Autism Awareness Month: (Contest Giveaway)

If you don’t know April is the official month for Autism Awareness. As a mother to a 6 year old high functioning Autistic child, this month means a lot especially to get the word out and, educate more people about Autism.

Personally I always recommend watching the movie “Temple Grandin” She is an absolutely amazing autistic women who has accomplished so much in her life and, for the autistic community. Even more so at a time when it was still fairly new, unknown and, misdiagnosed.

Also when dealing with a friend or, stranger who has a special needs child keep this Article in mind. Before I get to the contest information, I’m going to share some tips for cake pops and, show you some of the other cake bites I made.
Almond                                  Chocolate                                                              Carrot



Instead of making a ball, make it into a decent sized patty. Using a scalloped edge cookie cutter (below) cut into the patty and take away the excess. using your fingers slowly and evenly push out the cake. Place it in your pan and do not touch. it needs to firm up before being handled further.




Another design.. once your cakes have firmed up in the fridge. Using a squeeze bottle, fill these candy molds halfway with candy Melts. Drop the balls inside (below) and, place in the fridge for 10-15 mins to harden up. Once done you can dip them in Melts by holding the bottom..



Have oil leaking out of your pops? Which you’ll see, I was having this issue with the Almond cake. Anyway.. sometimes your cakes are not evenly covered and the cake tries to escape.. like so. Using a paint brush that’s used only for pastry arts (I use mine for embroidery cookies) dip it into your melted candy and paint over the hole in your cake. Place it back on your parchment paper and, let harden.


Case closed.

Keep your sugars and other decorations close by and in individual containers for easy access. keep the bigger containers far away so you don’t accidentally knock them over.


Results…
Almond


Sugar covered top are almond along with all the other white based cakes. The glitter covered mini cakes along with the blue based are all carrot.

Packaged for work

To ship I packaged them like so in a pastry box. Then bubble wrapped them, placed them in another box surrounded by bunched up paper.. Thank fully it was from my job so it wasn’t wasteful.


Sadly only only 2 of these actually made it to their destination.. I swear the 3rd was stolen!! Here are two more ways to package them. in baggies if you’re going to give them out or, on a cake platter if displaying in your house.

CONTEST

So for my very first contest giveaway.. I’m going to give away 3 sets of coasters. Coasters designed especially for Autism Awareness.

How to enter: Leave a comment telling me what Autism means for you. Are you a parent, friend, sibling? What progress do you hope the world makes in the future regarding children and, adults with autism??

Also go to facebook and like my page Arden.Bijou

You will have until April 30th, 2012 MIDNIGHT to enter

3 winners will be picked at random and, announced on Tuesday and, coasters will be mailed out Thursday May 3rd, 2012.

Please do not enter or state you’re not entering if you are not comfortable giving out your address. I will contact you once I’ve announced all winners. If you do not respond with your address by Monday May 7th, 2012 a new winner will be chosen.

Here are what the coasters will look like.

Thank you all for stopping by. Please continue to show support for this little monkey ^^

Up Next: Mocha Cappuccino Brownies!!