Win A Dozen Cupcakes From CakeLove & an Autographed Copy of Their Book- Contest Closed

         ******Congratulations to the Winner Sarah Parnass*******

Enter to win a dozen cupcakes from CakeLove AND a signed copy of Warren Brown's new book, CakeLove in The Morning! Try their new and improved red velvet, banana or my favorite the vanilla-based strawberry cheesecake cupcake. Or you could fill up on the toffee crunch- the Cupcake Critic's official Cupcake Boo! 

To Enter:

1. Subscribe to the Cupcake Critic's blog

2. Leave a comment below with your e-mail address  

(To contact you about your winnings) 

3. Subscribe to my YouTube page (Optional)

4. Follow me on Twitter  (Optional)

5. Follow me on Facebook (Optional)

And just for kicks, check out my pinterest page! The more "likes" or entries, the better your chances of winning! Contest ends Friday, March 1, 2013.  But don't worry, you can also buy all of Warren Brown's books below! 

Good Luck Cupcake Lovers!

                                   

Celebrate The Cupcake Critic's One Year Anniversary!! -CLOSED

This month marks the one year anniversary of The CupcakeCritic.com! Time flies and as the founder and editor, I’m so proud to see my blog grow into a well- respected and award-winning platform. To celebrate I'm giving away gifts from American Cake Decorating magazine and Pretty Girl Cupcakery in Hyattsville, MD.

THE WINNERS ARE:

#6: Michael Trayvon
#10: Lindsay

To Enter: 

1. Follow the blog (enter your e-mail address in the ‘Follow Me/Subscribe” tab found on the top right-hand corner of the home page of the blog at www.TheCupcakeCritic.com)   AND

2.  Leave a comment below telling me your favorite Cupcake Critic review and why. 

3. Optional: Follow @DCCupcakeCritic, @CakeDecMagazine, and @PGCupcakery on 

    Twitter.

Prizes: 2 lucky winners will receive a 1 year subscription to American Cake Decorating magazine OR a  6" rosette cake in your choice of vanilla, chocolate or red velvet from Pretty Girl Cupcakery. The first 12 people to respond will receive a FREE cupcake from Pretty Girl Cupcakery

Contest Ends: January 31, 2013 at 11:59 PM/EST

Contest Rules

Winners will be notified on Friday, February 1, 2013 by email so please do not post anonymously. In addition, the winners’ names will be checked against the subscription service. Failure to subscribe will automatically disqualify you from any winnings. Prize(s) must be claimed within 72 hours (by Monday, February 4, 2013) or will be considered forfeited. Contest is open to residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Sorry, entries outside of the United States will not be honored. Prizes cannot be redeemed for cash value nor can they be transferred. 

December Giveaway: Custom Cupcake Carriers by 24-K Packaging

Custom Cupcake Boxes by 24 K Packages are probably one of the hottest products that I've featured. I've been playing with my box samples non-stop since receiving them and to be fair (kind and generous) two of my lucky readers will receive a 12-pack of their own custom cupcake boxes (retail value $36). 

To enter complete the following using the Rafflecopter link below:

1. Subscribe to the Cupcake Critic's Blog OR Sign-up for the Cupcake Critic's 

    Newsletter  AND

2. Follow 24 K Packaging on Twitter (@24KPKG) AND

3. Follow 24 K Packaging on Facebook AND

4. Follow the Cupcake Critic on Twitter (@DCCupcakeCritic) AND

5. Follow the Cupcake Critic on Facebook 

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Contest: "I Love You More than Cake" Boxed Set from Tabibi Designs

Photo courtesy of Tabibi Designs

Hey Cupcake Lovers! Tina Tabibi of Tabibi Design (a full-service graphic design studio located in Arlington, Virginia), has created a new line of cards sold on their Etsy shop! The shop features letterpress boxed sets of cards for the special occasions in your life. The cards are printed on 118 lb. savoy brilliant white cotton and includes white envelopes. 

Photo courtesy of Tabibi Designs

To celebrate I'm giving two lucky subscribers a 6-pack of Tabibi Design's "I Love You More Than Cake" Letterpress Boxed Set. To sweeten the deal Tabibi Designs has partnered with Simply Cakes by Alison, LLC, to give readers a half dozen cupcakes for each box of cards!! Sweet! 

Maryland Crab Cupcakes by Simply Cakes by Alison, LLC

Princess Cupcakes by Simply Cakes by Alison, LLC

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Contest: Election Cupcakes from Sprinkles Georgetown

On the heels of the Presidential election, my new vlog discusses Georgetown Cupcake's LA store opening, Hello Kitty for President, Election Cupcakes, and What's Hot in the Cupcake Streets. Check it out for your viewing pleasure. Also to celebrate my new Youtube Channel I will be giving  three (3) lucky Youtube subscribers an election cupcake box courtesy of Sprinkles Georgetown. To enter see contest details below! 

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The Sweet Life Sugar Tour

Photo courtesy of The Sweet Life/ Claudia Johnson

Ending the recession one cupcake at a time, Pink Dot Concepts is hosting The Sweet Life Sugar Tour. The Sweet Life Sugar Tour is a collective pop-up shop of 10-12 local bakers sharing and selling their lovely cupcakes and other baked goods. Come out and nibble, sip, and enjoy! Hurry, space is limited. Check out my Facebook and Twitter pages for the ticket giveaway!

When: August 11th (Woodbridge,VA) & August 12th (Manassas,VA)

Time: 1-4PM

Where: The Country Inn & Suites (2621 Prince William Pkwy, Woodbridge, VA)

The Holiday Inn Express (10424 Balls Ford Rd, Manassas, VA)

Cost: $15

The Park Lane Cupcake Necklace Giveaway

Photo courtesy of Park Lane Jewelry

Recently, Debbie Eggleston of Park Lane Jewelry sent me a pic of this beautiful cupcake necklace. The necklace is a hand-enameled cupcake necklace with white vanilla frosting and multi-colored spinkles.  It's highlighted with genuine Swarvoski crystals and dangles from an adjustable 14-16 inch chain and retails for $30. Park Lane Jewelry has also created a matching bracelet ($14) and earrings ($20) to finish the set. It even comes in a cute cupcake-shaped box! Order yours today from Debbie or...enter to win this necklace as part of The Cupcake Critic's Summer Giveaway!

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Win a Wilton Deluxe Practice Board!

Photo courtesy of Wilton Company

While visiting the Wilton website I came across their Deluxe Practice Board. Having already received the Dessert Decorator Pro, I knew that the Practice Board was the next step in perfecting my non-existent cake decorating craft. I'm old skool and not above slathering frosting on cupcakes with a butter knife and saying, "Dig in..." 

When my board arrived, I ripped it open like a kid at Christmas. The compact plastic kit is easy to store and came with over 80 practice pages. Simply sliding a new practice sheet into the clear flap case was a breeze and designed for ease of use. I filled my Dessert Decorator Pro and in minutes, I was curling my que's, puffing my sea-shells and squiggling my lines. 

As a beginner I wanted to start off slow and only tried a few practice sheets at a time. Even with the most diligent of work, Wilton gives you more than enough creative outlets to learn and try. The best feature of the the board is its easy clean-up. Just take a hot and soapy rag and wipe off the frosting; it will practically slide off. 

Pick up your practice board from Wilton's website (www.Wilton.com) for $29.99 (plus S&H) or enter to win The Cupcake Critic's Summer Giveaway below! Good Luck Cupcake Lovers!


*This product was gifted from Wilton and in no way swayed the opinions of the reviewer.

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Wilton Dessert Decorator Pro Giveaway

The Wilton Dessert Decorator Pro is the Grand Dame of cupcake decorators. This user-friendly device comes with 6 tips, 2 couplers, a dessert pro book and a handy dishwasher safe bag for your nozzles. Everything you need to make luscious desserts, tempting appetizers and eye-catching cakes. I received my very own Dessert Decorator Pro from Wilton last week and have been frosting ever since!  

First, I broke the device down to its core to see how many components we are talking here and how user-friendly is it. If I can understand the device, I can use it to full capacity. It's dishwasher safe designs and rotating cylinder  provides a very sturdy device that is easy to fill and clean. 

Once I put it back together I filled the silver cylinder with icing, placed it into the plastic holder and topped it with the ergonomic pump. I then placed the coupler and desired tip and was ready to frost. Gripping the handles just right, my fingers rested easy and with a few pumps to get the frosting down my cupcakes were being bathed in beautiful stars, swirls and even rose petals. 

The first cupcake that I frosted was a beauty. I was proud of myself and eagerly tried out the other tips. In total I used 5 of the 6 tips provided and had fun with it. No more hold bulky bags that can burst and even leak frosting. When I ran out of frosting, I was dismayed because the device was so much fun and made frosting a joy.

But after all my fun, it was time to clean up and I was eager to see how this thing stood up to my dishwasher. After breaking down the components and putting the tips in the dishwasher safe bag, I was pleased to see that the stainless steel cylinder and plastic components looked brand new upon completion. No streaking, spots or baked on frosting.

At the sweet price of $34.99, you can ditch the bags and pick-up this beauty from the Wilton Company store or enter below to win my giveaway for the Dessert Decorator Pro!!

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Bath & Body Works Frosted Cupcake Candle

Review: Slatkin & Co. Frosted Cupcake Candle
Location: Bath & Body Works (in stores or online)
Cost: $19.95
Score: 5

The new 'Frosted Cupcake' candle from Slatkin & Co, a subsidiary of Bath and Body Works, debuted this March in stores and online. I was excited when I first heard about the candle on Twitter from @LuvBBW. After contacting Slatkin & Co. for a sample, I was also able to score some extras for my readers! 

As soon as I got the candle in the mail I burned the 20 hour candle for about three hours. The three-wick, 14.5 ounces beauty gave off a freshly baked cupcake scent with hints of strawberry. The candle burned evenly and left a serene feeling in my home, as opposed to the overly sweet smell that I had anticipated. As a true candle lover and frequent candle purchaser, I deemed the price tag of $19.95 as more than fair. If you are a true Cupcake Lover, you won't be disappointed. Buy yours today!

*This product was gifted however did not persuade the reviewer's opinions.

Delectable Cakery

Location: 7150 Chesapeake Rd Suite 130 Landover Hills, MD 

Flavors:  Sweet Potato & Red Velvet

Price: $3

Score: 4.9

To begin, I’ve loved Delectable Cakery from the first time that I tried their famous sweet potato cake at The Brookland Cafe many years ago. The cafe regulars swore by it and demanded that I get two slices because quote: "one won't be enough". I reluctantly ordered two slices and after I took a bite, I was glad that I did. For the next two years I would trek from Bowie, MD to their Mt. Rainier location for their single-sized sweet potato cake (often eating the first half prior to getting home). Fast forward a few more years and they have added cupcakes to their menu: sweet potato, red velvet, and chocolate.

Delectable Cakery display case...almost gone

Two year's ago they would leave their Mt. Rainier location for more swanky digs in Georgetown's Four Seasons hotel only to find that The Four Seasons had renegotiated the deal with another company- bummer! The well-sought after bakery with clients ranging from Nordstroms to Ben’s NextDoor decided to take up temporary residence in their administrative offices located in Landover Hills, MD.

Sweet Potato Cupcakes

Walking into the cozy storefront, you are greeted with an abundance of cakes in different sizes that all center on their signature sweet potato cake. Delectable Cakery’s flavor is so distinct that whether you taste their pound cake, red velvet or signature sweet potato, you'll feel the love.  As their name suggests their cakes are tender, moist, and well delectable. Their cream cheese frosting isn’t gooey but delicate and sweet like snowflakes at Christmas.  

Partner Brian Rhone stands proudly behind the display case

On this day, I hit cupcake jackpot and received a half dozen cupcakes for only $9 with their BOGO promo. Further, after arriving and finding out that they only had two flavors left: sweet potato and red velvet, the owners gave me and my sister one of their deluxe red velvet cupcakes to compensate. BINGO! 

Double-Decker Red Velvet Cupcake-Enough for 2!

At $3 a pop, Delectable’s cupcakes will more than satisfy your sweet tooth. But be forewarned: much like their humble and unassuming storefront, the sweet and petite cupcakes are grade-A rich and pack a punch of flavor. You will be hooked so prepare yourself to purchase a dozen or more.

Win a dozen cupcakes from Delectable Cupcakery!!

Cupcakes from Delectable Cakery (Photo courtesy of The Cupcake Critic)

The good folks at Delectable Cupcakery are giving my readers the chance to win one dozen cupcakes or one pound cake. To enter, leave a comment on their review and two lucky readers will receive their choice of a dozen free cupcakes or one pound cake! Contest ends on Sunday, March 18, 2012 at midnight (EST). Winners will be announced on Monday, March 19, 2012 at noon (EST). 

The Wilton Easy-Flex Contest (Contest Closed)

Win your own set of Wilton's Easy-Flex silicone baking cups and a mini-muffin pan!! To enter, leave a comment telling me your favorite baking product or gadget. Two lucky winners will be chosen for a Wilton Prize Pack! Contest ends on Thursday, March 15, 2012. The winner will be announced on Friday, March 16, 2012 at noon. Good luck Cupcake Lovers!

The Sweet Lobby's Contest Winner!

This week's contest winner is Brian!! 

Congratulations Brian! 

Please send your e-mail address to DCCupcakeCritic@gmail.com to claim your prize, one dozen cupcakes from The Sweet Lobby! 

The Sweet Lobby Contest (Contest Closed)

Hey Cupcake Lovers! The Sweet Lobby,Winners of Cupcake Wars and recent addition to Barracks Row, are giving one of my readers a gift certificate for one dozen free cupcakes!! 

Rules to enter:

Subscribe to my blog in the upper right-hand corner and leave a comment on one of my reviews. One lucky member will be chosen at random and awarded a gift certificate for one dozen cupcakes. The winners will be announced on Monday 5, 2012!

Sticky Fingers' Sweets Contest Winners!!

Congratulations!!!

This week's contest winners are Jen & Krys!!! You each have won a signed and personalized copy of Doron Petersan's book, 'Sticky Fingers' Sweets: 100 Super-Secret vegan recipes'. Please send your full names and mailing addresses to DCCupcakeCritic@gmail.com. Thanks for playing :0)

Sticky Fingers' Sweets Contest!! (Contest Closed)

Doron Petersan of Sticky Fingers Bakery has a new book entitled, 'Sticky Fingers’ Sweets: 100 Super- Secret Vegan Recipes’. The book debuts on Friday, February 17^th but here's a chance to get your copy FREE!!

Visit my blog www.TheCupcakeCritic.com, follow my blog and comment on your favorite review. One lucky follower will receive an autographed copy of the book!! Contest ends on Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST)

Winners will be announced on Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 1PM (EST).

Also, read this week’s review of Sticky Fingers Bakery!!

Happy Eating Cupcake Lovers!!


Want more than one copy? Pre-order your book today!