Celebrating the season of giving

I have exciting news to share! My assistant jumped at the opportunity to participate as a seller at a holiday gift fair at her place of work. (Yes, she actually has a day job, and it involves working at the headquarters of a company famous for its search engine, lava lamps, penchant for primary colors...oh, and it's fabulous, fabulous food.) She collaborated with the lovely Georgette, who manages one of the cafe kitchens, to bake over 230 cupcakes for the gift fair. That's 230 cupcakes in two flavors: pumpkin spice cupcakes filled with cinnamon-infused vanilla pudding and topped with cream cheese frosting and Guinness chocolate cupcakes topped with Bailey's buttercream.

But that's not the exciting part. The exciting part is that the fair took place today, and Team Cupcake raised $760 in cupcake sales and will be donating 100% of proceeds to the San Francisco Food Bank!! And because my assistant's place of work offers a generous gift-matching program, the company will match the donation, bringing the total to $1520. And according to its webpage, the SF Food Bank distributes $9 worth of food for every $1 donated.

That means 230 cupcakes will help bring $13,680 worth of food to people across San Francisco and the Marin County who need it most.

Thank you, everyone, who came by the cupcake table and bought a cupcake or made a donation. Giving back has never tasted so sweet, wouldn't you say?

If you're wondering why there are no pictures to capture the awesome event or the table filled with beautiful, chocolate curl-topped cupcakes, it's because my assistant lost her camera in the hustle and bustle of the sale. Distracted by cupcake sales and by guarding the donation box with her life, she may have absentmindedly tossed her little point-and-shoot camera in an empty pastry box, which was promptly thrown out :(

Let's just focus on the good. Thanks again, everyone, for your support!

Update, here are a few camera photos taken of the frosted and chocolate curl-topped cupcakes resting in the fridge before the big sale. Quality's a bit lousy, I know, but at least there's some footage of the sweet little cupcakes on their holiday mission to be indulged and do good -- all in one tasty wallop.
And here's another. Imagine standing in front of this big commercial fridge just packed with pumpkin and chocolate cupcakes all lined up and ready to go. Oh, the temptation!