Hooray for Baby! A Baby Shower Brunch

5.22.2012
Last month I put together a small baby shower to celebrate three dear friends who all happen to be pregnant at the same time.  The 'Hooray for Baby!' theme started oddly enough as the subject of an e-mail I sent wishing them congratulations.  The more I thought on it, the more it felt like the perfect concept for a shower.  Because two of the moms-to-be opted not to find out what they're having, I picked a gender neutral palette of mint green + yellow.  I've always loved these colors for spring, and they worked especially well for an outdoor brunch.  I wanted to keep things simple and budget friendly, so I put together my own menu and a few DiY projects to make the morning special... 


The little floral arrangements were created from baby food jars that I partially dipped in mint green paint.  I wasn't sure how it would work out, but the effect was charming and allowed me the opportunity to send one home with each guest.


My favorite project to make was actually the tassel poms, a new take on the popular tassel garlands.  I created the tassels from this tutorial, and fixed them to wooden dowels with a bit of hot glue.  They looked great as a centerpiece on the brunch table and held up well when waved around as pom-poms. (Okay sure, the shower was for grown ups, but these would be a great activity to make with your kids!).  I even used the extra tissue to make bits of confetti and tossed it along the table... hooray indeed. 
 



The brunch menu included the following: Zucchini Tart w/ Smoked Gouda + Tomato*, Chicken Apple Sausage, Mixed Berries with Greek Yogurt and Pecan Granola, 'Baby' Lemon Muffins with Cream Cheese* and Grapefruit Spritzers (2/3 grapefruit juice + 1/3 sparkling water with lime) to drink.  See below for recipes with an *.





For dessert, Michele of Cakewalk Baking served as my partner in crime once again and baked up the most moist & delicious yellow cake with chocolate frosting... and as a special treat she brought over some incredible homemade french macarons.  Just for fun, I designed a set of hooray bunting flags and strung them across the cake between paper straws.  I also ordered custom megaphone cookies from Auntie Bea's Bakery with a script hooray to coordinate with the invitation- they were a huge hit!



The favors were ribbon trimmed burp cloths that I made with Michele's help (because I can't sew to save my life), to which I attached custom 'Hooray for Mamas!' pennant flags.  The sticks are actually just wooden rock candy sticks, ordered from Confetti Sunshine
 

I have
Sherry Heck to thank for all the beautiful photos of the shower details.  As special treat for the moms though, I offered up a little maternity photo shoot for each of them after brunch.  I never had maternity photos taken while I was pregnant with my daughter and I regret not having made it a priority... so I thought it would make a nice keepsake whether or not they were professionally done.  The last image is one I took of all three soon to be moms together.  You've gotta love that they unintentionally coordinated in ombre shades of blue. 

Credits
Graphic Design & Party Styling: CAKE.
Cake & Macarons: Cakewalk Baking
Cookies: Auntie Bea's Bakery
Rock Candy Sticks, Paper Straws, Cupcake Liners: Confetti Sunshine
Photography: Sherry Heck
 

Zucchini Breakfast Tart w/ Smoked Gouda
adapted from Food Network

Ingredients 
1 sheet (half of a 17-ounce package) frozen puff pastry
2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 (14-ounce) can ready-cut diced tomatoes, well drained
4 large eggs
1 cup grated smoked gouda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions 
Remove the puff pastry from the package and let thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until no longer frozen but still cool. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, or until the onion is slightly tender. Stir in the zucchini and saute just until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Mix in the drained tomatoes and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini is tender but not mushy and the juices have evaporated. Let cool.

Lightly butter a dark-colored 9-inch tart pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into an 11-inch square. Fit it into the tart pan. Trim off the overhanging pieces of pastry with scissors. Refrigerate the crust, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or up to 8 hours, covered.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the cheese, salt, pepper, and cooled vegetables. Spoon the mixture into the tart pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is brown and a knife inserted in the center of the tart comes out clean.

Let the tart cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before slicing. It is best to serve this tart very warm rather than piping hot.

--

‘Baby’ Lemon Muffins with Cream Cheese

Ingredients
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons (packed) grated lemon peel
 1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup whole milk

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add grated lemon peel and juice. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk.

Pour batter into lined mini muffin cups. Bake about 12-15 minutes, until toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean.

When muffins have cooled, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until texture is light and whipped like frosting. Add to piping bag and pipe onto muffins.

19 comments:

Cara said...

This is fabulous! I'm so glad you're still popping in + sharing -- such gorgeousness + great inspiration :)!

Unknown said...

this is beautiful! I love the idea of throwing a multiple baby shower for friends. i've done it once, and it turned out so cute!

Glory/ Glorious Treats said...

Everything looks so beautiful and sweet Becca! The cake from Michelle looks so delicious, and Bethany's cookies are perfect too!! I love the idea of the little painted baby food jars as mini vases!

jackie fo said...

I love the baby jar flower arrangements! And the girls dressing in ombre is just awesome!

CAKE Creative Co. said...

thanks for the comments guys- so glad you liked it! it always so much fun to plan a little something for your friends... i'll always make time for that!

Jessie said...

I love all of it! Such a great color palette - and I adore those tassel poms!!

Chloe Crabtree said...

What a beautiful baby shower - so springy! I love the poms in the vases. Thank for sharing!

Lissa (Bellenza) said...

Just came over from visiting Bump Smitten and saw this same lovely baby shower. You all did such wonderful styling!

Anonymous said...

This is simply sensational! I ADORE everything - the colors, the pom poms, the menu, the graphic design + all your fabulous stylings. You are beyond talented and I'm so happy our paths crossed at ALT. Keep up the great work (and dont' worry about being a blogger anymore!)

Christine {Pure Joy} said...

Always inspired by your simple, no-fuss gatherings, Becca. The flower arrangements in baby jars are such a clever idea. xoxo

Emily P said...

Absolutely precious! I just adore that color palette.

Jennifer @ Delightfully Noted said...

I absolutely adore everything about this shower from the colors, to the details, to the theme! Good Job.

kamagra said...

mmm I love the colors))) they are so really tener and nice)) looks like an idea to save) thanks)

andriana said...

these colours are so calm and beautiful! i love the hooray cookies :-)

Nikki @ Tikkido said...

I fell in love with the fabric you used for the tablecloth the second I saw it! I even bought a few yards without any plan for it in place, just because it was so gorgeous. Love the way you used it here!

Jordan - Polkadot Prints said...

Really like those pennant flags in the napkins (and everything else is beautiful too, just my fave detail!)

Jenny W. said...

The adventure for hosting the baby shower program for not only one but three of them is really a very good experience. The whole decoration of the shower party was too good and the color choosing concept was too fine.

katiemtorres said...

I love this shower. Where did you get the invites, menus, and little flags. They are so cute!

CAKE Creative Co. said...

@katiemtorres I designed them myself actually! For sale in my etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/cakeevents?section_id=13371170

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