Thirsty Thursday: Hope’s Watermelon & Mint Infused Water

Posted on June 20, 2013 by BeautyFrosting

Happy Thirsty Thursday!
What is more satiating than a refreshing, fresh, fruit-infused water on a hot summer day?Not much.

Hope's Watermelon & Mint-Infused Water

That’s why I’m delighted that my sweet and creative good friend and neighbor, Hope, is sharing her Watermelon Mint-infused water today on BeautyFrosting.
She made a gallon of this healthy and refreshing thirst quencher this past Saturday for her sweet friend, Ruby’s, baby shower.

Hope's Watermelon & Mint Infused Water at Ruby's Baby Shower

It was deeeeeelicious!

Perfect for a baby shower, wedding shower, post workout beverage, kids’ water option or just a daily delight!
So here it is for you and yours to enjoy!

Hope’s Watermelon & Mint Infused Water

Watermelon Chunks (approx. 1 1/2 cups)

Mint Sprigs (approx. 1/2 cup)

Water (enough to fill your pitcher or punchbowl)

Cut up fresh watermelon into chunks. Add mint sprigs. Fill up your pitcher or punchbowl with enough water to cover. Let set for at least an hour.
Serve chilled with love.

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: What’s your favorite fruit-infused water?

Recipe Box Friday: Piggy Cupcakes

Posted on July 27, 2012 by BeautyFrosting

I made these piggy cupcakes a few weeks ago for my dear friend, Hope’s, baby shower.

BeautyFrosting's Piggy Cupcakes

How’d I choose pigs? Well, to celebrate a true southern-turned SoCal transplant-she was given a “BABY-Q”. Get it?

Baby-Q-themed Piggy Cupcakes

The invite (above) was super cute with a baby pig cartoon on it and, well, it just seemed the way to go!

So many of you liked the pics of the piggy cupcakes on my BeautyFrosting Facebook page, that I knew I had to share the recipe with y’all.
So here you go!

Pig Cupcakes: Super fun & delicious!

BeautyFrosting’s Piggy Cupcakes

As for the cake, I used my Mom’s Strawberry cake recipe which I will feature NEXT Friday. But here’s how you make the piggies.

What you need for your piggies:

Pink or Chocolate Cupcake Paper Cups

24 Baked Cupcakes of your choice

1 Batch of Buttercream Frosting (My favorite recipe is below!)

32 Jet-Puffed StrawberryMallows (1 8-ounce bag)

48 Milk Chocolate Chips

Pink Food Coloring

Red Food Coloring

Gettin’ Crafty with Cupcakes:

Let your cupcakes cool and mix up your frosting.

Tint the icing, by adding the pink food coloring, til you reach a nice bubblegum piglet-pink hue. Mix until perfectly pink.

Frost each cupcake making sure to make the “face” of the pig as smooth as possible. I prefer using a small cake frosting spatula.

Cut your marshmallows into halves.

Use half for the nose with the non-sticky side facing up in the middle of the cupcake.

Make the piggy’s eyes by placing the chocolate chips point down into the frosting (with the flat side up).

To make the ears, take the other half of the marshmallow and cut into two. Pinch each end to make pointy piggy ears.

Take a toothpick or chopstick and dip it in red food coloring. Make 2 dots on the nose marshmallow to make nostrils. You can re-do this again if the colour is too pale.

*Here’s my favorite, go-to, creamy buttercream recipe.

BeautyFrosting’s Creamy ButterCream Frosting Recipe

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

4¼ to 4½ cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: If you make ’em, please send me a pic! Have fun!!

Friendly Friday: Hope & Jay’s Reveal the baby’s sex shower

Posted on May 18, 2012 by BeautyFrosting

A new trend, which I was fortunate enough to be part of, is the “Reveal the Baby’s Sex Shower”. Boy, oh, boy (or should I say girl, oh, girl) is it fun!!

My good, sweet neighbor-friends, Jay & Hope asked if I would be part of their big day and bake cupcakes for their RTBSS.

The Happy Parents-To-Be: Jay & Hope - at my Classic Southern Easter Dinner

One caveat: I would find out what sex the baby would be before anyone else would.

Um, did I mention, including them – the parents themselves?

Whoa.

I would have to keep my mouth shut, references to a minimum and sideways glances stored away, for days before the party. I might have to go into hibernation! We’re a tight-knit little bunch here on our little block. And now I was gonna have to keep tight lips on their big news. But I knew I was up to the task.

So how does this work?

In true hip Hope & Jay style, they gave their doc (ob/gyn) a yellow envelope with a yellow notecard inside.

They wrote on the card:
“Doctor says I’m a ________.”

When it’s time for the appointment where they can find out Baby’s sex, the good doctor fills in “Boy” or “Girl”, folds up the sonogram pic, puts it inside the envelope and seals it.

Only to be opened by yours truly a few days before the big reveal.

Soooo exciting!

And, here we go.

On the Wednesday before their Saturday RTBSS, I go over (in pilates gear, no less) to Jay & Hope’s.

They were expecting a reaction because, well, I’m expressive.

Boy or Girl? Finding out what Jay & Hope were having...

But I kept a straight face with no reaction. Much to their chagrin, I shrugged and made a face like “So what”.

I kind of feel like the Evil Queen: Only I know the secret...ba-ha-ha-ha

They all thought it was a boy. Even Miss Ellie.

I think it's a boy...

But I wasn’t spilling.

Even our good friend, Jennifer – with her crafty ways – couldn’t get the truth out of me!

...and she's crafty!

And then the big day came!
I made 6 dozen cupcakes with an equal number of baby blue and baby pink question marks on the top. Inside, was my buttercream filling. If it was a boy, it would be blue. If a girl, it would be pink. No one would know until biting into the cupcake and seeing the filling.

6 dozen Boy or Girl Cupcakes

I took them over to the party. People placed bets.

The Cupcake Reveal was scheduled...

No, really.

And then the truth was revealed:

Let the truth be revealed...

IT’S A GIRL!!!!

It's a girl!!!

Yaya!!

Another little princess to introduce to my BeautyFrosting world!!

onesie, bib, baby girl, baby clothes, baby shower gifts

BeautyFrosting gets to give the first girl gift! Evil queen, indeed!

And a very lucky little girl to have two such sweet & loving parents as Jay & Hope!

To check out the recipe for the cupcakes and how to fill them, check here:

xoxo,
BFBF Asks: Share your story about finding out YOUR baby’s sex!

Thirsty Thursday: BeautyFrosting’s Ginger Tea Punch

Posted on April 19, 2012 by BeautyFrosting

BeautyFrosting's Ginger Tea Punch

If you want a punch that’s perfect for all ages, women AND men and isn’t overly-candy-sweet, this is your go-to punch. I love the stuff! And I always end up giving the recipe to my guests.
I made this last batch last weekend at my good neighbor-friends’ “Reveal the Baby Sex” party. It was a hit! And the party was a ball! But more of that on Saturday Social Hour!

Here’s the tasty tea punch recipe that will be one of your favorites too!
BeautyFrosting’s GINGER TEA PUNCH
Makes 1 gallon. I usually double for my 2 gallon punchbowl.

3 Tbl. Instant Tea (the “powdered” kind, plain, no sugar, no lemon)
1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
6 cups warm Water
2 cups diluted Orange Juice
6 ounce can frozen Limeade, defrosted and undiluted
2 liters Ginger Ale (or enough to make 1 gallon)

Combine the instant tea, sugar and water. Stir well to ensure the sugar
is dissolved. Add the orange juice and Limeade. Refrigerate until ready
to serve.

Just before serving, add enough Ginger Ale to make 1 gallon of liquid.

Garnish with orange slices and mint sprigs. Depending on “theme”, I have also garnished with limes and lemons.

Garnish with orange slices - BeautyFrosting's Ginger Tea Punch

Beautiful for a wedding shower, baby shower, ladies lunch, brunch, party or holiday!

As always, if you try it, please take pics and tell me how it worked for you!

xoxo,
BF