Since everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, sprinkle a wee bit o’ luck into your March 17th celebrations with some Sweet cupcakes! We have dressed up our Chocolate Mousse cupcakes with green and white nonpareils, and our Boston Cream Pie with a green “S”.  The Plain Janes will not be looking so plain smiling in shamrock sprinkles.These three flavors will be featured from March 10th – 17th and are priced like our regular cupcakes.

Our special Irish Blessing cupcake, in the original size, will be available for $3.50 each and must be ordered 24 hours in advance. On St. Paddy’s day only, we’ll be featuring our green velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, but if you can’t wait for these, you can advance order them with a dozen minimum order.

These festive colors, decadent buttercreams, and sparkling sprinkles will showcase a jolly message for this cheerful holiday.  This Irish celebration is all about friends, family and fun! So, after your corn beef and cabbage add a miniature jig to the luckiest day of the year with a box filled with charmed desserts.

You don’t need to chase or catch a lucky little leprechaun to discover your treasures;  Sweet By Holly has made it simple by showering these cupcakes with a pinch shamrock fortune! One nip of these yummy treats will have your loved ones feeling the serendipity of discovering a rare four leaf clover. Make sure you pick up your kettle of cupcakes at the end of Miss Holly’s colorful rainbow of goodies for March 17th.

The folk of the Emerald Isle live a carefree philosophy, so in the words of the Irish themselves, Sláinte! Cheers for a happy and healthy St. Patrick’s Day to all!

Our Irish Blessing Cupcake, in the original size, is $3.50 each and can be ordered with 24 hours notice.

I was chosen to be the keynote speaker for FIU University’s 2012 Women Who Lead Conference yesterday. This was a forward-thinking and inspiring event aimed to empower women of all ages to go break through the glass ceiling of conventional thinking and discover their limitless abilities.

It was my honor to speak to an almost all female audience on strategic development in leadership roles for students, and expansion for women who already have leadership roles in their respective careers. Being on this platform meant a lot to me.  With  roots established in a traditional culinary-based business, I took an epic chance on the unfamiliar pastry industry, in a brand new market 4 years ago. I didn’t know what the outcome would be, except that I had faith I could do it.  With gusto and guts and a (big!) dose of blind faith, I decided to  add gourmet flavors and exotic ingredients to the world’s ever trending obsession with cupcakes in an attempt to innovate a niche in the Florida dessert market.

I didn’t know the ending of this story. I really didn’t. And you know what? I still don’t know the ending.  Napoleon once said that victory is never final. There is still so much for me to do to evolve and stay ahead of dessert trends. The possibilities are endless, but only if we press on at Sweet By Holly – to raise the bar.

Speaking yesterday made me feel fortunate.  Seeing the faces of aspiring leaders in the crowd, with a light in their eyes, hungry for their own destinies.  It also inspired me to move onward and upward, because this story isn’t over yet!

This trip to Miami was especially close to my heart, because aptly, three very important ladies came with me: my mother-in-law, daughter, and sister-sister in law. 3 generations of women loose in Miami! They attended my presentation and it is my  hope, that they could watch and feel as proud of me, as I was of their presence in the room.

How very blessed I felt today, feeling the strength of these pivotal women in my life, and our innate ability to connect with each other on so many levels. That strength comes from one simple thing. Love. Maya Angelou once quoted that “Love liberates everything“. How very true, in every aspect of our lives. Love for my work liberates my passion. Love for my family liberates my sense of loyalty and protection. Love for causes close to my heart liberates the compassion that we all possess.

Who are the women in your life who have been there through thick and thin? Honor them, hug them and tell them you love them. We can never hear it enough.

Thank you FIU for including me in your event designed to empower  leaders. Driving home I realized, it was me who left empowered. And for this honor, I thank you.

March is Women’s History month. Lets honor the generations of women before us who have laid the foundation and lead the way for us. This event kicked off the series of speaking engagements I will be doing across the state of Florida this month. Stay tuned for updates, and in the meantime, read this compelling Presidential proclamation released a few days ago from the White House.

xoxo Miss Holly

We need to honor women in all their complexity.
It’s time that we acknowledge the wisdom women have acquired
by managing the chaos of daily life.
Women are realists, the glue that holds society together.
They bring a reverence to life that’s instinctual,  not just intellectual.
—Teresa Heinz Kerry

Thank You Ladies!

What a crew!

Three generations… Mom-in-law, Sis-in-law, and Gorgeous Georgia…

Cinderella Changed Her Life With A Shoe…. Me? A Cupcake.

My friends,

It is a most wonderful feeling of relief and jubilation when you complete a project, especially one that means so much to you.

When I opened Sweet by Holly in 2008, I never thought The Food Network would contact me and that I’d be a contestant (and win 2x!) on Cupcake Wars. I never thought that I’d be offered a book deal as a result …

Well, my friends, today is a big day. Today, I delivered my manuscript to my editor at Stewart, Tabori & Chang (STC) for my first cookbook.

The project has been months of research, development, testing, and many, many days and nights of editing, and revising. And every minute has been worth it.

Now I wait with bated breath to see these recipe pages come to life next Spring with artistic photography Abrams books is world renowned for. I’m itching to have these recipes dive head on into your kitchens to see what you think of them.

Cinderella changed her life with a shoe…. I changed mine, with a cupcake. Who says fairy tales don’t come true?

xoxo Miss Holly

Miss Holly’s calendar is full of events, and March is no exception!  Sweet By Holly will be participating in the Annual Crystal Ball benefiting the Crohn’s and Colitis foundation. The event is by Invite only and will be held Thursday March 15th from 6:30-8:30pm at One80 at the Amway Center, located at 400 West Church Street, Orlando.

Do you know much about Crohn’s disease? The exact cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown. It is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when one’s body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue and to date, there is sadly still no cure.
Please join us as we raise funds and awareness with entertainment, martini and mojito bars and of course a delicious sampling of food, including Sweet! cupcakes. Simply click on this link to purchase tickets. http://online.ccfa.org/2012crystalball

From simple to elaborate, plain white to all the colors in the spectrum, 2 time Cupcake War’s Winner Miss Holly has made cupcakes in every color and size available. Here’s a 2 minute glimpse of some of her bridal work. Let Sweet! By Holly be part of your Wedding Day with custom made cupcakes that every guest will savor. For more information please email feedback@sweetbyholly, or visit www.sweetbyholly.com.

Miss Holly made an appearance on WJXT News Jax 4 in early February to show everyone another way to say “I Love You” with chocolate! Valentine’s Day cupcakes from Sweet!

Miss Holly will be personally handing out the classic sized cupcakes to all of the guests of the Red Rose Ball on Friday Feb 24th in Jacksonville.

Proceeds from the 31st Annual Red Rose Ball will benefit St. Vincent’s Healthcare’s HOPE Program. The Hospital Outreach Patient Eligibility (HOPE) is a Community Outreach Program that provides services to meet the needs of patients who are unable to pay for their care. HOPE is designed to improve access to medical care for individuals who are experiencing financial hardship, many of whom are working poor, homeless, underserved or uninsured.

Click here to see photos from last year’s 30th Annual Red Rose Ball and click here for more info.

Make your reservations early!
For information contact:
Katie Santilli (904) 308-7338
Katie.santilli@jaxhealth.com

Got Chocolate?

Dating back to 1100 BC, Chocolate has been the “go to” dessert for a multitude of cultures, making its debut as a bitter and warm infused beverage for the Mesoamerican people. The chocolate we know today was made possible in the 1800’s by the likes of Swiss, Dutch, and German companies including Nestle, Cadbury, Ghirardelli, Lindt and eventually making its stamp on the United States thanks to Hershey! Without these innovative companies and the techniques they established, we wouldn’t have the delectable chocolate we love and crave today.

Fast forward to Valentine’s Day 2012…..

Inspired from all cultures and phases of chocolate, Miss Holly has created a unique blend of smooth and velvety chocolate pieces to sit elegantly perched on her famous cupcakes. Taking the world’s infatuation with chocolate, our Valentine’s Day collection has added a splash of decadence and flair with infused and filled medallions. From traditional dark chocolate filled with salted caramel and coated cookie embellishments, to unique chocolate bows infused with lemon-ginger , to white chocolate flowers filled with honey, Miss Holly has made a sweet collection to salivate over!

Knowing that chocolate is the most coveted sweet on the planet, what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a delicious box of these goodies? With the holiday where the world consumes the majority of chocolate fast approaching, cover all your dessert desires with our two-in-one creation! Think outside of the box with an assortment of individual cakes accented by enticing fruit and mousse fillings topped with flavored buttercreams and our creative chocolate broaches.

Historically, chocolate is the quintessential symbol of comfort and affection. Can you think of a better way to express your love for the exceptional people in your life? Order this uniquely special box of cupcakes and chocolates that will made Cupid blush with pride…

xoxo Miss Holly

Additional information on this limited time collection:
Available in both Orlando & Jacksonville locations
Delivery available in both locations within 25 miles of shop
Preorder today for pick up until February 14th
Special order only, collection comes pre-assorted
Cost: $18 per dozen

Are you ready for some football?!  When you think of this high energy, all-American sport, what foods instantly come to mind? Chili, hot wings, and seven layer dips, right? No one pays much attention to the most important part of this game…..the sweets!

I have the perfect defense for your confection cravings. Since February 5th is the day all you sports fanatics have been waiting for, stop by to indulge yourself in the love of the game with one of our football themed cupcakes celebrating both teams. NE Patriot fans can enjoy gray buttercream surrounded by blue and red sprinkles, while NY Giant fans cheer on their team with blue buttercream dressed with red and blue sprinkles. Both topped with a football candy, these classic-sized cupcakes are available in both vanilla and chocolate cake, topped with vanilla buttercream and cost only $3. These are available on the day before and Super Bowl Sunday in our case.  And if you want them in originals ($3.50) or minis ($2.00), we can create any of the cupcakes you want with just 24 hours notice.

Are you hosting or attending a party? Don’t sit on the sidelines with those old boring desserts, be the star quarterback at your Super Bowl 46 celebration with some Sweet! cupcakes. Just in case you’d like to add some additional flair to your Super Bowl spectacular, tack on our hamburger cupcakes for the perfect accent, only $4.50 each.  These fun cupcakes are 2 slices of yellow cake with a sliver of chocolate cake in the center which is layered with tomato, lettuce, mustard, and cheese all in vanilla buttercream with a bit of chocolate icing nestled under the burger.  It is a hand held hamburger cupcake without the wrapper for a whopper of a Super Bowl Fan!  But if you really want to dazzle partygoers add a pizza perfect center piece ($55.00) to spotlight your New England and New York cupcakes!  With 24 hours advance notice, you will feel confident that these colorful, festive treats will score the winning touchdown of the night.

Whether you’re cheering for the Patriots or the Giants, Sweet! By Holly’s scrumptious Super Bowl inspired cupcakes are sure to make a lasting impression at your football bash. Get ready to tackle the food competition by placing your order today.

xoxo Miss Holly

There can only be one winner for the Cupcake Crown! Miss Holly would love to win the grand prize, a $2500 Wyndham gift certificate, which she will donate to Make-A-Wish Foundation, to help them fulfill Wishes for kids with life threatening illnesses.

Will you please vote, and get everybody you know to vote, also? What a wonderful way to help wish kids!

Click here to vote: http://www.celebrations.com/cupcakecrown/2012/cupcake/romance-in-portofino

Vote once per day starting January 30th through February 12th.