008_SODA POP!
The IronCupcake:Earth challenge for April is SODA POP! Some call it soda, some call it pop and other call it fizzies or fizzy drinks. Whatever it is, whether it is in a can, a bottle or homemade, people are drinking it all around the world. We took a vote and a resounding YES bubbled up for this sweet concoction. What can you do to make it into a cupcake? That is your challenge. SODA POP is the challenge for April 2009.

FINAL POSTING DAY is the 24th of every month: FRIDAY, April 24 at 12 noon. All times are CENTRAL time.

TAKE NOTE:
• Photograph your baking experience and then post about it on your blog.
• Posting your recipe on your blog is optional.
• Cupcake Pops are allowed, provided they also LOOK like cupcakes.
• New creations only, please. No previously submitted cupcakes.
• In your post, please be sure mention that you are competing to win the following prizes, be sure to include reference and an active link to our prize providers and sponsors:

Our April ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:

• A creation by FRUITFLYPIE, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=16748
• a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.
• a sweet surprise from Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Cupcakery, http://www.acupcakery.com/
  
• PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com; a t-shirt from UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .

• Please verify that all links are active.
• Post your favorite shot (two if you are showing a cross-section) of your cupcake to the Iron Cupcake flickr group, along with a brief summary of your post. Please include a link to your blog in the description and your blog name in the tags. No photos or summaries will be accepted via email.
• You can enter more than one cupcake, but each counts individually as separate entries. Each cupcake must be submitted to flickr and via email separately as well. NEW CREATIONS ONLY, no previously submitted cupcakes please.
  
• E-Mail your recipe(s), along with your first and last name and blog link to IronCupcakeEarth@wi.rr.com . In your subject line, please include IC:IngredientName. Your cupcake recipe must be emailed in order to be eligible for voting and the prize. Please note: you must do BOTH the email submission and the flickr submission.
• Voting will begin no later than Wednesday, April 29 at 8 p.m. at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER, http://www.ironcupcakemilwaukee.com and will be open through Monday, May 4 at 12 noon. Send your readers to that address to vote.
• Winner will be posted the night of May 4, before 11:59 a.m.
• Please refer your readers to the IronCupcake:Earth cuphub at http://www.ironcupcakeearth,com to become a part of the excitement.

GOING FORWARD: New ingredients will always be announced on the 1st of the month (or earlier). The submission time closes at 12 noon central on the 24th of the month, regardless of the day of the week. It had been suggested that I standardize these dates, so there you go. ☺
Also, please be aware of the revised voting procedures, posted on the Iron Cupcake site.

ONE LAST THING: Any entry that is missing either its flickr post OR a complete email submission will not be included. So…please be sure to submit to both flickr and via email to be eligible for the vote. TIP: The 00X_received tag will be added to your flickr photo(s) when your submission is processed.

By participating in IRON CUPCAKE:EARTH you agree to have your recipe considered for use in a future Iron Cupcake:Earth cookbook – credited with your name and blog address (optional) attached. Actual prizes may vary, at the discretion of the artists/manufacturers.