This morning, I had the pleasure of attending a special event/press conference at the Boston Center for Adult Education to kick-off of the 12th annual Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer.

Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer was designed to remember the special women in our lives and has raised more than $500,000 for breast cancer research, one sweet at a time. Restaurants, bakeries, and cafés from across Massachusetts dedicate one dessert off their menu to serve as the special Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer dessert from May 2nd – 8th, 2011.

This year, more than 275 restaurants, bakeries, cafés and chocolate shops throughout Massachusetts will participate in Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer. One hundred percent of proceeds will benefit breast cancer research and care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

This morning’s event provided members of the media the opportunity to take photographs, shoot video, and hear remarks from Carol Brownman Sneider, Founder of Boston Bakes, Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, and the family of the 2011 honoree Colleen O’ Farrell, who passed away earlier this year from triple negative breast cancer after a 2.5-year battle.

We also had the opportunity to sample select desserts from some of the event’s participating chefs, restaurants, and bakeries including:

• Arthur Ackles, Marketing Director, Roche Brothers Supermarkets
• Chris Bodington, Executive Chef & VP of Culinary, Not Your Average Joes
• Joanne Chang, Pastry Chef & Owner, Flour Bakery
• Diane Demarco, Pastry Chef & Owner, Cupcakery
• Peter Dumas, Bakery Director, Roche Brothers Supermarkets
• Todd English, Chef & Restaurateur, Figs, Olives, Kingfish Hall & Isabelle’s CurlyCakes
• Tim Fonesca, Executive Pastry Chef, The Four Seasons Hotel Boston
• Maura Kilpatrick, Pastry Chef, Oleana & Sofra Bakery & Café
• Stephen Silverstein, Founder & Big Joe, Not Your Average Joes

Holy yum!

At the event, I embraced my inner creeper and snapped photos of a couple of my favorite celebrity chefs: Todd English, who is a huge supporter of Boston Bakes. (His sister passed away of breast cancer at just 48-years-old.)

And Joanne Chang, who has supported Boston Bakes every year since its conception.

The coolest part of the event was The Cupcakory, a mobile cupcake truck serving the Boston area. I wish my neighborhood had one of these!

If you happen to see The Cupcakory around the city, 100% of the proceeds from the Raspberry Lemon Cupcake go directly to Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer. (You can track the truck on Twitter!)

Of course, I had to try the Raspberry Lemon Cupcake. It’s made with lemon cake and raspberry Italian meringue buttercream, and it tasted absolutely divine. The frosting was especially amazing.

For a list of all of the establishments participating in this year’s Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer event, please visit http://www.bakesforbreastcancer.org.