Circus Shower Part 2... The Recipes

Mocha Cupcake with 
Chocolate Ganache

For the cake:
*all ingredients  should be at room temperature

1/2 cup cocoa powder 
2/3 cup hot coffee 
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate coarsely chopped
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt 
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine cocoa, coffee and chocolate, whisk until lumps dissolve. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating 1 minute after each. Add the vanilla. In a separete bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add half of dry mixture to butter mixture. Mix on low until well integrated. Add the yogurt and mix well. Add the remaining dry and mix until combined. Add the chocolate mix until blended but do not over mix. Fill liners and bake. Standard cupcakes bake 20-25 minutes, mini cupcakes bake 7-10 minutes.

For the ganache

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup chocolate finely chopped

Heat the cream over low heat and stir in chocolate. Let cool to room temperature. Dip the cupcakes in the ganache and decorate with sprinkles.

Lime Cupcake with 

White Chocolate Buttercream

For the cake:

*all ingredients should be at room temperature

1/2 lb of butter

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs 

3 cups AP flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons lime zest

2 tablespoons lime juice 

Preheat oven to 325 F. In large bowl cream butter and sugar using an electric mix for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time beating 1 minute after each. In another bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. In small bowl stir together milk and sour cream. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternating with milk mixture. Add lime juice and zest. Fill liners and bake. Standard cupcakes bake for 20 minutes, mini cupcakes bake for 7-10 minutes.

For the buttercream:

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

6-8 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)

3-9 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 1/2 to 5 cups confectioner sugar

Heat chips, 4 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of milk in a saucepan over medium heat until totally melted. In a mixer combine the white chocolate mixture with sugar and vanilla. Add more butter, milk and sugar as needed.

Fever Fudge 

(I renamed it Red Hot Fudge for the Shower)

This is actually a recipe that my sister found and is a take on "Fever Fudge" from the Harry Potter novels. She made it for our July 4th get together and asked her to make it for the shower. She made the vanilla and spicy version instead of the mint and spicy version. This time she added yellow to match the the theme. I think it was absolutely adorable. For the recipe go here. Don't be fooled by the bright colors it is very tasty and I think she has added it to her growing collection of go to recipes. :)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

If you have a major sweet tooth like me then these are going to rock your world! For the recipe go here and if you make them be prepared to over indulge!

Baby Boy Blue Punch

This punch is not only super easy but is surprisingly great tasting.  It is also very easily customized to any color palette. It is another one of those recipes that make you raise an eyebrow when you see it but trust me it is actually very good. 

1 bottle of White Cranberry or White Grape Juice

1 2 liter of Club Soda (or Lemon Lime Soda)

1 envelope of unsweetened blue powered drink mix (Koolaide)

1/2 a 48oz container of Vanilla Ice Cream

Chill the juice and soda before the party and just before serving mix juice, soda and drink mix then scoop ice cream on top and then serve.

Lemon Trifle

So for this recipes go here. I did leave the whipped cream off of these only because we ran out of time. They are good either way.

Snack Mix

It isn't much to look at but ap[paently is is quite good.

It is 1 lg bag of pretzels coated with white chocolate and nonpareils mixed with blueberry kettle corn and animal crackers. I didn't actually eat any but I was told it was a great pairing. I found the kettle corn at my local grocery store but you can order it at their website.

I don't have the recipe for the strawberry fluff because I keep losing it. I am going to get it and keep up with it this time because I am starting a family recipe scrapbook. I plan on doing a post about family recipes as soon also.

I bought the cupcake liners and mustache mold at bake it pretty. I love everything in their online shop!!!!

Welcome To The Circus... A Baby Shower.

I am close to my aunt, Stephanie. She is my Dad's much younger sister and has always been a role model for me. When I was a kid she was my fashion icon now I am an adult I work to be the kind of wife and mother she is. So when she called me still stunned from the news that she was in fact pregnant, unexpectedly, I immediately started planning the shower. I called in my mom #2 Mitzi, my Nana Raylene, my sister Holly, and of course the big sister Michaela.  I looked through blogs and party planning sites for the perfect theme. I had a mustache and bow tie theme, a bubble theme and a couple of other themes but none really worked. Then I stumbled on a circus themed birthday party and I realized that it was perfect for her big, silly busy family. I knew if anyone would find humor in a circus theme she would and she did and loved the idea. I started by picking my color palette. I used primary colors, red, yellow and blue. I usually have some strange color combination in mind for my parties but this one screamed for traditional kids colors. Then I decided that Since we were welcoming baby into this circus of characters that I would give every one their very own act and a dessert to go along with it.

So I started with my uncle, Alex, if anyone can calm chaos of 4, soon to be 5, kids and cope with and encourage their tons of activities and can be heard over everyone it would be him. So he was the Ringleader.

Next I moved on to Steph, she is always on the go taking the kids from one activity to another or hosting events for the church or helping anyone in need. She always has so many balls in the air, naturally she is the Juggler.

The oldest is Carlye and I am pretty sure that this child has no fear and you probably shouldn't dare her do anything because she will do it. So I thought that the Tightrope Walker was the perfect act for her.

The next one is Elijah and he is super athletic, adorable and confident. The Strong Man seemed to be the perfect roll for him.

The next to youngest is Michaela. She always know what everyone is up to and has opinions on many topics so naturally The Fortune Teller was her act. She totally agreed and LOVED it.

Last but not least is Micah. He is a ball of energy who can literally climb walls. We think he is actually a mini ninja. The Acrobat a given for him.

These are the signs that Michaela, Holly and I made with my Cricut using the Carousel Cartridge.

The night before the shower we decided that little baby Zeke should have one too so we made him the Amazing Growing Boy.

We also made a few of the circus themed posters...

Now for the customized desserts...

The Ringleader's Big Top Cupcakes. 

Mini Mocha Cupcakes with A Chocolate Ganache

 Mini Key Lime Cupcake with a White Chocolate Buttercream

The Juggler's Truffle Balls

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

YUMMMMMMM!!!!!!!

 The Tightrope Walker's Sky High Lemon Trifle with a Twizzler Rope

The Strong Man's Mustache Lollipop

The Fortune Teller's Magical Fluffy Stuff

Nana's Strawberry Fluff is a family favorite and was a must have.

The Acrobat's Twisted and Flipped Snack Mix

animal crackers, white chocolate covered pretzels and blueberry kettle corn.

The Growing Boy's Red Hot Fudge

Pineapple Lemonade

Baby Boy Blue Punch

This is what it looks like before the ice cream melts.

And this is after. Although the picture makes it look slightly green it is actually a very pretty baby blue.

We went pretty simple for decorations. I used the Cricut to cut out letters for the banner and Mitzi cut out pennant shapes. Michaela and Holly and I made flowers out of tissue paper and we used streamer to create a tent affect on the ceilings and the doors. We've only been in the house for about 2 months so the hubby hasn't gotten to hanging anything on the walls so I had a blank canvas to work with.

I wish some of the pictures were better but I people were arriving and it was cloudy out so a good shot was not in the cards for some things. I really loved this shower and had so much fun doing it. I really could not have done it without Holly Mitzi and Michaela! I will do another post for the recipes later on. oh and just for fun...