Adorable Elmo Birthday Cupcakes

Wednesday, July 18th, 2012

I love that my kid rocks out at daycare. And with Elmo, to boot.

I was frantically catching up on email yesterday when a note popped up from Aesook, Logan’s mom. Little Logan is one of Mason’s BFFs at school, and he celebrated his second birthday in class on Monday with super cute Elmo cupcakes that Aesook made. After dessert they rocked out to a song from the Wiggles–and she was there to capture it all on camera.

Aesook is the same mom who gave me the recipe for Japanese Egg-Salad Sandwich–she writes the blog Working Mom Cook Fusion–and I loved the cupcakes so much that I asked her for directions on how to make them.

You can start with any basic cupcake recipe. She made a cream cheese frosting (recipe here), and then created the Sesame Street character using a combo of fruit and candy. His body is a fresh strawberry. The whites of his eyes are small marshmallows, with tiny M&Ms for the eye balls. Half an Oreo cookie makes his mouth and a dried apricot is the perfect nose. She used melted chocolate to hold everything in place.

Awesome idea, right? Care to share any of your own creative birthday treats? Post ‘em on High Chair Times’ Facebook page.

Photos by Aesook Kim

Baby’s 1st Birthday Cake: Traditional or Healthy?

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

Mason’s first birthday is August 19, which means I’ve been thinking about his first birthday party for the last six months. We’ve decided to have a rooftop cookout, and now I’m pondering the menu. Should we keep it simple and just grill burgers and veggies, or should we grill some shrimp and chicken too? Which cookout sides should I make?  What will everyone want to drink? I have tons of recipes in mind, so it’s just a matter of narrowing down my list. But what about the cake?  Should I make a traditional frosted birthday cake for Mason, or should I make him a healthier cake that’s more like a fruit muffin? What kind of cake did you serve for your babe’s first birthday, or what kind do you plan to serve?

Please weigh in — I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Image from BHG.com