus-one’ was gal pal and official cupcake taste-tester, Laura.  Excitedly we drove downtown on the Saturday afternoon, parked and walked briskly to the streetcar stop.  A much longer jaunt and in much cooler temperatures than originally anticipated.  Given our recent unseasonably balmy temperatures, it would seem neither of us had thought to check the weather forecast before departing and, although we had been instructed to ‘dress warmly’, we had also not anticipated such an extended wait.  Outside.  In the cold.  Watching eagerly, in anticipation and then disappointment, as each streetcar approached and then kept right on going.

We were scheduled to board at 5pm but the long-awaited streetcar did not pull alongside until 5:42pm.  We cheered, not just because we were being filmed, but because we were damned cold!  Now, I hate to sound all dramatic, but at this point we’d walked through some drizzle, a bit of snow and had winds whipping around us for the better part of an hour.  I had NO feeling in the toes of my right foot.  None.  So I had my eye on the prize:  warmth.

And then…

“Sorry folks.  We are at capacity.  We can’t fit anyone else on.  Would you mind meeting us at the second location?” says the producer guy.

Oh, yeah.  Sure!  Nooo problem.

Wait.  I’m sorry.  Come again?

I may have shamelessly begged.  They politely declined.  Something about there not being enough room for the cameras to film.

Before we had time to get annoyed, we turned tail and started moving.  Get the blood flowing.  Move.  Move!  We alternated between a brisk walk and a light jog until we hit the BLIZZARD!  Oh, yes.  Right down the middle of Chinatown.  It was like a curtain of snow had parted to let us in, pounded us for a good ten minutes with golf-ball-sized flakes as we slid along the sidewalk, and then gently ushered us out the other end like nothing had happened.  Hair plastered to my face, Laura and I looked at each other, did a make up check and laughed at the ridiculous lengths we were willing to go for a cupcake!  Fortunately, feeling had returned to my extremities.  We shook ourselves off like wet dogs and settled in for the wait, this time shorter and not quite so offensively cold.

About a half dozen others from the first stop joined us.  We were now the VIPs, guaranteed to get on the streetcar first.  But what’s this?  They’re boarding from the other door?  Oh, for crying out loud.

We got on.  Finally.  About 6:40pm.  You want to know the real kicker?  After two delicious cupcakes we were full!  FULL!  Who gets full on two cupcakes?

While we have been asked not to divulge too much about the filming in the coveted pretty-in-pink streetcar (footage will air in the Season 3 finale) the real thrill for me was meeting Heather and Lori and presenting them with some of my cakepops!  I’m still waiting to hear if they sampled them…

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We have a winner of our Mabel’s Labels ~ Stick it to ‘em! Giveaway!

Congratulations to:

Jonnie (edmontonjb)

who has won a gift certificate for Mabel’s Labels Colourful Sticky Labels!

Jonnie, we’ve sent you an email confirming your win and prize information.  (Please check your junk folder just in case.)  Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter and to Mabel’s Labels for donating the gift certificate for this giveaway!

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Now that all four kids are in school (two are full days and two are half days), when the stuff leaves the house, I want the stuff to return.

Enter Mabel’s Labels ~ making labels for the stuff kids lose.

If you haven’t heard of Mabel’s Labels then either you live in a cave, where there is no risk of mixing up your rocks and clubs with those of your neighbour, or you don’t have kids.

I first heard of Mabel’s when my eldest daughter (now eight) was about three or four years old.  While picking her up at school one day, I happened to notice that a pair of shoes belonging to one of her classmates was labeled on the inside with a cute little pink sticker sporting the classmate’s name and a little cartoon-like icon (a princess or a flower, I think.)  The mom happened to be standing nearby so I asked her from where she got the label to which she responded, “Mabel’s.”  Not long afterward I was ordering my first set of the Classic Camp/School Pack in the Princess-themed color with the flower icon.

Since then, we’ve had labels in nearly every color combination and embellished with butterflies, cars, owls, planes, skulls, peace signs, suns, dinosaurs, princesses and cupcakes.  I’ve ordered sets for each of my kids and I am a HUGE fan of the Loot Bag Combo which you may recall I mentioned in my Cake Pop Party blog post this past summer.

Mabel’s are wonderful for tagging kids’ clothing (I prefer the skinny-minis to the iron-ons simply because I am not a fan of ironing.)  The bigger sticky labels are awesome for sports equipment, bottles, cups, thermoses and the like.  The shoes labels stay perfectly in place with the easy 1-2 system (although they’ve made it even easier with the one-step colorful shoe labels).  And the bag tags are super cool for lunch bags and backpacks.  Fear not, Mabel’s includes easy-peasy instructions on how to apply all their labels.

I have only ever had two instances of clothing getting mixed up at school: once was a pair of sneakers and the other was with the infamous Olympic red mittens that EVERYBODY had.  Both times our items were returned thanks to Mabel’s!

Also, Mabel’s labels aren’t just for little kids.  I use the bag tags on my luggage and handbags, I have a sticky label on my travel mug and many of my fellow conference-goers at Blissdom Canada used their Mabel’s Labels to lay claim to their phones, laptops and cables.  We literally do not leave home without them!  And neither should you!

Giveaway: One lucky reader will win a Mabel’s Labels Gift Certificate to be used towards a set of Colourful Sticky Labels (Certificate expires 12/31/11).

Mandatory Entry: Leave me a comment (way down below) saying why you love your Mabel’s Labels or, if you’ve never used them, what would you label with them?

Bonus Entries:  (Please leave a separate comment for each entry.)  I verify each comment so if you don’t see it right away it’s because I have to approve it.

1. Follow me on Google Friend Connect.
2. Like my Facebook Page.
3. Like Mabel’s Labels’ Facebook Page.
4. Follow me on Twitter @EG_Cakes.
5. Follow Mabel’s Labels on Twitter @mabelhood.
6. Tweet about this contest up to 3 times a day with at least an hour in between each tweet.  Leave the link.

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.

Contest ends at 12:01am EST on November 1st, 2011.  Winner will be drawn, at random, from all eligible entries, will be notified via email and will be announced via blog post.  If any potential winner cannot be contacted by email within 48 hours or if an email notification is returned as undeliverable, the potential winner forfeits the prize.  In the event that the prize is not awarded for any reason, it will be awarded to an alternative winner by random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries.

Good luck!

Update:  This giveaway is now closed.

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My mom on her 50th birthday

At a time when I am feeling so blessed by all that I have, I am also overwhelmed by sadness as Thanksgiving was the last holiday we celebrated with my mother before she passed away three weeks later in 1998.

This has also recently been a period of reflection.  I have tweeted about it with strangers, I have confided in friends and I have commiserated with coworkers.  What I really wish is that I could have asked my mom for her advice.

I love, love, love baking.  I get a thrill out of creating one-of-a-kind edible treasures, especially for children.  Over the past year and half, after deciding to offer up my cakes and cake pops to the public, I have been surprised and humbled by the positive response and steady business.  I have learned and developed new skills, met new people, visited new places and soaked up new experiences.  I’ve had ups and I’ve had downs.

However, at the risk of sounding cliché, this exciting venture came at a price.  Never wanting to turn away potential customers, I had countless late or sleepless nights.  With other work obligations, I felt pulled in all directions.  Even now, I continue to juggle cake projects around the needs of my kids or sacrifice quality time with them.  The irony is not lost on me here:  start a home business so I can be home with my family.  However, being there for my kids physically is not enough; they need all of me.

In life we need balance and I feel as though I need to step away in order to achieve that balance.  I want to feel well-rested, healthy and energetic again.  I feel that my family deserves the best of me.

I also want to love baking again.  I don’t want to feel confined to the kitchen because of my job.  I want to bust out the flour and eggs and let my kids in on the fun rather than shoo them out of the kitchen.  I also want to resume my love of writing, both personally and on my blog, Diary of a Domestic Diva, and expand on my bourgeoning role of graphic designer with Grace Announcements.

This is not, by any means, the end of EG Cakes.  Cake Pop Parties will continue to be offered.  However, public orders for cakes, cake pops and cupcakes must be received by December 1st, 2011 for events on or before December 18th, 2011.  Beyond that I encourage you to check back for updates.

I am feeling invigorated as I write this.  I am thankful I took the step towards balance.  I am thankful to be surrounded by supportive family and friends.  I am thankful for the many opportunities that continue to come my way.  I’m also thankful to be attending an amazing conference, Blissdom Canada, next week where I hope to gain focus and a renewed energy in order to pursue the things for which I am passionate.

Many blessings on this glorious Thanksgiving weekend.

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