My arm hurts.No, it’s not because of all the push ups I’ve been doing. No, it’s not the pull ups either (ha – ya right – me? Pull ups? I would be lucky to be able to do one).
Nope. My arm hurts because when you dip a cake ball into melted chocolate, you have to shake off the excess chocolate before setting it down to dry. Normally, a few chocolate cake balls would not cause this kind of trauma. But I found out when I woke up yesterday morning that 400 cake balls would indeed cause this kind of trauma!
Yes, that’s right, friends. My right bicep feels like it lifted weights because I had to shake off excess chocolate on 400 cake balls on Friday!! hahahahahahahahahaha….come on! That’s funny!
Ok – maybe it’s just funny to me.
Anyway, one of the most amazing women I have ever encountered, Liza Utter-Pernice, asked me if I would be interested in donating some of my vegan, gluten free baked goods to a charity event called The Pink Party. Presented and created by Elyse Walker, this year would mark the 7th annual fundraiser for The Pink Party, benefiting the Cedars-Sinai women’s cancer program at the Samuel Oschin comprehensive cancer institute. It would be held at Drais at The W Hotel in Hollywood on Saturday September 10, 2011. It would be hosted by Jennifer Garner, with a live auction hosted by Jamie Lee Curtis.
Was I interested? But of course! Honestly – to be able to give back in any way possible is an honor!
Cut to Thursday. Shopping complete, apron on, kitchen clean and ready for action. I began baking vegan, gluten free chocolate cake for the 400 cake balls I had committed to making for the event.
The ingredients 🙂 Well – some of them!
I went to 2 Whole Foods and cleared out their vegan chocolate chip inventory! Sorry inventory manager!!
Cakes baked and placed in every last bowl I could find in the apartment!!
Mmmm…. yummy cake crumbs!!! I could just eat these with a spoon!!
The great thing about making cake balls is that it doesn’t matter if some of the cake gets stuck to the pan! All the crumbs end up in a bowl anyway!! Love making these things!!
Creamy vegan, gluten free and sugar free icing to bind the crumbs together to make smooth…well…balls. Gosh, that sounds wrong!
It’s going to be a long day…why didn’t I ask for help again? Oh yes, that’s right. Number 1 Gemini trait: I’m stubborn.
Crumbs and icing mixed together in the Kitchen-aid mixer. And the rolling continues.
147 cake balls rolled. That’s all? It looks like more!!
And keeps going, and going, and going….
…
Ok, now time to melt the chocolate and stick each cake pop with a lollipop stick!
Here we go..
It’s like a forest of lollipop sticks!
99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer – sing it with me!
…
Ok, into the fridge to set and then it’s time to get them covered. Now…where the heck am I going to put all these things?? I opened a bottle of red wine to help me think 🙂
Time to work the bicep.
These kind of stuck to the marble later – this would be a fun thing for me to deal with at midnight!
Melting chocolate – mmmm…..
Round 1 – in the fridge!
The process…
…
6 hours and 2 glass of wine later, and they were covered. I wouldn’t know about the pain in my arm until Sunday morning 🙂
Oh, hello messy kitchen! Is everything that was once in the fridge now on the counter and in both sinks? I’m going to have to say yes! Dear Santa. Please bring me a bigger kitchen or an extra fridge for Christmas. Thank you. Your friend and constant believer, Lauren Ashley Lobley. xoxo P.S. If that is not possible, perhaps just some more wine.
Trying to figure out how to put my business card on each cake ball…
That should do it!
Voila!
The mark on my hand after whole punching 400 business cards!
Filling the boxes!
…
…
The top of each box!
I had to figure out how to put my business cards on each cake pop. A single whole punch did the trick, but left quite the mark on my hand!
Once they were boxed and ready, I drove them over to Drais. Back home, I cleaned the kitchen, and then had to decide what to wear!
This one?
I chose the first dress, and off I went with my good friend, Courtney, to the event. A fashion show by Valentino and Barbara Bui, to name a few, wonderful food, great people, and best of all, a great cause. It was an honor to be there, and to have been able to give something in support of this very important research.
Thank you, Liza, for allowing me the opportunity to be apart of this night. I will remember it forever!
The runway!!
…
Me and beautiful Courtney!
So exciting!!!
Stunning…
…
OMG!!
Wow!!
…
Tried to catch this unbelievable Valentino dress but missed it – sorry!!
…
Almost done!!
To anyone who has ever known someone or who has been directly touched by any kind of cancer, I dedicate this post to you. Please let me know what else I can do to help, and if it is within my power and capabilities, I will do it 🙂
Have a beautiful day, everyone!
Love always and always,
Lauren
xxx
Liza
October 2nd, 2011 21:27
Oh my gosh Lauren!! I just saw this!! It's amazing, you're amazing! Loved, loved reading all about your fabulous cake ball adventure! ....you looked so beautiful at the Pink Party, and not a speck of chocolate on your face :) Thank you from the bottom of my heart <3 for all your hard work and loving devotion to this cause - you made the night even sweeter!
delectableyou
October 3rd, 2011 14:14
Liza - you are honestly the best! I'm so lucky to have you in my life! I had so much fun, and cannot wait for next year :)
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