Not too long ago, according to my memory, cupcakes were something that were made for a child’s birthday party or a school function as they did not require cutting or plates. Over the last few years cupcakes have become the rage. They are presented on fancy display stands at weddings, baked in designer papers, and topped by frosting artists to enhance their appeal. Bakers have gone to extreme lengths to come up with new flavours, like Red Velvet, Lemon Meringue, Irish Cream, Pina Colada, and don’t forget the Pumpkin Spice with maple bacon icing!
Cupcakes have become a culinary delicacy in high demand and therefore garner high prices. A simple chocolate or vanilla cupcake is fetching between $3.00 and $3.50 on average and those fancy designer cupcakes sell for between $4.50 and $6.00 depending on the variety – in the lower mainland.
Whenever you have a new trend there is always someone there trying to cash in on it. In this case I am happy to say it is a charity. Monday February 24th was National Cupcake day for the SPCA and thanks to two determined Robson Valley Residents ‘Cupcakes for a Cause’ has come to McBride.
Mellany Ford likes to decorate cupcakes and Barbara Jackson wanted to learn some cupcake techniques, but with life being what it is and everyone having busy schedules, the time never seemed to present itself for Jackson – until she read about National Cupcake Day and Cupcakes for a Cause. The light bulb went off, and after a few phone calls and “a lot more paperwork than was expected,” Jackson had McBride registered with Chatelaine magazine for National Cupcake Day/ Cupcakes for a Cause.
On Sunday February 23rd people gathered in the EV Free Church’s kitchen to decorate donated cupcakes. Ford took the lead with the decorating/ demonstrating and helping anyone who wished to learn. Jackson was ever the encourager telling all the participants how beautiful and fun the cupcakes looked.
The cupcakes are being sold with all the proceeds going to the Robson Valley Back Country Horseman’s Association and the Valemount Spay and Neuter Society (as there is no local SPCA). By the time this reporter left there were already ten dozen spoken for and plans were in place for door to door sales and business display drop offs on Monday. It looks like this fundraiser is a sweet success.
