You are my cuppy cake

Wazzup peeps? For those not familiar, today is Sweetest Day, or as my S.O. likes to say "A Hallmark Holiday". Sweetest Day is the red-neck equivalent to Valentines Day, and yes, it comes with heart shaped candy boxes, flowers, cards and teddy bears with I *heart* you on the tummy tum tum.

Observed the 3rd Saturday in the month of October, Sweetest Day observance originated in Cleveland in 1922. Herbert Birch Kingston, a philanthropist and candy company employee wanted to bring happiness into the lives of orphans, shut-ins and others who were forgotten. With the help of friends, he began to distribute candy and small gifts to the underprivileged.

Primarily a regional observance celebrated in the Great Lakes region and the Northeast, Sweetest Day is gradually spreading to other areas of the country. People tend to take the Sweetest Day tradition with them when they move. Ohio is the top state for Sweetest Day sales, followed by Michigan and Illinois. Texas, California and Florida are among the top 10 states in sales.

Hey, you learned something today!! Anywho, since its not a "real" holiday and I/we don't really celebrate Valentines Day either, I didn't really want to do the whole candy and card thing. I am not a flower-type person (IMO they are a waste of money), I do like candy, but eh... no biggie. However, I was in the mood to bake so I hit the grocery store.

Wandering the isles, desperate for inspiration, I found strawberry cake mix. Now, those that are familiar, know I'm not big into artificial flavored anything, and kinda turn my fat pudgy nose up at cake mixes. I. Am. A. Purist. Take the time and bake that shit from scratch yo. Be creative. If you are going to take the time to bake for your family, make it yummy. Cake mixes (to me) say "Ya know, I love you but just long enough to throw some shit together and because it is a thoroughly manufactured product, even if I don't follow the directions, it will still be edible".

Now I know some of you are saying "Vickie, mixes are convenient. Mixes give me baked goods without all the babysitting and half the mess". Perhaps you are saying "Bitch get off your high-horse. Who the eff do you think you are? My cakes are good ho" and that's fine for you. I don't like hydroponic anything, hothouse is a joke and why pay good money to a grocery store bakery that is just using the same mix off the shelf and charging triple the price??

I don't get it.

Oh but I digress....

Back to the strawberry cake mix. Sweetest Day is romance-y. Romance is flower-y. Flowers are pink-y. Strawberry cake mix makes pink cake. And it kinda sorta should theoretically taste like strawberry and since strawberries are out of season, I thought "cool." So I bought the mix and baked me up a mess o cuppy cakes.

I also decorated the bejeezes outta them. Oh me and my creative streaks. I am a cuppycake goddess!

Aren't they freakin cute??

I rock!!