http://www.bakespace.com/recipes/detail/Vegan%20Manicotti/50632/#recipe-story

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,000 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 3 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Other things to celebrate from 2011:

-healthy growth and love of my family

-another wonderful year with my man

-another wonderful year with the Literacy Council, promotion to bartender at Artie’s and most of all, my new part-time baker position at Sticky Fingers!

-Growing and gaining new friendships

-Dad and my sister maintaining near full-time employment!

-surviving my trip across country with my bestie Becky

-winning 2nd place Amatuer Division at the Capital Area Cake Show

-Gimme Dem Cupcakes first wedding order

-taking the goods to market, especially collaborating with Jill for the V Picnic Club at the Mount Pleasant Farmer’s market

Thank you all for an exceptional year.  I wish you all a blessed 2012.

What does that mean for Gimme Dem Cupcakes?  GDC will be making it’s last for profit appearance this weekend at the Mt. Pleasant Farmers market in collaboration with V Picnic Club.  To prevent a conflict of interest with my Sticky Fingers friends, I will only continue baking cupcakes for current friends and loved ones who already have my contact information.  In the future, I still plan to take part in local events like the Capital Area Cake Show as well as collaborate with friends on other ideas, so you’ll still be able to catch  some sweets or an empanada here and there.  I’ll keep you apprised as the blog is re-purposed into a solely personal outlet.

That said, I hope you can wish us a fond farewell/good luck this weekend at the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market and visit me at Sticky Fingers to get your holiday sweets!

In July, Hayley contacted me through my ordering system and we set to work to put together a tasting for their big day.  A week or so later, they biked here to have bunch and sample five of the 6 flavors they picked out.  After a big plate full of hash browns and scrambled tofu, we set to work tasting some of GDC’s finest: Banaramadingdong, Pistachio Rosewater, Don’t be too Blueberry, Lemon, Dreamsicle, and Jamaicanmecrazy.  Eyes rolled, mouths curled into smiles, no crumbs were left… We parted ways happy and full!

After the tasting we tweaked her order to include Chocomint instead of Dreamsicle and then put together plans to meet for a dinner and to assemble a cake stand using foam core, ribbon, a little paint, soda cans, ribbon, and some beautiful Marimekko printed fabrics.  It’s amazing what you can do with a hot glue gun! 

I’m so grateful we had the time to share meals and work together on the cake planning.  Hayley and Mike are an amazing couple and spending time getting to know each other really set the tone for the relaxed and creative relationship we share.   They have been so gracious and appreciative, inviting us to stay for reception and meet their family.  I have been so happily surprised by how included and appreciated they make me feel.

The night before the wedding, I got home from work and made my way through 16 batches of cupcakes as well as her miniature centerpiece cake.  I took my time, wanting each little cake to be full of love and blessings for the happy couple.

The next day, I dropped off another customer’s order and then Lars and I made our way to Sauca where the reception was held.  We quickly set-up and chatted with the owner about the benefits of working with such amazing customers, “Real Huggers” as we call them.  Hayley and Mike made their adorable entrance as we saw them biking toward the restaurant and then walking in hand in hand.

All evening, we mingled and enjoyed and laughed and ate.

Hayley found me on Etsy two years ago and said she knew I’d be her baker, and now the dream is realized and I think we’ve become good friends.  Thank you both so much, Hayley and Mike.  Also, big ups for my man, Lars, for his constant moral support, help schlepping, and his constant endorsement for the cakes!

Last week, GDC got it’s first official order for wedding cupcakes, so be on the lookout for work in progress blogs on how GDC does tasting, pricing, how-to-build your own cupcake stand and the super rad young bride who ordered them!

Many blessings to the all the wonderful couples sharing the growth and gift of love!

After the farmers market in May, I decided to refocus on relaxing in a bigger way!  While I haven’t been baking or writing much, I have been having SO. MUCH. FUN.  Making new friends and celebrating the ones we already have; travelling; running with my puppy; sweating it out on roadtrips; laughing; crying; and eating delicious, delicious food.  Thank goodness for all the wonderful people in my life making all this possible!  Click on the likn below and you’ll see my Mom’s business (Harmony Gardening and Sustainable Solutions), Joy’s new puppy (Sookie), my trip to Laramie to move Becky, Family Style Cantonese dinner for my birthday, #malletsarefortourists Barn Party and Crab Feast:

and some pics just from our trip to Asheville:

Some of you may be wondering where you’ll see Gimme Dem Cupcakes next, and the truth is…  YOU NEVER KNOW!  I’ll definitely be making an appearance at the either DC Veg Fest or DC Cupcake Camp and a Grey Market in the fall; and there have been a few other events and opportunities I just couldn’t make work yet.  But as the GDC kitchen prepares to move to the district spring 2012, I’m hoping to set roots and partner with a storefront or kitchen in the area.  Let me know if you have any ideas!  Maybe August will actually help me get back to work…  In the meantime, keep checking back here for updates and I’ll still be doing made to order!!

One of my favorite parts of these warmer months is the Farmer’s Markets!  Between Lars and I we live next to two of the area’s finest Falls Church Farmers Market and Mt. Pleasant Farmers Market!  This summer at Mt. Pleasant, check out my friend Jill’s new vegan food venture V Picnic Club (maybe she’ll team up with me for the next DC Grey Market?)!  Last Saturday, Lars and I picked up some of her yums for brunch and I have never been so in love with KALE!  Made our brunch!  We also got a loaf of Rosemary Italian from Atwaters!  With a some fresh asparagus and summer squash, we had a killer scramble going!  I love, love, love lazy Saturdays.

Potlucks and picnics!  Saturday we also met with friends for a picnic at Merridian Hill Park.  Stretched out on blankets, it was a patchwork of paradise with fresh loafs of bread and delicious fruit mingling with the soft smell of an afternoon sprinkle of rain.  Perfectly refreshing.  Between the TAFT record club and birthdays, my mouth will be watering all summer.

Taking trips!  Be advised, GDC will be taking some time off this summer and will not be taking orders on the following dates:  July 3-7 I’ll be moving my bff to Laramie, WY (#allamericanmidwestbday) and July 19-24 I’ll be in Asheville, NC with the Gotrich family.  Wish me well!

I hope we can make time to spend together with some sweet tea and something fresh from the garden!  Who knows what the the summer heat will inspire in the GDC kitchen!

The DC Grey Market was a definite success! After ordering tons-o-new swag from Moo, baking beau coup cupcakes and salteñas, labelling and planning logistics, coordinating around my defunct car and schlepping–it all came together!  Set-up was a breeze and the day went really smoothly.  I feel really good about Gimme Dem Cupcakes’ showing at the DC Grey Market, especially as our very first opportunity to sell at a public event!  Even though there were so many bakers, I feel really good about the niche our vegan yums held out!  It was also great to meet so many other vendors and see what they’re doing to realize their food concepts!  We broke even and we got our name out there.  More than that, it was really really amazing to see so many of my friends pull together and support me.  I really feel kind of overwhelmed when I think about it.  I can’t wait for the next one!  I couldn’t have done it without a stellar team of volunteers* and Maya, the DC Grey Market organizer!

If any visitors from the market have questions about GDC’s market’s offering or the other items on our menu, please feel free to contact me by emailing beckmaka@gmail.com

Check out the pictures!

*Volunteers: at GDC HQ-Niva, Asmait, Joy, Anna, Boom, and Lars; at the register: Boom, Joy, Chuck, Dad and Lars; working the crowd: Boom, Dad, Lars, Jasmine; and even more friends that came to support: Patrick, Niva, Alan, Padmini, Braniff, Cynthia, Jill, Cynthia, Scott, Asmait, Adrienne, Sara, Kerrin, Alicia!  Thank you all for being!!!

Hi friends!

Running around full tilt in the DMV has been rough on Bruce, my little Subaru Legacy.  He’ll be out of commission for the next week, so please note Gimme Dem Cupcakes will be unable to do deliveries.  No worries, though!  We have a plan B to get our gear to the Grey DC Market!  FYI.

Thank you all!

Quick update!!!  As I blogged last week, the DC Grey Market is on for May 21st 12-4PM hosted by Local 16!  They have registered 25 vendors and are putting them all up on the Grey DC website product page and they are expecting 1000-2000 people to come through the market all day!  That said, if any customers want to turn in containers, I love recycling,  and I do offer a dollar toward any subsequent GDC order for recycled tins/containers!

As I look at the monster preparation time required, I’m asking if my favorite helpers would like to volunteer and help me prep in the GDC kitchen!  If it looks like the weather will hold out, I’m shooting to make as many as 800 minis (Dreamsicle, Chuck Raspberry, AmeriCAN Dream, Bananaramadingdong, and Chocomint) and at least 100 empanadas (both corn and saltenas).  Dad will be standing by with me the day of to sell and answer questions!  I can’t wait to meet the other vendors and see you all there!  It’s going to be amazing!!!