So far so good...

Crikey time really does fly when you're having fun - or when you're extremely busy! Since my last post I have started to receive some great feedback on the cake pops. The 'tasting session' I mentioned in my last post went really well with an overwhelming positive reaction to my cake pops. My first postal trail has gone well with a full batch arriving at its destination and in one piece just this afternoon (posted yesterday afternoon) and with this great response:


'Hi Helen..just to let you know that my cake pop samples have JUST arrived safe and sound and I was so thrilled when I opened the box to see the little bears that I had to write and tell you about it before I have even had a bite!!! They are absolutely WONDERFUL!!! I've never seen anything like it before..think I may have a sneaky one before I get the boys from school. Can't wait to show everyone. xxx'


The little bears Cat mentions also marks me making good progress in starting to extend the designs of cake pops available. The next big step is for me to start getting these designs, with relevant price and ordering information finalised and online ready for trading to (hopefully) commence at the beginning of December. I am hoping to have the Christmas range online early next week (some really cute Christmas trees, Santa hats and Christmas pudding cake pops coming up!) and am working on some 'corporate' samples too. I anticipate that cake pop prices will start at £1.25 a pop for the standard range, up to £2.00/ £2.50 a pop for intricate or complicated designs. (This is just an indication and is subject to change!!)


I have thoroughly taste tested 3 flavours now and will begin by offering Vanilla Sponge and Buttercream, Red Velvet Sponge and Buttercream and Chocolate Sponge and Buttercream - all thoroughly delicious!


So lots more to do and lots of exciting things happening, and obviously, I will keep you posted as they do :)

Oh and I forgot to mention...

You can come and join me over on Facebook now > www.facebook.com/mankirabbit and if you're mad enough to want to hear my inane ramblings you can follow me on Twitter too > @HelenMc76 (I tweet a lot about wine..!)

:)

Labels, labels, labels...

As I mentioned in my last post, I had a meeting with the Food Standards officer from Warrington Council at the end of  last week - and it was great. She was so helpful and full of good advice for me and went through all the guidelines I need to meet in terms of my labelling and ingredients lists.

Because I want to sell over the internet, I have to make sure that my pops are labelled with absolutely every ingredient that goes into them - that is the full ingredients list for the sponge cake in the middle down to the full ingredients of the hundreds and thousands on top of them! And although I am going to end up with a list that's bigger than the product itself, I think it is good that you will know exactly what you're buying - and eating! We also went through all the ingredients I was using and found that most of the coating products aimed at cake pop making contain the E numbers that are known to cause hyperactivity in some children. I have already found alternatives to ensure that there are plenty of designs and colours available that don't contain the problem E numbers - and I think they taste even nicer!

I am working hard at making sure that the vast majority of the pops are suitable for vegetarians, and that they will all be labelled so clearly that all my customers can be confident in what they are buying.

I am currently getting a batch of cake pops ready for a sampling session on Thursday night. They are going with a friend to a house party she is attending and will be the first time I try out my new labels. (Because I am giving them face to face to someone, I don't need the full ingredients list on them (which is good because I am still working on that essay!!) but the picture below shows the beginnings of my scheme which clearly shows the flavour of the pop and more importantly has clear allergy advice attached to it.

The last few days have been busy in getting more new pops ready and in developing a labelling system that looks good but that will give you guys all the information you need to know.

What the labels don't say - but what will become more than evident - is that they taste bloomin' delicious :)