Wednesday, May 21, 2008

flashback: bake sale



Well, the temperatures are still cool and the heater is still on (*drats*) so I figured I might as well do a flashback post. Back in February, I decided to do a little baking to contribute to a bake sale being held by SARO- the Syracuse Animal Rights Organization. I don't do a lot of high-volume baking, so this was a good learning experience.



First, it was time once and for all to address the frosting issue that I've had. Does the above look familiar to you? This is a cupcake that I baked back in the Fall of 2006. I always have a vision of the picture-perfect cupcake with a perfect dollop of frosting on the top, but even after using my biggest pastry tip, the results always looked a bit more like toothpaste!



Sensing my frustration, Daiku went to the kitchen supply store and found the most ridiculously large pastry tip he could find and brought it back home. At first, I was a little skeptical- the thing was huge! But guess what- I finally got the perfect-looking frosting mound that I'd always dreamed of!



Here are some of the baked goods cooling- I baked several miniature banana bread loaves and several batches of cupcakes. To keep things simple, I stuck to straight-forward and tried-and-tested recipes- vanilla and chocolate cupcakes. Someone left a comment here once asking me about my cooling rack- yes, it's just a kitchen rack that usually stores produce, but I often use it for the purpose of cooling baked goods. I don't have enough surface area in my kitchen for cooling racks otherwise!



Another thing I don't have enough room for- cool cupcake transportation contraptions. But these roasting pans from the supermarket did a great job- the plastic tops were high enough to not disturb the frosting. I finished baking and decorating late at night and ran the finished results over on a cold and snowy night. I wish the snow was a distant memory, but it's not. Afterwards, SARO told me that the goodies were snapped up at the bake sale- success!

Ok, now that I have your attention with some goodies, could I please ask you to visit SARO's webpage? They do a lot of really good work on behalf of animals and it would be great if some of their campaigns could be publicized, especially for those of you with connections to Upstate New York. One issue that is especially pressing right now is an adoption drive for a large number of rescued laboratory rats down in the Philadelphia area. Any of these rats that don't find homes by late June will be euthanized with carbon monoxide.


rats for adoption- please help!

Aren't they adorable? Is the little guy on the right giggling?? They've already overcome one hurdle by getting to leave their lab rat days behind- now they need good homes to go to. If you or anyone you know is looking to adopt a cute new pet, please consider these rats. Thank you!


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18 comments:

Anonymous said...

All those cupcakes look so scrumptious, and for a great cause! I would love to adopt those cutie rats...if i didn't live so far away!

Amey said...

Those little rats are so cute! I wonder if it would be fun to have a rat. They really are sweet. I've also thought about adopting a bunny, but I think our dogs are too much into hunting small critters. They catch gophers and eat them right there on the spot. It's wild. Literally!

Great looking cuppers too. I've got some Bazu-sourdough on the rise right now!

By the way! How exciting that your mom is going to Iran this summer. WOW. I was watching a travel show about Iran last week and all my desires to go there came back as strong as ever. I know it will happen someday! Maybe you and I will make a vegan adventure out of it! It's so sweet of you to ask if I want anything from Iran... but since I've never been there it seems impossible for me to imagine. You tell me, is there anything wonderful from there that I should want? :)

Love Amey

Anonymous said...

cute little ratties and cupcakes! you're trying to kill us with the cute, arentcha?

Anonymous said...

Hi!
Beautiful cupcakes. I was wondering, are they your own recipe? (the chocolat looks very similar mine from Vegan cupcakes takes over the world). What kind of frosting is the pink one? Looks delicious!

dreamy said...

Wow the cupcakes look good! It's really good to see people adopting lab rats. I have a friend who is working in a lab requiring killing labs :( though I have advise her to find another job, I don't think she decided to follow the advice, it's really sad when I learnt how they are killed.

trina said...

That is an ingenious cooling rack system, and your frosting looks lovely!

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Definitely a great organization, holding that bake sale; and wow, those cupcakes!!! They're BEYOND gorgeously decorated - love 'em!

bazu said...

Hi Fanny,

My cupcakes all indeed come from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World"!

Anonymous said...

If you stick one of those ratties in your handbag before you come over here, I bet no one would notice it. I'd love to have another rat.

And stick a few cupcakes in there too!

Bridget said...

DAMN GIRL those cupcakes!!!!! And that is the cutest little rat I ever seen -- look at his little nibblet tooth poking out.

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

ahh cute rats! look at them cuddling each other. your bake sale baking is inspirational, Bazu! Hats off to Daiku, he sure solved the problem, cuz that frosting is picture perfect. I'm so going to steal your roasting pan cupcake transportation idea!

Rachael said...

damnit...we've been talking about getting rats again...damnit...now i have to forward this to Katie...because we love ratties here and rescue ratties are the best. Thanks for posting about this.

P.S. The cupcakes look awesome.

Rural Vegan said...

Your cupcakes turned out beautiful, but the rats stole my heart! I used to have pets rats when I was in high school. I would totally adopt some of these if I lived nearby and if I could figure out a way to keep them safe from the kitties!

urban vegan said...

The cupcakes look absolutely professional.

And those little rats...I wish I could adopt them, but I think Pablo and Bossa Nova would eat them as a snack.

Anonymous said...

I had a rat once, she was called Mimmi and was the sweetest thing. She'd sit on my shoulder getting comfortable in my hair and watch me do chores. And when I turned 16 and developed quite a rack she'd be running across it to get to the other shoulders and sometimes just sleep there. I wish I could adopt those two gorgeous rats, they're such lovely animals.

And your baking looks great, I need to get a pastry tip that big!

Melisser; the Urban Housewife said...

The cupcakes are beauties! It's all about the large star tips! I love the cooling rack idea & the cupcake trays; great ideas! Man, those rats are cute.

Anonymous said...

Ok, first, if you and Amy head off to Iran for a vegan adventure, please please please take me with you!!!

I hope that those rats do get adopted. Kudos to SARO for getting them out of the labs. Giggling - that's just too cute.

Love your cuppers. The pink frosting looks so striking next to the chocolate cake. Love it! Glad you solved the frosting problems. That tip sounds perfect. I'm adding it to my list so I can pick it up the next time I'm at the store.

Susan from Food Blogga said...

I'll stick with the cupcakes instead of the rats if that's alright with you, Bazu. ;)