Outer Space Birthday

Today’s party is truly out of this world!  We see so many adorable parties for little girls and babies… but great parties for little boys seem harder to come by.  That makes today’s post even more fun!  With a modern color scheme, oodles of creative details and a beautiful table of solar snacks, this party is perfect for little astronauts.  Jasmine Clouser of The Couture Cakery let her imagination soar when she created this party for her son’s 5th birthday.  Get ready to blast off for some fun and adventure with this incredible Outer Space Birthday Party!

Jasmine designed the invitation along with the custom party printables, building upon a grey, orange, lime green and blue color scheme.  From there, she created a charming cake, cupcakes and cookies to match!  I love that Jasmine’s cake is modern and playful yet do-able for at home bakers.  She used cookie cutters to create the colored shapes out of fondant and a rubber letter stamp to emboss her son’s age and initial.

Oodles of Solar Snacks brought this theme to life!  From Planet Pops (red velvet cake pops inspired by Bakerella) to stick candies shaped like a space shuttle, astronaut and planet Earth.

Trix cereal doubled as Space Rocks and provided an inexpensive treat to be served from a large apothecary jar.  Meteoroids were created by topping  round pretzels with orange candy melts and a silver sixlets.  Too clever!

Mini push pop containers are filled with M&Ms to create Booster Fuel capsules while Cookie Crisp cereal steps in as Moon Rocks!

From the vibrant paper fan backdrop to the whimsical table banner and everything in between, this party is space-tacular!  What little boy wouldn’t love to get lost in this universe of delicious sweets?

A big thank you to my friend Jasmine Clouser at The Couture Cakery for sharing this charming Outer Space Birthday Party with us!  It is truly out of this world!

Vendors & Credits:
Dessert Table Styling, Cake and Cupcakes, Photography:  The Couture Cakery
Invitation and Party Printables:  The Couture Cakery
Mini Push Pop Containers and Straws:  Shop Sweet Lulu
Tissue paper fans, Sixlet candy:  Party City
Linen:  Essential Party Rentals

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Minnie Mouse 1st Birthday

beautiful birthday!  Today’s party comes to us from the same talented lady who brought us the charming Barber Shop Birthday last September.  While that party was definitely a manly-man theme, today’s party is all girl!  With a hot pink, black and white color scheme, polka dots, damask and feathers… this party is so sassy.  And talk about oodles of incredible desserts.  This party would have Minnie herself saying “Aren’t you sweet!”  Let’s take a look at this precious Minnie Mouse 1st Birthday Party, styled by Dawn Menon of Bee*s Knees Parties and featuring an abundance of delightful cakes and sweet treats!

Dawn shared a few thoughts about this event:

“This party was for one of my clients whose daughter loves Minnie Mouse.  My client owns a D’Lites frozen yogurt store on Long Island, and wanted to have the party there. We chose to follow the color palate of the store, which happens to be black, white and hot pink.

Look at all of those incredible sweets!  Minnie Mouse cupcakes, cookies and an adorable smash cake for the first birthday girl!  And check out the main cake… it’s actually an ice cream cake made by the frozen yogurt store and then decorated with fondant pieces from The Hudson Cakery.  Doesn’t it look delicious?  Not to mention oh-so-cute!

So many delightful details in pink and black, all adorned with Minnie’s little black ears and signature bow!

Minnie, Minnie everywhere!  From the whimsical backdrop down to the every last cake pop, this party is like a trip to Disneyland!  Perfectly sweet and full of fun!

A special thanks to Dawn Menon of Bee*s Knees Parties and Keiko Niwa of 2 Girl Phototique for sharing this darling Minnie Mouse 1st Birthday Party with us!  It is just darling!

Vendors & Credits:
Smash Cake, Cookies, and Minnie Mouse ice cream cake fondant pieces:  The Hudson Cakery
Ice Cream Cake:  D’Lites Woodbury
Mini Minnie Mouse Cupcakes- The GoodieBox Bakeshop
Cupcake Fondant Pieces – Claudia The Cupcake Lady
Minnie Mouse Cakepops – Edible Encores
Party Decor and Styling – Bee*s Knees Parties
Photography:  Keiko Niwa of 2 Girl Phototique

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Going to Meet Martha!

Today started early for me… 3:30 am early!  I’m thrilled to be on my way to New York City!  Tuesday, I will arrive at the mecca of crafts and baking, hoping to meet the queen of creativity and female entrepreneurship.  Each year, roughly 80 small business owners are invited to the Martha Stewart Headquarters to come learn from the best at MSLO.  Two days of workshops, networking and a live show taping… plus some after hours socializing!

I am tremendously thrilled to be included in this event and cannot wait to meet all of the other amazing women in attendance.  Women who dream big, follow their passion and do great things!  I am sure to be inspired just being in the presence of so much talent, hard work and dedication.  I hope to bring back some new ideas for Half Baked, some new friends, and ways to create a better community for you, dear readers.  And if I actually get to meet Martha herself, well…. that would just be the icing on the cake!

Be sure to follow along as I post updates on Facebook and Twitter over the next few days…

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Fabulous Hostess Aprons

It’s Friday!  And I think it’s time for us to have some fun and go shopping together.  Window shopping that is!  A few Fridays ago, we went window shopping for cake stands.  Based on your response to that post, I think we should spend every Friday shopping together!  Are you in?

Today we’re on the hunt for another one of my favorite things… aprons!!  Presentation is key when it comes to food and baking, but it’s equally important for the woman behind the whisk to look good.  With all the sifting and whipping,  it can be a challenge to keep your party dress clean!  So let’s take a look at some of my favorite aprons right now.  From super sophisticated to vintage chic, these Fabulous Hostess Aprons might actually be prettier than your party dress!!

1.  For when you’re feeling formal, this Trousseau Apron, available here on Anthropologie.com

2.  Sophisticated and sleek Rollings of Cinnamon Apron, available here from Ice Milk Aprons

3.  A charming apron in soft putty grey with white polka dots, available here from Creative Chics

4.  Grab a scone and model this Tea-And-Crumpets Apron, available here on Anthropologie.com

5.  Rustic linen gets a touch of ruffle with this Up Early Apron, available here on Anthropologie.com

6.  Houndstooth and creamy florals create this vintage delight, available here from Creative Chics

7.  Embrace the hot color for spring with this delicate coral linen apron, from Anthropologie.com

8.  Cotton twill and great pleats gives this bold colorblock apron structure, from Anthropologie.com

9.  More of the Tea-And-Crumpets Apron, this time in a bright sky blue, from Anthropologie.com

10.  Argyle meets chevron and fringe in this Sweeping Angles Apron,  from Anthropologie.com

Do you have a favorite hostess apron that you’re loving right now?  Be sure to share it with us!

Happy Friday everyone!

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DIY: Mini Merry Snowman

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Thumpetty Thump Thump!  With a corncob pipe and a button nose, and two eyes made out of…. chocolate chips?  No wait, that’s not how the song goes.  But that’s how this pint-size snowman is bringing a big dose of merry today!  Our Christmas cake inspiration continues The 7th Cake of Christmas.  A jolly DIY cake from Miso Bakes!  This adorable little guy is much smaller than he appears.  Made from 4? and 6? rounds, this Mini Merry Snowman would be a great activity to share with your little ones.  He’s made of cake but the children know how he came to life one day….

Mini Merry Snowman

Here’s what you’ll need:

Four 4-inch Cake Layers
Four 6-inch Cake Layers
Bag of Coconut
Chocolate Chips
Two Skewers
Mitten Cookie Cutter
Sugarpaste / Fondant (orange, brown and red)
Six dowels
Royal Icing and Additional Embellishments {optional}

Here’s what you’ll do a few days before:

Cover skewers with brown sugarpaste.  Leave an inch at the top uncovered for the mittens.Roll out red sugarpaste thick. Cut out a pair of gloves or mittens with cookie cutter.  Slide on to skewer.  Leave out to dry.  {Optional: use white royal icing to pipe on fun details like stripes, snowflakes and dots.}Roll orange sugarpaste into the shape of a carrot. Slide in a toothpick so it can be attached to the face.  Leave out to dry.Bake cakes.Make icing.

Here’s what you’ll do the day of:

Stack, fill and cover the 6-inch layers in white icing.  Repeat for the 4-inch layers.Carefully cover the icing with shredded coconut.Insert dowels into the 6-inch cake and stack 4-inch cake on top.Roll out sugarpaste about 18? long.  Cut into a strip for the scarf.  Use only one red strip for a solid scarf.  Or add a smaller strip of white (on top of the red) for a striped scarf.  Wrap around ‘neck’ of snowman. {Optional: add small red berries and green holly leaves for an extra touch}.Insert carrot nose.Use chocolate chips to create eyes, mouth and buttons.Insert arms last or after transportation.

If you want to be a rock-star mom, prep several of these cakes and let your little ones assemble their own snowman.  Kids of all ages would enjoy covering the snowman in coconut and adding the eyes, nose, arms and scarf.  Older children would enjoy piping the mitten details as well.  What a fun alternative to the traditional gingerbread house!  And in the end, you’ll have your own hillside of snowmen.

A huge thank you to Miso at Miso Bakes for creating such a fun tutorial for us!  Hope you enjoy creating her super cute, Mini Merry Snowman with your family and friends!

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The 6th Cake of Christmas

It’s week two of our holiday cake series, The 12 Cakes of Christmas!  We’re featuring festive and wintry cakes from talented cake artists across the country.  And this week, it’s is all about the snow.  Five new, inspiring designs… some are elegant, some are playful, some come with instructions!  And all of them come with snow!!  Cake #6 is up and it’s an incredible, wintry delight!

The beauty of freshly fallen snow is captured in this pristine and purely elegant design, created by Allison Kelleher, owner of AK Cake Design in Portland.  The subtle glimmer of a snowflake, the bright glow off the fluffy blanket of white.  This incredible Winter White Cake will have you singing… Let it snow!  Let it snow!  Let it snow!!

Allison shared a few thoughts about her Winter White design:

“I wanted it to be light and airy – reminiscent of snow but not actually mimicking it. The white blossoms are subtly shaded to add a little more depth and movement. And the red ribbon breaks up the white a bit – also making the cake more festive for the holiday season.”

During the few years we lived in the north, I was never a huge fan of the snowy winters…. the shoveling, the ice, the cold.  But this, this is snow I can love!  The beauty of white glittering snow blanketing the ground… in the form of an elegant cake.  Whether you love the snow or you’re a Winter wimp like me, I think we all can agree that this cake is spectacular!

A special thanks to Allison of AK Cake Design for sharing her Winter White Cake with us today.  It would steal the show at any winter event!  The white snowy goodness continues on tomorrow with cake #7 and through the remainder of the week!  Let it Snow, Snow, Snow!!

Vendors & Credits:
Cake:  AK Cake Design
Be a Fan:  AK Cake on Facebook
Photography:  Melissa Tomeoni of soulmatesphoto.com

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The 9th Cake of Christmas

The forecast for today’s post is snowy with a pop of sunshine.  That’s because cake #9 in our 12 Cakes of Christmas series is here!  A wintry scene gets a dose of cheer with delightful sugar flowers.  From myer lemons and sage leaves to vibrant red poppies, today’s cakes are a bright spot in the midst of Winter.  Created by Emily Lael Aumiller, owner of Lael Cakes in Brooklyn, these Snowshine Flower Cakes will have you smiling!

Emily created these beauties for a photo shoot at the Poppies and Posies studio.  Transformed into a mystical winter wonderland, Emily’s delicate sugar flowers emerged from a snow covered ground.  With it’s own little red bench and wintry forest, this striking design features red poppies, bittersweet berries, drumstick flowers, and geranium foliage.

And because two cakes are twice the fun, ‘Cake #9? is actually a pair.  I simply couldn’t choose a favorite between these two… so I thought we’d share both!  This next cake just speaks to the cook in me.  Lemons brighten any dish, and these sugar myer lemons definitely brighten this design.  Not to mention the incredible pink tulips and unexpected sage leaves.

Aren’t they just incredible?!?  I love the contrast of the cold snow with the warm, inviting flowers and fruit.  What a wonderful way to wrap up this week of snow themed cakes.  Next week The 12 Cakes of Christmas concludes with cakes 10 to 12.  Plus one more DIY project for those last-minute party planners out there.

A very merry thank you to Emily at Lael Cakes for sharing her delightfully snowy, sugar flower cakes with us today.  Be sure to check out additional designs from Emily and other talented cake artists in our Holiday Cake Gallery.  New designs are added daily.  Happy Friday everyone!

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