Sunday Sweets: Hope Springs Eternal

Many of you know Cakegirls from the show Amazing Wedding Cakes, or from Food Network cake challenges. Sisters Brenda and Mary and their staff have a reputation for fantastic, modern cake art, like this:

Many of you also know that on the morning of March 29th, the Cakegirls bakery tragically burned to the ground. Fortunately no one was hurt, but they did lose everything - and their staff is jobless until they can rebuild.

I have no doubt that Cakegirls will be back, bigger and better than ever, before too long. In the meantime, though, since their website gallery is currently down, here are a few of their lovelies I had on file:

I think this is my favorite; the yellow with the stripes is so cheerful, don't you think?

If you'd like to show your support for the girls, then buy a Cakegirls t-shirt. The proceeds will help all of the employees stay afloat until the bakery can rebuild.

But wait, I have more!

Read on a for a sweet story.

This next cake is by Jane, of Cakes Come True and Truffles, Too in Cincinnati. Jane has no idea I'm writing this today, or even that I write a blog (much less this one! [evil snicker]), but I recently had an encounter with her I'd like to share.

First, some quick background: For the past 9 months or so, I've been following the story of junior Wreckie Jacob Taylor, a courageous 9-year-old who battled brain cancer with a big smile, right up until the day he earned his wings. On the tearful day when we learned Jacob was gone, I read that the funeral reception would be serving food, and naturally thought of sending some sweets over.

Since this was in another state, I scrambled to find a local baker. I found Jane's website, and John called her. Miraculously, she agreed to make and deliver three cakes with less than 24 hours notice. Amazing, right?

Ah, but there's more...

About a week later, John and I got a card from Jane. In it, she told us she was so touched by Jacob's story that she'd decided to take all of the money we paid her and donate it- in his memory - to The Cure Starts Now, an organization working to cure pediatric brain cancer.

Now, if you're like me, then sometimes you get convinced that pretty much everyone on the planet sucks. (Or at the very least, everyone on the internet. Heh.) Some days you think everyone is just too self-absorbed to care. But sometimes, on those days, someone like Jane will come along, and give you a little hope. She didn't know us, or Jacob, and she had a regular 9-5 job in addition to her bakery business, but she still went above and beyond for us and for Jacob's family. So Jane, you rock. Thank you.

Well, that's my sweet story. Stay tuned for our regularly scheduled sarcasm.

- Similar Sweets: Cute-Tastic!