Powermat Review and GIVEAWAY!! **ENDED**

Mother's Day Gift Idea: For the Technology-Loving Mother

If you have an endless amount of tech gadgets, then I must introduce you to Powermat. The Powermat is a wireless charging system that can be used with most of your favorite electronics. The devices are either charged using a Powermat Receiver or through a wired USB connection. Each mat can charge up to three electronic devices simultaneously! 

I was given the opportunity to review Powermats in the past, and I was pleased to see a different version this time. I was given a 3x Wireless Charging Mat this time around.  All you have to do is set your device (with Receiver) on the mat. You can tell that the device is properly aligned because a small light at the access point will illuminate when charging has started.I found that the 3X works much better than the last one I received. The Home and Office version I previously reviewed was pretty sensitive and you could miss the target many times before getting it properly aligned. This time, it seems to work much easier and the mat has circles indicating where exactly you should place your device.

I was also given a couple of receivers to review. The iPod Touch case was easy to apply, but a little challenging to remove. I just purchased the newest version of an iPod last week and the case was designed for an earlier generation because the cut out slot for the screen lock function was on the wrong side. This did not bother me (in fact, it was my brother who noticed this, not me!) I also received a dock for the iPod which is great if you like the wireless charging but would rather not have the bulk of the receiver attached to your iPod. Plus, it works on other versions and my son was able to use it to charge his regular iPod. Incidentally, I am not including a picture of my iPod touch because 4 days after I purchased it, I dropped it and shattered the screen and it is now being serviced.. The Powermat receiver was attached and was not damaged at all. I also received a Nintendo DS and Blackberry receiver and they too worked great. I usually leave all electronic set ups to my hubby but I was easily able to set each of these up without any issues. 

I really like the Powermat and now that the 3X is more easily able to recognize and begin charging the electronics, I like it even better. Their prices are coming down in price which also makes them that much more appealing!

Buy it here: Powermats are available from their website and on Amazon.

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader is going to win a Powermat 2X Mat with Powercube (which gives you a lot of charging options), iPod/iPhone dock and power! Dual 1200 back-up battery. (Over $100 value!!)

**Please read the rules**

This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not visible in your public profile!

Mandatory Entry:   Check out the Powermat website and tell me what you think is the coolest feature or product they offer! 

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.
7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook (2 entries!)

The winner will be selected on 5/10 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.
   

I was provided with the above mentioned products for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own. 

Congrats to Ladytink_534! You have been emailed.

SLAP WATCH Review and GIVEAWAY!! **ENDED*

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Mother's Day Gift Giving Guide: For the hip, young mom

Do you like to match your jewelry, to include your watches, with your outfits? If so, you may find that you spend (or would like to spend) mega bucks to keep your accessories in line with your fashion choices. A SLAP WATCH is a timekeeper which allows you to create dozens different color combinations!  Each SLAP WATCH™ comes with a removable face that can be interchanged with others to create a look that is just right for you. In fact, if you have all 9 colors, you have the possibility of 81 different watches. 

The SLAP WATCH is a one size fits all accessory. It works like the old "slap" bracelets which lay flat then conform to your wrist when you tap it on. You have numerous options for purchasing. You can buy a single watch ($19.95 adult, $17.95 Jr), buy a watch with additional bands (prices vary), or buy the whole set of 9 watches for $149.95. Since each face is interchangeable with each band, the color combinations are sure to match every outfit in your closet!

I was given a SLAP and a SLAP Jr. to review. I love the concept and love the easy application (no more needing a second person to help you fasten your watch!) Although the SLAP Jr. is designed for younger people, I preferred this watch to the original because it was smaller and more feminine looking. This one also contained marks on the hours where as the original only has the 6 hour marking. The face was easy to remove and replace and the action caused no damage to the band. The watches are very affordable and they are definitely a fun accessory.

Here you can see the difference in size between the original and Jr.:

Buy it here: SLAP website

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader is going to win their choice of SLAP or SLAP Jr. watch!

**Please read the rules**

This is open to US & Canadian residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not visible in your public profile!

Mandatory Entry:  Choose the SLAP watch or SLAP Jr. watch color you would like to win. Choose carefully because this is the one you will receive!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.
7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook (2 entries!)

The winner will be selected on 5/9 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.
   

I was provided with the above mentioned products for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

Congrats to ksceviour! You have been emailed.

Pretzel Crisps Review and GIVEAWAY!! **ENDED**

 Are you getting tired of the same old snacks? I know I grow pretty bored easily and I am always eager to try new snack options. Pretzel Crisps are a great little treat that give you a satisfying crunch like with potato chips, yet they are much healthier! Pretzel Crisps Deli Style Chips have the perfect design to eat alone or in combination with dips, meats, and/or cheeses.

I was given a bag of each of the Deli Style Pretzel Crisps to sample.  They are shaped like pretzels, yet they are flat. Each of the flavors had a unique taste, each packed with flavor.

• The Original was one of my favorites, mostly because I am a total salt addict. If you like regular pretzels, then you will definitely enjoy these. I enjoyed this flavor with some peanut butter.
• The Everything flavor will be enjoyed by those who like everything bagels. They contain poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onions and garlic with just a pinch of salt.  I was not sure I would like these, but they turned out to be quite tasty. Again, peanut butter was my favorite topping.
• The Garlic Parmesan turned out to be my absolute favorite. They were really tasty and reminded me of similarly seasoned crackers my grandmother used to serve at family gatherings.  I topped these with some provolone cheese and really enjoyed this satisfying snack.
• I am not a huge fan of sesame seeds so the Sesame Pretzel Crisps were not my favorite. They are pretty healthy though (Sesame seeds are naturally rich in iron, magnesium, manganese, copper, calcium, vitamin B1, E and a good source of lignans (phytoestrogens with antioxidant and anti-cancer properties), so if you like sesame, this would be a great healthy snack.
• I left the Buffalo Wing Pretzel Crisps up to my husband to sample since I do not like spices. He really enjoyed eating the snacks plain though said they would be tasty with a veggie dip.

Overall, I would say that these snacks are worth trying and I am certain I will be purchasing again!

Buy it here: You can purchase Pretzel Crisps at retail grocery stores.

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom readers is going to win a prize pack of Pretzel Crisps products featuring an assortment of each Deli Style flavor (full size bags!) , a reusable shopping bag, products coupons, and coupons  for free hummus.

**Please read the rules**
This giveaway is open to US Residents. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not included in your profile!

Mandatory Entry:  Tell me what toppings you will use with your Pretzel Crisps if you win!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook (2 entries)

The winners will be selected on 5/8 via random.org and will be emailed. The winners will have 48 hours to respond.
   
I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own. 

Congrats to Marcia Goss! You have been emailed.

Walgreens Brand Sunscreen Lotion

This is a compensated post written by me on behalf of Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

Spring time is here and summer is just around the corner. Since we spend a lot of time outdoors, I am usually stocking up on sunscreen. The problem is...it is expensive! I was pleased to find out that there is a store brand version from Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products.  I was given a bottle of SPF30 to review. The sunscreen is formulated to prevent sunburn with UVA and UVB protection and is also water resistant.  I found the product to work as well as any other sunscreens we have used in the past. We used the sunscreen during a rare sunny day and no one was sunburned! It smells like classic sunscreen. The price is definitely appealing: $2.99 or 2/$5 for 3 oz.

About Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products: Walgreens believes in producing high quality products that give you the same results as brand name products at a much more affordable cost.  I jump at any chance I can to save money on over the counter purchases, and Walgreens is a store I visit at least once a week. I shop with confidence at Walgreens because the Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products are pharmacist recommended and are backed with a 100% satisfaction guarantee!  Yet another reason to buy Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products is that purchases help support the community with the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™

Lil' Teammates Review and GIVEAWAY!! (4 Winners) **ENDED**

My son is a total sports fanatic. He loves to play and watch sports and over the past year or so we have watched his bedroom transform from cutesy little boy themes to sports, sports, and more sports. If you have a little one who is totally into sports, then you will be interested to learn about a fun new toy. Lil' Teammates are the hot new collectible toy from The Party Animal. These figures are about 3” tall and are officially licensed with the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and over 65 colleges. 
 
My son received quite a few to review and really loves them. He likes the idea of collecting them, but is also happy that he can play with them.These palm-sized figurines are  totally adorable, yet not too cutesy that they turn boys off to them. They each contain team logos and colors,  yet names and numbers are missing.Their features are nicely detailed yet generic enough that each one could be almost any player your son or daughter wants them to be. They are made from sturdy, soft plastic so they can totally tolerate some rough play.  His favorite team is the Pittsburgh Steelers and he was happy that there were a couple of quarterbacks and a running back available. I personally thought the hockey players were the cutest!

Buy it here: Lil' Teammates are available in Team Shops, Sports Stores, Gift Shops and many fine retailers. You can also purchase them from the Lil' Teammates Shop. Each Lil' Teammate retails for $7.99

Win it here:  Four (4) lucky winners will each win 3 Lil' Teammates from their favorite teams!

**Please read the rules**

This giveaway is open to US Residents. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Mandatory Entry:  Tell me what teams you will choose if you win!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook (2 entries)

The winners will be selected on 5/7 via random.org and will be emailed. The winners will have 48 hours to respond.
   
I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own. 

Congrats to Teresa, Janet W, susansmoakes, and Mama V! You have been emailed.

Thing 1 and Thing 2 Cake

I made this cake for a work baby shower. I am sure you guessed that the mommy-to-be is having twins!

The "Things" were made out of cupcakes. I placed some gumpaste on the top to make their faces and used edible food writers (same with the Thing 1 and Thing 2 circles). I started off using cotton candy to make their hair. Big mistake as the cotton candy started hardening and they looked like they had 80-year-old lady perms. I used up using buttercream. The gumpaste design on the bottom cake was made using a Cricut mini.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: New Moms Giveaway (3 winners) **ENDED**

Mother's Day Gift Idea: for the new mom or soon-to-be mom!

Chicken Soup for the Soul books have been comforting people with stories of hope and encouragement since I was a child.  The books include a series of 101 short stories that focus on the particular theme of the book. I received a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: New Moms. 

The book is organized into the following chapters:

1. Countdown to Motherhood

2. The Mom-mary Glands

3. Give Me Rest

4. The Wonder of Being a Mother

5. Doubts and Insecurities

6. Words of Wisdom

7.Born of My Heart

8.Tough Stuff

9. Giggles & Mischief

10. The Long Road

11. Second Time Around

12. Toddler Time

A book such as this is perfect for new moms not only because of the content, but because of the design. New mothers hardly have time to sit down and read, but each story is short. So, a woman who loves to read can fit in a story in between feedings and diaper changes! This would also be perfect for a woman who is expecting. The stories are, as always, a nice mix between inspirational and witty. I found myself smiling a lot more reading this book than other Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Perhaps it is because I find babies so irrisistable! 

Buy it here: You can purchase Chicken Soup for the Soul books from local book stores as well as from online stores, such as Amazon.


Win it Here: Three (3) lucky Cake Mom readers will win a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soup: New Moms!!

**Please read the rules**

This giveaway is open to US & Canadian Residents. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Mandatory Entry:  Tell me: who would you give this book to if you won (it is okay if you keep it!)

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter
7. Purchase another Chicken Soup for the Soul book from Amazon using this link to enter Amazon (you can purchase whichever book you desire once clicking on the link) and receive 10 EXTRA entries!!

8. Like Cake Mom on Facebook (2 entries)

The winners will be selected on 5/6 via random.org and will be emailed. The winners will have 48 hours to respond.
   
I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own. 

Congrats to: Stephanie A, Emmy Coffee, and Marinewifey! You have been emailed. 

Tropical Traditions Glass & Surface Cleaner Review & GIVEAWAY!! **ENDED**

Cleaning products can be harsh. The smells of some of them are enough to make you worry for your health and safety. Tropical Traditions, always striving to produce safe and environmentally friendly products, sells Household Traditions Glass and Surface Cleaner. The formulation contains no ammonia, alcohol, or volatile solvents. There are no fragrances or dyes and contains only water and mild plant-based  surfactants.

Directions for use (from the company): Spray Household Traditions Glass and Surface Cleaner directly onto the glass or surface to be cleaned. For a fast drying, streak free finish, wipe with a clean, lint free, dry cloth. NO RINSING IS NECESSARY! Household Traditions Glass and Surface Cleaner can be used on ALL glass including treated glass, auto windshields, Plexiglas, light fixtures, and mirrors. It can also be used on chrome, appliances, vinyl, stainless steel, plastic, porcelain, countertops, walls, floors and more! It is ideal for computers and computer screens (spray onto cloth and wipe). If unsure about a surface, test in a small hidden area first.

Review: I was pleased with this product. It had no scent to it and performed well on smudges, fingerprints, etc.  It was not quite powerful enough to get grease stains off of my microwave door, but worked well for common glass cleaning needs.  There were no streaks left over which is very important to me!  Overall, I would say this is a safe buy and worth the money.

Buy it here: Tropical Traditions also has a Referral Program, so if you place an order with them as a first-time customer, please select “Referred by a friend” and in the box that says “How did you hear of us?” enter my sponsor ID number 5891254. By telling Tropical Traditions that I referred you, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy with your first order! This book is filled with testimonies and research showing how healthy coconut oil is, and it also includes over 85 recipes showing how one can incorporate coconut into their diet. You'll be directed to the Order Form at the Tropical Traditions/Healthy Buyers Club website.  If you choose not to purchase a membership to the Healthy Buyers Club, please order under the heading “Retail Sale Items”. This will enable you to purchase less than case amounts of any of the individual items without a membership.

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader will win 1 gallon of Tropical Traditions Glass & Surface Cleaner!

**Please read the rules**

This is open to US  residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Mandatory Entry: Sign up for Tropical Traditions newsletter (current subscribers can enter too!)

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)

5. Follow Cake Mom and Tropical Traditions on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Buy something from Tropical Traditions using the link under "Buy It Now" between now and the close of this post for 10 EXTRA ENTRIES!!

The winner will be selected on  5/5  via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. Unless otherwise specified, the views expressed here are my own.

Congrats to Deb C. You have been emailed.

Pedigree Ambassador Post 1 of 4

My dog, Butch, is a 1&1/2 year old Boxer. He is sweet as can be and since I love him so much, I want to make sure I do everything possible to make sure he is as healthy as possible. When we first brought Butch home from the breeders, he was eating Beneful dog food and he has eaten it ever since. However, I have always heard good things about the Pedigree brand so when Butch and I were given the opportunity to work with Pedigree, I jumped at the chance.

To get started, Pedigree asked that I get some baseline information on Butch. Before starting a switch to Pedigree , here is how he rated on the Four Universal Needs:

Skin & coat:  shiny and soft, though I have noticed some flakes recently

Oral care: pearly white teeth

Digestion: regular bowl movements with healthy consistency

Immunity (how often Butch gets sick): never

Transitioning a dog to a new food should be done carefully and slowly. For the first 2 days, you should insert 25%  of the new food into the dog's current dry food. For days 3-4, 50% of the new food should be in the dish. For days 5-6, 75% of the food should be the new food, and beyond 7 days the entire food can be the new food.

My first impression of the Pedigree food we received was that the size of the actual food is huge compared to what he has been eating. He had no trouble acclimating to the new food. He had no gas problems and seemed to prefer the taste of the new food over his old food. In fact, I caught him and my bulldog puppy trying to break into the bag after the first feeding! 

Connect here: Pedigree can be found on Twitter @PedigreeUS and Facebook:  Pedigree Adoption Drive Facebook page

I wrote this review while participating in an Ambassador campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Pedigree and received dog food to facilitate my reviews and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Avery Review and GIVEAWAY!! **ENDED**

 

I have used Avery products for a very long time. Their products have always pleased and they can often be used for so many things. I was more than happy to review two of their products!

Avery is will known for their label products.  I was given a pack of White Shipping Labels to review.  The pack has 25 sheets, each containing six 3&1/3" x 4" labels. You may be thinking that labels are labels, but let me explain what makes Avery better than average:

1.  Their labels are smudge free and jam free

2.  You can use free template software online to make the perfect label every time

3. They use TrueBlock Technology meaning their labels completely cover everything underneath (no more scraping off old labels!) so you can reuse boxes, mailing tubes, and more!

4.  They are an official Box Top for Education brand meaning you can clip the Box Tops to help out your school!

5. Avery backs their products with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. They will gladly replace any Avery product which does not provide complete satisfaction!

So, how did the labels perform? I tried some out and worked with my son to make some labels for a science project he is working on.  The template was really easy to download from the Avery website. we were able to make his labels in minutes. I had written something with a black permanent marker under the label and you could not see through it at all which was great!  The labels have so many uses. You can use them at work, for home organization, or for school. You can also use them to personalize party favors, use them as book plates, etc.

I was also given a pack of NoteTabs to review. They come in a pack of sixteen 3" x 1&1/2" tabs. They can be used to tab books, folders, and more. They are durable and repositionable and designed so you can write on the side of them (no more writing on and ruining books!) Since they are designed to be removable, they will not tear paper when removed.  They are really thick so they will withstand quite a bit. They worked as promised and I was easily able to write on them and remove and restick. I am thrilled at not having to lose bookmarks any more!

Buy it here: Avery products can be purchased from your local store in the office/school supply aisle and are also available through Amazon.

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader is going to win a pack of White Shipping Labels and NoteTabs from Avery!!

**Please read the rules**

This is open to US  residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if your comment is not in your profile!

Mandatory Entry: Tell me what you will use the White Shipping Labels for if you win!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)

5. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet. 

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook (2 entries)

 

The winner will be selected on 5/4 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

I was provided with the above mentioned products for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

Congrats to Julie! You have been emailed.

LEGO Star Wars Cake

I made this cake for my little cousin. The LEGOs are real and Anakin was made using a frozen buttercream transfer technique.  The Happy Birthday looks pretty good, right? It was made using a Cricut machine. I just received one for a review and I will be posting about it next week!

Happy Easter!

I am going to sign off for a couple of days to spend time with the family. Plus, I have a lot of baking to do! I made these carrot cake and cream cheese cupcakes tonight with my daughter, have a birthday cake to make tomorrow, and a baby shower cake for next week.  Have a wonderful Easter!!

Cake Tutorials Now Available!

You asked and you have received. For those of you who want more cake on Cake Mom, you can now see my previously posted cake decorating tutorials in one place. Please click on the Cake Decorating Tutorials tab and enjoy! I will add more as I do more baking. The late winter is a slow baking time for me but it is starting to pick up!!

POM Wonderful Review

 I have had the opportunity to review POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice in the past and found it to be quite enjoyable. It reminds me of a sweeter version of cranberry juice. So, when I was given the opportunity to try their new pomegranate/cranberry blend, I was thrilled.

Health benefits of POM Wonderful
POM Wonderful products is backed by clinical research which has supported the following:

• Improved blood flow to the heart may be associated with regular consumption
• Decrease in arterial plaque may be associated with regular consumption
• Drinking pomegranate juice may lower the incidence of LDL oxidation, believed to be a key factor in arterial plaque formation
• Regular consumption by males with erectile dysfunction may experience erectile improvement
• Hundreds of tests also show POM to be a superior source of antioxidants, with more potent antioxidants than red wine, grape juice, blueberry juice, cranberry juice, green tea, vitamin C and vitamin E.

Why POM Wonderful is different

• They are the only brand guaranteed to contain 100% authentic pomegranate juice
• All-natural and contains no added sugars, preservatives, colors or cheap filler juices
• POM Wonderful grows their own fruit, pick it by hand, squeeze it with their out proprietary presses and even manufacture their own bottles. 
• POM Wonderful products are from the US
• The products are a good source of potassium
• All products are gluten-free
• The juices are flash pasteurized to retain both flavor and nutrients
• POM Wonderful is certified kosher

Review
The shape of the bottle is great! It definitely draws attention to the product and I have had many conversations with people about POM because they could not help to ask what I was drinking.  I received a few16oz bottles. Each bottle is two servings, though I found that I could make each bottle last through about 3 different occasions. It is quite tasty, a bit more sour than the original because of the cranberries.  I enjoy it as a substitute for apple or orange juice in the morning. Because it is tart, it is nothing I would grab if I was extremely thirsty, but it tastes great with a meal.


If you like the taste of pomegranate/cranberry, but find drinking the juice to be too much, you can cook with it!  Check out this recipe from POM:

Jelly Donut Muffins Makes 21 – 24 Muffins

1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups AP flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups almond milk (or milk of your choice)
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp butter, melted, for dipping
½ cup sugar, for rolling
1 tbsp cinnamon, for rolling

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease your muffin tins with cooking spray.  Grease well.  You don't want to encourage any muffin stickage.  I promise.

2. Beat together sugar and eggs in a large bowl until fluffy.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.  Mix well.  Pour into the sugar/egg mixture and mix until well combined.  Add in the vegetable oil, almond milk, and vanilla.  Stir until well combined.

3. Pour batter into well-greased muffin tins, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.  Bake in a normal oven that works as it's supposed to for about 15 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.  If you are a using an oven that is chronically below the temperature it says it is...then bake for about 25 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.

4.  In one small bowl, melt the butter.  In a second small bowl, combine ½ cup sugar with 1 tbsp cinnamon.  Once the muffins are cool enough to touch, dunk them first in the butter and then in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Place them on a wire rack to cool.

5. If you don't want jelly donut muffins, you can stop here.  But if you do, then proceed onward.  Once the muffins are cool, the filling can begin.  Now, if you are adept at all in any way at piping filling into muffins or cupcakes, then go for it.  When I tried to put my cranberry sauce into a piping bag and then pipe it in ... mass chaos ensued and cranberry sauce ended up everywhere BUT inside the muffin.  Plan b.  Coming from the bottom of the muffin, cut a small circle into the bottom of the muffin, only putting your knife about 2/3 of the way through.  Then, using the back of a spoon, pop out this little piece of cupcake.  Pipe or pour some POM cranberry sauce into this hole that you've just created and then put the piece of cupcake that you've popped out back into the hole … i.e. cork it.  Voila!

Buy it here: You can find POM Wonderful products at your local grocer or in bulk through Amazon.

I was provided with a case if POM Wonderful juice for the purpose of writing this review. I was under no obligation to review the product. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

Post-It Earth Day Giveaway!! **ENDED**

Many people, myself included, are trying to go green.  While online communication has reduced the need for some paper products, you cannot completely eliminate paper from your life.  If you do prefer paper, then aim to choose environmentally products! Post-It Brand has released some great products that will certainly please our planet. For daily communication, add Post-it® Recycled, Super Sticky Recycled and Greener Notes to your office and home organizational arsenal.  For shipping, switch to 3M Recycled Address and Return Address Labels.  At work, try Post-it® Super Sticky Easel Pads for your next big presentation.

 

 About Post-it Sustainable Products:

 All Post-it® Brand Sustainable products are made with 100% recycled paper and are 100% recyclable.  Post-it® Brand Sustainable products include:

 

·         Post-it® Greener Notes

·         Post-it® Recycled Notes

·         Post-it® Super Sticky Recycled Notes

·         Post-it® Recycled Easel Pads

 

I will be reviewing these products at a later date, but wanted to give you a chance to win these great products for Earth Day!

 

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader is going to win some fabulous green products from Post-it!

**Please read the rules**

This is open to US  residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if your comment is not in your profile!

Mandatory Entry:  Tell me one new thing you are willing to do to go greener!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)

5. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook (2 entries)

The winner will be selected on 5/1 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond

I will be provided with samples of the same products at a later date. All information was provided by the sponsor.  No other compensation was involved.

Congrats to rj7777! You have been emailed.