Hope Cakes

For Dr. Seuss' Birthday, when I made Seussy Cakes, I also made Pink Ink to drink...just like the Yink! LOL! Pink Ink consisted of me making a gallon of a strawberry pink lemonade concoction...it was pretty good, if I do say so myself! When my 14-year-old drank it, she told me, "*gasp* This tastes like hope feels." She got the amazing line from a book she was reading at the time, Paper Towns by John Green. But it got me thinking...a pink drink = hope. What a beautiful tie-in to breast cancer awareness!

Like many of us, we have had some sort of connection to breast cancer. I know of a couple of friends who have been through it, plus some family...and even some scares that makes you VERY aware! I am so glad they are OK now...PRAISE GOD...but it is never really over, and we must learn that it can truly happen to ANY of us...even you, gentlemen...

So...if that drink "tastes like hope feels"...then why can't I place that hope in cake form? DUH!

So I made strawberry pink lemonade-flavored cakes (based on my slushie cakes) with a strawberry filling, topped with a light strawberry-infused icing & a bright cherry ribbon on top.

I first made these for Mother's Day to take with us to my grandmother's house where we were going to have ALL mom's together! And I thought it was important since my mother-in-law is a breast cancer survivor, my mom, where a couple of her sisters have had issues, and an extra scare within the family that we are still keeping an eye out on.

Well, we went to church first & then had to head straight to my grandmother's from there. Well, I wasn't thinking about it being over 80 degrees out that morning...and all of the icing melted into the cupcakes. I was devastated! Never even thought that through since we were running behind that morning. I thought I had some pix of my failures, but I guess I didn't. I wanted to show how sad they were & where my learning curve is for my cupcakes. I'm more sad that I can't share my tasty failures than I am sharing about them. But they still tasted pretty good.

So...I did redo my Hope Cakes & baked them in some adorable cupcake baking liners I found that are PERFECT! Pink swirl liners with bright pink cupcakes & a hot pink "ribbon" on top! I think it makes a statement. I also have displayed them in a new toy: a 4-tier dessert tray. I am much happier now.

And, on another note...our Pink Ink also goes by Hope Juice.

So...these are totally done in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness & for the survivors & fighters. Please be sure to check yourself...it could save your life!