A Sweet Baby Sprinkle
I don’t know when baby sprinkles became a thing. It was probably around the same time that cake smashes started popping up. The cake smash trend totally skipped me - probably because I spend so much time on my cakes that it feels like a dagger in the heart to see them destroyed. A trend I DO love, though, is a good baby sprinkle! What a wonderful way to celebrate a friend who already has a child and doesn’t need as many things, but you still want to make her feel special and loved.
I threw this Baby Sprinkle in the middle of social distancing. A sweet church friend was having a baby, so one week after the Minnie Mouse luncheon, I pulled together this cute little affair to celebrate her and her little one on the way!
It’s so much easier to throw a party together when you have a clear theme. I knew my friend was incorporating elephants into her nursery, so quickly settled on that theme and found some adorable digital downloads on Etsy (links available below). I almost never print these things myself. I’ve found that even with a good quality color printer, I can’t get the same quality as my local print shop. The cost is minimal and the look so much improved that I feel it’s worth it.
A big welcome sign really sets the feel of a party and I almost always have one, whether it’s on my front door or outside a small church classroom. Having things professionally printed also enables you to get these oversized, which I really wanted here.
Shared food hasn’t been an option for parties this year with Covid - everything has to be individually portioned. But there’s a benefit to finger foods and individual portions and I frequently plan events like this even when it isn’t safety-related. If I’m standing at a party, I prefer to not have to deal with utensils - it’s so much easier to have yummy finger foods - also less cleanup, less waste, less expense!
This was a simple menu - crudité cups with ranch in the base for easy dipping, mini raspberry-cream tarts, mini quiche, grapes and cheese, ham & cheddar scones, and cupcakes.
Because this was a short drop-in, I didn’t do a big tiered cake, but chose to do fun cupcakes in assorted designs. Molds came from Katy Sue Designs. I also had sprinkle cupcakes on my favorite centerpiece carousel!
If you’ve ever had my ham and cheddar scones, you know why this is one of my favorite recipes - adapted from the Culinary Institute of America. They’re savory, but also slightly sweet…mmmm. Since the dough has to be frozen, they’re also fabulous make-ahead treats that only need to be baked off the day you serve them. Perfect for breakfast or lunch, they’re just phenomenal.
To be honest, I’ve made these for at least 15 years and I’ve only shared the recipe twice. But this new blog seemed the perfect time to let it out there, so from my kitchen to yours, here is the recipe for the best scones I have ever had.
It has been a tricky year to host events and without a doubt a lot of things have had to be modified. But I’m happy that with some careful planning and hopefully a little ingenuity, I was able to celebrate a good friend even in this small way. The best part is that I made a double batch of scones and had a couple hidden under the table for a snack when the cleanup was done. As one does...
Etsy Links for Party Printables - various sellers:
Welcome Sign
Little Peanut banner (customizable text!)
Water Bottle Labels
Party Favors Sign