Spring has sprung! Hello Everyone! I apologize for my absenteeism regarding my blog. I have been making moves, and as a solopreneur, I am happily doing many things on my own, but I do get help from time to time.
My cookie mix line is now available at the Sistah Shop in the Mills Mall in New Jersey. Hoorah! I am working on my Mother’s Day Sweet Campaign. I will be offering a treat box for my locals. Last, on-demand cooking and baking courses will be available by the end of April. I am so excited about some other news that I’ll be sharing in the coming weeks.
I love to share products that I enjoy using authentically. We are in a world where others can easily influence people into making purchases one might regret. I asked the universe to work with brands that align with my brand. It’s non-negotiable. I have turned down opportunities because it doesn’t fit. From time to time, I like to share brands that I may not even be in a paid partnership with, and that’s because I want others to enjoy what’s available to them.
Wilton Industries launched, or should I say, revamped their flavored fondant line; White Chocolate, Caramel, and Chocolate fondant. You can watch my live reviews on the flavors at www.instagram.com/Delorcakery on my IGTV series.
The Chocolate fondant is perfect for people who love chocolate but isn’t a chocoholic like me. It’s the ideal depth of chocolate that anyone can enjoy reasonably. It’s the opposite statement of “it’s too chocolatey .” It’s simply perfect.
The White Chocolate fondant smells like white chocolate, the flavor is very subtle, and it tastes far more sugary. I’ve had Wilton’s regular fondant as well, as I have samples of many other brands. I would instead use their traditional vanilla fondant to cover a cake or make cupcake toppers than their white chocolate fondant.
The caramel fondant is the creme de la creme of fondant. It’s superb! The scent is delicious! It smells like a fresh batch of sea salt caramel that I made in my kitchen. Wilton used real sweetened condensed milk to create this product, and you won’t be disappointed!
If you live in the surrounding area of Bronx, NY, Upcakesuppliesshop has this new fondant available. You can find these new and exciting fondant flavors at Upcakesuppliesshop located at 3511 Boston Road #3 East Bronx, NY.
This recipe yields a dreamy effect! When I say dreamy, I mean that it’s rich, decadent, and tastes joyfully good. It’s super easy to upgrade your brownie box mix with a few changes.
Follow the directions on the Duncan Hines Brownie Mix and mix in the Bailey’s Irish Creme. Pour in half of the batter in an 8 x 8 square pan, scoop in the Cherry Preserves, and using a fork, swirl the Cherry preserves around. Pour the remaining batter on top and repeat the steps. Garnish the top with the chocolate wafers and Maraschino Cherries.
I am so excited about the launch of our new gourmet cookie mix line. We currently offer two flavors; our Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies and White Chocolate Lemon Cookie. The Vanilla Sugar Cookie and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Mixes be available in 2021.
Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Mix Baking option 1: 2 jumbo-sized eggs and two sticks of unsalted butter Baking option 2: Use 1 cup of coconut oil (I used Trader Joes) and ¾ cups of Aquafaba liquid, aka chickpea liquid. Our vegan baking option, which is also my favorite option. You will taste the coconut oil; however, it’s not potent to the point that you will lose the cookies’ taste. In my opinion, this cookie has a softer texture. Baking option 3: Use 1 cup of coconut oil (Trader Joes) and two jumbo-sized eggs. Baking option 4: Lastly, use ½ stick of melted butter (cooled) and two jumbo-sized eggs. This option results in a thin and crispy cookie. Yields 10 Jumbo Cookies or 16 standard size cookies.
Fun option: Scoop some vanilla ice cream in between two of our baked cookies, freeze for an hour to firm up, and you have a delicious ice cream sandwich.
White Chocolate Lemon Cookie Mix
Baking option: Two tablespoons of water, two sticks of unsalted butter, and two jumbo-sized eggs. I do not recommend using coconut oil as a vegan replacement as the coconut oil is very potent. You may not be able to taste the lemon flavor.
New Cookie Mix Line I am so super excited to announced that my new cookie mix line has launched. After recuperating from COVID19, I was exhausted; even though I tested negative after a 40-50 day battle, my body didn’t fully recuperate. With the support of my Start, Small Think Big Family, I could pivot my business and launch a cookie mix product line.
My favorite flavor is my Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies (2 lbs mix), a little salty, a lotta sweet. I love the vegetarian baking option for this cookie. You add 2 eggs and two sticks of butter baking 2 inches apart on a double parchment lined cookie sheet. Or you can recreate it the way I love it with 1/2 cup coconut oil and 3/4 cup Aquafaba (can chickpea juice). The coconut oil is slightly strong, but I love the taste and texture.
The White Chocolate Lemon Cookies (2 lbs mix) is perfect with tea or a chai latte. The lemon flavor is a little tart, a lotta sweet. You mix 2-4 tablespoons of cold water, 2 sticks of butter, and 2 eggs. I do not recommend the vegetarian option above as the coconut oil conflicts with the lemon flavor. Basically, you won’t taste the lemon, but the cookies are nice and soft.
The Vanilla Sugar Cookie Mix is perfect for making those holiday shaped inspired cookies. This flavor will launch in late December.
Of course, I am launching a few more flavors in 2021. We offer a trip around the world in every bite. Our upcoming 2021 cookie mixes are inspired by countries I have visited, my diverse friends, and my family.
Our cookie mixes retail from $29.99 to $39.99 complimenting our various gourmet and exotic flavors.
BLACK FRIDAY through CYBER MONDAY-2 cookie mixes for $49.99 plus free shipping. This is a $19.99 savings!
On November 13, 2020, New Voices Foundation announced the winners of the Shea-Moisture-Essence Magazine Power Tools Business Grant. Women of color entrepreneurs are the fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurs in the United States but they don’t enjoy the same access to capital and other resources as their male and female counterparts. In fact, businesses owned by African-American and Latina women receive less than one percent of all venture capital funding every year. New Voices Foundation has invested more than $1.4 million in non-dilutive capital and matched support dollars in companies owned by women of color, hosted nine $100,000 pitch competitions for 87 women of color entrepreneurs at EssenceFest, CES and other leading national and regional events, and provided hundreds of coaching and mentorship hours to these entrepreneurs.
New Voices Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, is focused on providing flexible funding, learning and networking opportunities to these entrepreneurs via pitch competitions, mobile accelerators, coaching and mentoring, online masterclasses, and communications outreach via social media, newsletters and other channels.
In 2020, New Voices will provide up to 60 grants to women of color founders through pitch competitions. Each competition awards $100,000 in cash grants, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, combined with coaching, mentoring and personalized business skills development post-competition. Additionally, the community of pitch competition winners remain connected and access networking and partnership opportunities through New Voices’ robust ecosystem, helping to further ensure the long term viability and sustainability of their enterprises.
To date, the Foundation has invested more than $1.4 million in non-dilutive capital and matched support dollars in companies owned by women of color, hosted nine-pitch competitions for 87 women at EssenceFest, CES, and other leading national and regional anchor events, provided hundreds of coaching and mentorship hours, and connected them to meaningful networking and partnership opportunities.
De L’or Cakery is proud to announce that founder and Cake Executive Officer, Kayisha Thompson is one of the grantees and participants selected to be a part of this wonderful program. What excites me about this program are the modules that were offered to use to study and complete throughout the process. I was able to identify other windows of opportunities to grow my brand awareness. This award comes with coaching/mentoring sessions from other women business owners in our field.
2020 has been a magical ride! Recently, my business was awarded with a Cheryl P Grant. This grant allowed us to purchase inventory to support us with our product launch. Who is Cheryl Polote? Nationally acclaimed best-selling author, transformational speaker, and success coach Cheryl Polote-Williamson has established multiple platforms dedicating her consulting practice to cultivate innovative business solutions, strategic marketing initiatives, and financial acumen for entrepreneurs. A global leader, Cheryl is the CEO and Founder of Williamson Media Group (WMG), LLC and Cheryl Polote Williamson, LLC where her knowledge and expertise is used as a conduit to affirm others in pursuit of their purpose. She has received several awards for her leadership capabilities to include the 2016 Female Success Factor Award, 2017 Indie Author Literary Trailblazer Award, Global Smashers Award, Who’s Who in Black Dallas Publishing, and the Chocolate Social for Best Online Community. Cheryl earned her undergraduate degree from Shaw University and has a heart for philanthropy as shown by her commitment to community engagement which hinges on local and nationwide partnerships with the NAACP, National Association of Women Business Owners, the Barak Obama Male Leadership Academy, and Martha’s House. Professional membership affiliations include Forbes Coaches Council, and Odyssey Media.
Cheryl is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., and the Mid-Cities Chapter of the Links Inc. She along with her husband Russell of 28 years are members of St. John Church Unleashed and currently reside in Flower Mound, Texas. They have 3 amazing children, Russell Jr., Lauren, and Courtney, as well as an adorable granddaughter Leah and grandson Russell III.
In her spare time, Cheryl enjoys traveling, reading, writing, serving others, as well as spending quality time with family and friends.
Thank you Cheryl for providing this opportunity to us small business owners.
Kayisha
This class is for kids ages 10-16 years old to build their confidence in the kitchen, create tantalizing sweets, and connect with other youth in a safe environment. After registration, a supply list will be emailed to the email address on file. Fa La La La over into the kitchen!
This week’s activity is going to be focused on cooking and baking from around the world. We are going to explore what other countries enjoy during the holidays. Parents feel free to join in on the reindeer games to assist with transferring items in and out of the oven. A few days after registration, you will receive a welcome packet detailing the ingredients needed throughout the week.
I am offering a PM class so that our friends on the West Coast and Mountain Time have an opportunity to participate. We will build your child’s confidence in the kitchen. Class time is a buffer based on class size. The price includes a Welcome Kit that will be shipped to your home for your new chef!
Class DATES December 28, 2020, to January 1, 2021 The class is from 2 pm to 5 pm EST/EDT. You can register here DelorCakery
Kayisha Thompson, 1 of 2300 to the Top 20 Kayisha Thompson, @joanns_stores 2020 Creative Minority Grant Winner.
Joann’s Fabric stores play a pivotal role in my current creative endeavor. In 2008, I relocated from New York City to Snellville, GA. As I was exploring my new world, I walked into a Joann’s Fabric Store. I did not know the store until that day. I saw a large sign advertising cake decorating classes. I enrolled in the basic cake decorating program and decided to complete the entire cake decorating series offered by Wilton Industries. My instructor, Tasha, invited me to become a Wilton Method Instructor. I walked in as an explorer and walked out as a Cake Designer.
De L’or Cakery Kitchen, a subsidiary program of De L’or Cakery Corporation, has a mission to build a more connected and confident community, cultivating young minds interested in Sugar Artistry. The objective of our program is to offer hands-on apprenticeships in Cake Decorating. I am partnering with a school in the South Bronx to teach their youth for a week baking and cake decorating in 2021. The youth will receive free baking and cake decorating kits.
Celebrate your wins, follow your dreams, and do not let others deter you!
Welcome to my blog! This tutorial is for my parents celebrating Halloween at home with their child/children and looking for a fun activity. As a former substitute teacher and Clinician, I understand how challenging this pandemic is for parents and their children.
Materials 1 Cake Box Mix 3 Jars of Supermarket Buttercream aka frosting 1-6 inch round 4-inch high cake pan One cake board One spatula or butter knife Green food coloring Wilton Candy Eyes (Joann’s Fabric Store or Michael’s Arts and Craft) Wilton Tip 1 M (Joann’s Fabric Store or Michael’s Arts and Craft)
Follow the directions on your cake box mix, and after you have baked your cake, allow it to completely cool before adding any buttercream to the cake. Use 1 1/2 of buttercream jars (Betty Crocker, Dunkin Hines, etc.) to fill and cover your cake. Microwave the leftover buttercream in 15-second increments to prevent burning. After thinning out your buttercream, add any food coloring of your choice, and thoroughly mix it out. A piping bag or a spoon spread around the cake edges, allowing the drip to form naturally. Pour a small amount of your remaining colored buttercream on top of your cake and smooth over with a spatula covering the top of your cake. Add some piped rosettes, candy eyes, and some sprinkles.
I have always been a strong advocate for women supporting women, especially when it comes to women in male-dominated industries. In broad terms, that might categorize me as a feminist However, if I am a feminist, then I am one with a twist. You see, I do not support many of these so-called female empowerment events. My observation is that many of the influencers hosting these events are Narcissists.
Narcissists and Feminism
Narcissists act confident and superior, but in reality, they are fragile and lack self-esteem. They have the ability to put out a false persona to get what they want, such as followers, attention, and gifts, but they truly do not care about you or your wellbeing. Overall, their goal is to be seen and take away as much focus from the women needing support so they can use that as a vehicle to further their careers. They pride themselves on finding business weaknesses and use it to garner opportunities for themselves, packaged as an aid for struggling female business owners.
My Firsthand Experience
I was assisting an influencer with her event not that long ago, but due to COVID-19, it was canceled. She pivoted her event, and it wasn’t until it was close to the date that I observed she started engaging on my social media accounts, most likely in an effort to re-enroll me into promoting her event. At this point, I made the conscious decision to engage in the necessary tasks to build my own business and did not help further her promotions. I’ve had my fair share of interactions with women who pretend that they care about the collective, but really just care about what they will wear for their next posting.
What Women Supporting Women Should Look Like
I am going to share with you what it looks like when women truly, sincerely, and authentically empower one another. During my tenure at a Residential Treatment Facility, I pitched the idea to my boss for us to host an event for the impressionable teenage girls on the campus. RTC was an educational facility for kids and teens in foster care needing a higher level of treatment in regards to mental health. Some were also referred by the PINS petition from Juvenile/Family Court, and others via CSE through the Department of Education.
I listened attentively as my colleagues shared their frustrations about the teenage girls’ sexual experiences, home life, and boredom on the weekends, which would result in criminal-like activities leading to a trip to downtown Brooklyn for central booking. For me, my role was to work with the campus male population. At the time, I was connected to an organization called the Teen Queen Experience (TQE), whose mission is to encourage and empower every young lady to live their very best life by providing the tools and foundation necessary for them to build a secure and positive future. We are committed to changing our community by working in the youth and expanding outward to parents, adults, and neighbors.
I reached out to my contact, shared my concerns, and the founder of TQE agreed to bring the event to the campus. I worked with the TQE for about four months, along with the solicited help of other staff. When the day arrived, staff found excuses not to be a part of the event, placing more strain on me. I informed TQE, and they told me that they recruited additional volunteers for the day.
On the day of the event, 6 students out of 24 registered students showed up. The leading cottage manager wasn’t allowing one of the cottages to attend unless they cleaned up the entire space. I walked into the cottage and assertively informed the cottage manager that they complained that there isn’t enough support for these kids on the weekend, and now that there is something, they are trying to keep the girls away. This is one of the reasons why the kids do not receive the services they need, staff limitations.
Eventually, the girls attended and experienced a wonderful day of engaging with female business owners, free giveaways, swag bags, and engaging in various topics. A few months later, I applied for an internal position in the same company and transferred from their Westchester county location to a Brooklyn site. Here I was able to, again, advocate for TQE to another cohort of girls, giving the organization access to a broader community. I had a connection to Hey There Beautiful Incorporated (HTB), a non-profit whose mission is to empower women and young girls to foster confidence and achieve success. Their vision is to provide support, connection, trust, inspiration, and cultivate leadership skills.
Though I am ardent in what I do, I was concerned about the youth we served in the summer, as this is the season when there is a spike in teens going AWOL. From running away, sex trafficking, rampant psychiatric hospitalizations, and criminal like activities, it feared me. I expressed my concern to the founder of HTB, who responded by offering to create a summer program for our youth. The following summer, HTB set up a summer camp program geared to kids ages 8-12, and a summer internship program for our teens. The program I worked in had a feature where foster parents could meet once a month for trainings and support over an agency-sponsored dinner that I organized.
After my tenure with that company, I was offered a Supervisor position for a well-known Domestic Violence program in New York City. During my time there, I was able to utilize my community resources and connect with Meredith Mallory of 500backpacks. Meredith Mallory donated 30 backpacks for the 2019 school year to kids in our shelter and a few other programs within the agency. In addition, an artist came to our Survivor Support Group and engaged our clients in beginners drawing as a means to a therapeutic end.
This is what women supporting women and their community looks like without looking for a kickback.
Final Thoughts
I am challenging each and every woman reading this to do something for another female business owner, someone you don’t know, and not look for anything in return. No damn social media shout outs and no “remember me” double-sided comments. Why am I asking this of you? Because “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” Proverbs 11:25.
Notice that I did not command or direct you to do something for someone else. I am challenging you, meaning you do not have to participate if you do not want to.
And, for God’s sake, if anyone is telling you that you must help certain people because you are blessed and should do so because you have a lot to offer, don’t be fooled. That is manipulation. When you listen to this and continue giving from an empty cup, you are going to burn yourself out. Helping others is great, but make sure your own cup is filled first. So, no, there are no obligations here. I am offering you to follow your heart to support someone that you are DRAWN to. Not because you have to.
Before you book a ticket to your next female empowerment event, look at the number of followers the host(s) have versus how many people they are following back. Look at their engagement too. Are they always dressed up in their posted photos? Are they publishing more selfies and content centered around them than the actual cause?
As a final note, seek authenticity, goal-driven, open-hearted influencers. Don’t be blinded by their perfect profile, smiles, and outfits. Dig deeper than that to see what their core values are, and if it is anything other than helping and supporting women like they proclaim, then leave them behind. You and women across the globe deserve much better than that.
