Cupcakes for a Cause

A few weeks ago, I read about a "competition" and knew God was nudging me to enter, even though it was completely out of my comfort zone.

A couple of friends from Bible study were putting on a cupcake competition to raise money for Project TLC - His Kids Too - an organization that sends money and supplies to the orphanages with special needs children in the Ukraine. If a child with special needs isn't adopted by about age four, then they are institionalized in a really SAD situation. I know of a family from church who has adopted a Down's boy from the Ukraine, and now I have another friend adopting a Down's girl from there. All this to say is that I admire these families, and I wanted to help this organization take care of these children - God's children.

All that being said, decorating cupcakes isn't a strong point for me. I enjoy it and share them with family and close friends. I admit to seeing others creativity in the kitchen and knew I didn't do nearly as nice of a job. God worked on me in this area and reminded me that it wasn't about be comfortable; it was about teaching my girls about this.

So I did. Our Saturday paper had a nice article on this event, so that was my launching point. As we sat down for lunch, I asked the girls if they knew what an ophan was. Analise did, so I then asked how they thought it would feel to have no parents. Maisie answered, "No one would make you lunch." True, though I was hoping for a little more than that. :)

To involve the girls in this project, they were going to raise their own money. Instead of earning a stone for good behavior or helping out, each girl had her own cup to collects coins. Then each one would donate her coins at the competition; they didn't keep a cent. They were so excited to earn their coins! Here they are with their cups:

So I had to make 48 cupcakes. I made chocolate s'mores cupcakes, with the cake and frosting made from scratch. I had my young gals from my Bible study be my taste testers; I don't think they minded too much. :) I had a few variations for them to tweak. Two weeks later I made the real deal, and even then I changed my mind on the frosting.

Analise and Brandon were my decorating helpers. I never would have finished on time without them!

Analise cut 90% of the marhsmallows. We averaged 23 marshmallows per cupcake.

23x48= lots of cuts!

48 flowers - I mean cupcakes all ready to take

If decorating cupcaked didn't stretch me enough, decorating the table about did me in! Again, my college/young married gals helped me out with ideas. And a couple of other friends loaned me their serving platters. I was going for the "don't stand out" table by either over/underdoing it. I think I did it. Simple yet nice.

Brandon brought the girls so they could see their cupcakes and use their coins to vote for their favorite cupcakes. They had lots of fun! And I was so thankful for a husband that instead of hunting, he made flower cupcakes and brought his girls to the competition.

My cupcakes didn't win anything, but I went home so glad I did this. Hopefully my girls learned something, I was a part of helping donate $2700 for orphan care, and I felt like a winner when I found a note in my packed things to take with me. "Good luck mom. I hope you win" Love Analise.