Keeping Tabs on Daniel Carter

Dan Carter and Tabatha enjoy Cupcake Day. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The prospect of having a photo with Dan Carter drew crowds - and animals like Tabatha - to the All Black's cupcake stand outside his store in Newmarket yesterday.

The SPCA's inaugural national Cupcake Day campaign was rated a huge success as thousands of cupcakes were sold across Auckland.

Visitors to Carter's Newmarket stall could not only take home gourmet varieties baked by volunteer cooks from AUT University and SkyCity but also be photographed with the rugby star.

Cameron Brewer, of the Newmarket Business Association, said no one in NZ could command such attention simply by selling cupcakes. "We haven't had a media scrum like this in Newmarket since Green MP Keith Locke walked down Broadway naked."

Home-baked cupcakes were sold through schools and workplaces with proceeds going to the SPCA.

Chief executive Robyn Kippenberger said there was a 40 per cent rise in cases of animal abuse in the first four months of this year.