The Movember Manly Cupcake Challenge

Prostate Cancer has no ribbons. Testicular Cancer has no large walks for charity. They have no pink shoelaces, pink hockey sticks, or pink fire trucks. Lets be honest, they really don't get as much attention as their female counterparts. I guess no one wants to think of testicles when they're buying yogurt or gym clothes. This is unfortunate. Prostate Cancer occurs in every 1 in 6 men in Canada, but it receives less than half the research funds that are available to Breast Cancer. Now, I love boobies. I have a pair of them myself. But this imbalance of funds and public exposure is a bit odd to me. Every woman knows they should go for mammograms and pap smears, but does your male counterpart know how to check himself for testicular cancer? 

The Movember Foundation has made a move to really make the public aware of male health issues that have remained in the shadows for way too long. Started in 2003 by a bunch of soused Australians, Movember is an annual month long celebration of the supreme symbol of manliness - the mustache. During November, men from all over the globe dedicate themselves to growing an awe-inspiring mo' while raising funds and awareness for all men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and male depression. 

Wonderful idea. But I have a wee bit of a problem with it. I can't grow a mustache. I'm sure I could pull off a wicked uni-brow if I lost my tweezers , but I do not have the power to produce a mo. But I do have the power to bake a sweet-ass cupcake.

This is why C&C Cakery has decided to run a cupcake contest for this awesome month. Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce you to:

Yay Pumpkins!

Hope you have a spooky Halloween!

The Winner, The News, and The Announcement

Once again, I found myself without my bag of nerd dice - so random.org will just have to do:

Congrats to Kriss! Your last minute entry paid off big time! A big box full of spooky goodies will be sent to you as soon as you email us at cccakery@gmail.com with your address and full name. Tout suite, please! We want those cookies to make it to you before Halloween!

Some more news for everyone - Voting for this month's Cupcake Hero and Mystery Box are open now. Both the Dead Elvis and the Candied Yam Cupcakes are in the mix, so go on over and check everything out.

Finally, we have something super exciting going down behind the scenes here at C&C. We'll be unveiling a new annual contest in the start of November. I can't tell you exactly what's happening, but I can give you a bit of a clue. Meet our new little friend:

Any guesses?

The Dead Elvis Cupcake

Okay. Let's admit it. Halloween is totally just for kids. It's gives them a chance to dress up like their favourite superhero and/or princess and freak out after eating their body weight in sugar. Good for them. They need a holiday to cut up the long stretch to Christmas. Let's let them have it. I'm totally talking to you, Ms. Dress-up-as-a-slutty-nurse/police officer/ninja turtle. Just take your brewskies and walk away.

Halloween for us adults should be more refined. I know, it's hard to let go of your childhood. You can still dress up, if it makes you feel better. Just not as a sexy ninja turtle, please. Around here, we take our celebration inspiration from down south. Way down south.

Dias de los Muertos takes place shortly after Halloween. If you've never heard about it, you're totally missing a party, dude. It gives us a chance to honour those who have past on into the other realm - and to feast, drink, and make really wicked sugar skulls. What's not to love?

Halloween Cookies 2010 (and a Giveaway!)

The air is crisp. The leaves are changing. Large orange pumpkins are popping up in the farmer's field. Kids start trouncing around in batman or ninja turtle outfits. You've already sucked down that 150 pack of kit kats. And, one dark and stormy night, the Mistress of the Dark suddenly appears on your TV.

Oh yes. Halloween is back, baby. It's time to start sending out this year's Halloween Cookie Boxes. We've got lots of lovely treats for you, including:

Homemade Butterfinger Skulls
White Chocolate Nutella Skulls

Peusdoreos

Hag's fingers

Black and White Candy Cornies

Cobweb Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These treats will be sent out across the US and Canada starting next week. Here's your chance to get in on the sweet sweet action. To spread the spookiness, we'll be sending out a box to one winner. All you have to do is make sure you follow us and leave a comment telling us about your favourite Halloween costume. Batta-bing batta boom! We'll announce the winner on Friday so we can send the box o' goodies out to you before the big day. 

Good luck! And may Elvira be with you!

Yam Buttermilk Pie

You've just created an amazing and unique cake. It took a lot of time and effort, but it's worth it. Your friends and family rave about it. Your grandmother asks for the recipe. You get a bazillion hits on your blog. The world thinks your a genius. 

But they don't know your secret shame. Your own personal nightmare. Every time you open up that fridge, you are haunted. Ingredients from recipes past are shoved into the back corner. It's a horrific food mausoleum. What ever are you going to do with those maraschino cherries, that quarter cup of heavy cream, and that bit of old fondant? You close the door and forget about it, but the skeletons keep piling up in your cold closet. You've got to end this never ending cycle. There is only one thing that can help you now. 

Get-Ready-For-Halloween $60 CSN Giveaway Winner!

I left my nerd dice in my classroom this weekend (math is much more fun with dodecahedrons), so random.org will have to do:

Congrats to Sourkraut! I hope you buy something neat with this to help you prepare for the upcoming fall season! Send us an email and we'll help you on your way to a CSN shopping spree.

Speaking of the fall season, our Halloween cookie boxes will be ready to order after Thanksgiving (Oct 11 for you Yanks!). Drop us an email if you're interested (or just intrigued).

Cowboy Cookies

I am a Canadian. I am proud of our socialized medicine and our Charter of Rights of Freedoms. I pay 12% taxes on everything (PST, GST, HST) and I do it with a grin. Yes, we do have a conservative federal government - and I'm not proud of that - but at least we don't have all those crazy Tea-Baggers running around.

America's Republican Party absolutely intrigues me. It was founded in 1854 on one simple platform: to stop the spread of slavery into the western territories. Now, last time I checked, that's not such a big hot-button issue anymore. So why is the GOP still around? (Of course, you can say the same thing about the Democrats, who were founded on the platform that Alexander Hamilton was a big D-Bag).

Enough of the history lesson. To be honest with you, I'm babbling because I've got some real guilt issues going on. I made some cookies the other day. The recipe came from a pretty prominent First Lady. A pretty prominent Republican First Lady. Doesn't seem so bad, I know - but I'm a pretty left-wing Canadian. I'm talking NDP left-wing. And this particular Republican First Lady was married to a pretty infamous Republican President. Now, this certain Republican President is not a bad man. I would totally have a brew or two with him. He was just . . . special . . .