Blue-Velvet Cupcakes Recipe Link Party

The other day I got to throw a baby shower for my good friend Dorothy.  She is having a little boy in about a  month, so I wanted to make the food fun for a boy.  I searched for ideas on Pinterest, since it is SO easy to find great ideas there.  That is where I found the idea of Blue Velvet Cakes for a boys shower...  I knew it must be done from that point on.

Here is the image that inspired me found on One Particular Kitchen

You can check out her recipe there, (since I used my favorite red velvet recipe below)

I used a recipe that I found in my Feb 2008 BHG magazine that I love.

 Oof course, if you know me, then you know the recipe is slightly altered:

Blue (Red) Velvet Cupcakes

Makes 28 servings

3 eggs 

3/4 cup butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2-1/4 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
.75 oz Blue Food Coloring (or for red: 1 1-oz. bottle red food coloring -approx 2 Tbsp )
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. vinegar

Directions
1.Let eggs and butter stand 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 28 2-1/2-inch cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
2.In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, and 3/4 tsp. salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium-high 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until combined. One at a time, add eggs; beat on medium after each. Beat in food coloring on low.
3.Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to egg mixture; beat on low to medium sped after each just until combined. Stir together baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter; beat just until combined.
4.Spoon batter into prepared pans, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake 15 to 17 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely. Top with small chocolate cookies, if desired. Dust with powdered sugar.

Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cup whole milk

1/3 cup flour

dash salt

1 1/2 c softened butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

In a medium saucepan whisk together milk, flour and salt over medium heat.  (do this slowly you don't want it to scald).  Cook and stir constantly until thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Transfer to a small bowl; cover surface with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate until cooled (do not stir).

In a large bowl (I used my kitchen aid) beat butter, sugar and vanilla on medium for about 5 minutes until it is  light, fluffy and the sugar is almost dissolved.  Now add cooled milk mixture 1/4 cup at a time, beat on low after each addition until smooth.  Now frost your cupcakes!  YUMMY!

I sprinkled mine with blue sugar crystals too!

And if you want the popcorn cover here it is.   

(I bought the boxes at Walmart in the party section, and pasted the print out on it)

Check out these other great dessert recipes:

Black Bean Chocolate Cake (flour free)

Rocky Road Bars

Quick Microwave Pudding Cakes

Mini Single Bite Chocolate Croissants

Party Rules:

Please grab a button for your linked blog post 

Please become a public follower of Remodelaholic!

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** ALSO - I would be really thankful if when you try a recipe, you’d please link to my post for the recipe.  That way people can find and join our party, and we will all benefit from some extra traffic love!   If the recipe is a guest feature, please link to the original author's blog post that is hyper linked at the top of the page!

Thank you!

Remodelaholic is written by Cassity and Justin.  Cassity has a degree in interior design and Justin is a landscape architect, so we adore everything that makes up a HOME!  We love to share home remodeling ideas and projects we’re working on. From huge kitchen renovation ideas to small bathroom remodels, there isn’t anything we won’t try to tackle (at least once!).  We are in the midst of our third whole home renovation, so there should be a lot more inspiration coming your way.  We hope that you will stop by often for home design inspiration, tutorials, interior design tips, delicious recipes and what going on in our family life.  

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5 Tips for a Fabulous Tablescape

5 Tips for a Fabulous Tablescape By Jena

Hi, I’m Jena from Involving Color, and I’m SO excited to be here today at Remodelaholic!

Involving Color is a website and blog dedicated to following our home renovation and decorating journey including projects such as renovating our powder room, creating a gallery wall with free prints, overhauling our back yard, and beginning our Ikea kitchen renovation. Plus, we also have easy to browse inspiration galleries of reader submitted rooms organized by room type (e.g. bedrooms, kitchens, etc), room color, and we even have a gallery for painted and refinished furniture.

Our most recent completed project was our dining room reno, and now that it’s done and ready for guests, I had so much fun creating a colorful spring tablescape.

Here's what our dining room looked like before the tablescape treatment:

And here it is after!

Before the candles and black plates just weren't speaking to me. I wanted to jazz it up a bit and add some color, pattern, and texture, and create an overall springy vibe in the room. I'm really happy with how it turned out and have put together a list of five tips to create a fabulous tablescape.

Please Read More >>

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Off to Paris, Eiffel Tower Model; Guest

I thought this was such a cool project, I had to share with you all.  It could not only be a a fun decor item, but with the summer break starting might be something the kids could have fun jumping in on!  (or making one of their own...)  This project was a party link, from Autumn at The Fickle Hobbyist here are the links Part 1 and Part 2

One of the main things I HAD to have for Abby’s French Lavender party was, of course, an Eiffel Tower for her dessert table.  I mean, it just wouldn’t feel complete.  I saw one that was the scale I liked at Hobby Lobby but it was somewhere near $60.  I was thinking that just for a centerpiece that was a bit out of my price range.  I googled it and still didn’t find something that was the right size in the right price range.  So, instead I decided to make it.

Originally I wanted to use metal rods but when I saw that each was $2.50 and I’d have to use 16 just for the base, (for the plan I was making up in my head) I figured that would get pretty pricey.  Instead, I headed over to the wooden dowel section of HD and picked up a bunch of the tiniest sized dowels and 4 slightly bigger ones that I would use for the supports.  After all the “end of the year” parties were over today, I sat down with my trusty glue gun and got to work.  (since this project is still in progress, I’m just going to show you what i have done right now.  I will finish up tonight and post the 2nd half tomorrow.)

Ok, so I didn’t have an actual plan, other than to look at an image of the tower and go from there.  Remember, this is what we’re looking for.

Please keep in mind I didn’t measure anything.  I know that probably drives some of you nuts if you’re looking to replicate, but it’s sort of the way I do things.  First I held the medium sized stick up and eyed the size I liked.  I then cut four of them to the same size.  I hot glued two of them together and held them at an angle I thought appropriate until the glue hardened, and then did the same with the other two.  Then I took those two points and glued them together to make a pyramid top.  With the left over medium sticks that were cut off, I glued around the sides for support.

Now that it was secure I added the smaller sized dowels to the inside of the supports to form the frame.

For the next part, I created the arch at the base of the tower.  Because the dowels are so small, they are pretty flexible and bend easily.  However, they still needed to give a little more for the desired effect.  I decided to soak the rods in water for 10 or 15 minutes before I adhered them to the base so that they would move more freely.  This worked really well.

While they were in the water, I gently coaxed them into the arch that I needed.  Then I dried them off and used clothes pins to hold the ends to the base.

See that piece hanging down inside the arch?  I cut that part right where it meets the arch and glued it right there.  Then I removed the pins and glued the sides.

This is what you are left with.  I added one more row of supports right above the arch, but I haven’t yet taken a photo of that.

The plan for tonight is to make a bunch of Xs on the left and right edge of each side.  Obviously this part is going to take some time, which is why you’re only getting half of this.  When I’m all done, I am going to spray paint it all black.  When I’m finished using it at the party I think I’ll stick it in the girls’ room.  After all, their bedroom is French inspired.  (are you seeing a theme here?)

Part 2:

Now all I had to do was the tedious stuff.  I have to say, this part was a bit time consuming.  All in the name of love, right?
Remember, the right and left edges that we created using the thin dowels?  We are going to use the same thin dowels to create the X pattern in that empty space.  Like always, I don’t measure.  In fact, this is what I do to get the sizing correct.

I will hold the stick up, put my finger where  need to cut, and then just cut.  It eliminates a lot of steps you’d use if you actually measured.  Of course, you’re left with a less perfect product, but really this doesn’t look JUST like the Eiffel Tower anyway.  It’s just my interpretation.  So I’m ok with some imperfections.  I hope you are too!
I started by cutting the edge of the stick at an angle.  Then, I held the stick up to the side where it was going to be glued, and marked it with my finger and cut that side at an angle as well.  I started by doing all the same leaning angles on the back side of the edge like this.  See if you understand what I mean.

See the right vertical stick?  See how the first part of the X falls behind that stick?  Do this all the way up that one side.

By gluing these sticks to the back, it leaves an open space for the second half of the X to be adhered, while at the same time, keeping the front edge neat.
For the next part, you’re going to again cut an angled edge, hold it in place,  and mark it with your finger, just like I showed above.  Instead, this time, you will cut the piece to fit inside those two vertical pieces.  Again, this leaves the front more neat.

I’ll be honest, though, you can really glue the pieces however you like.  I am just kind of anal and this is the system that I found worked for me both aesthetically and functionally.
For the area below the horizontal sticks, I just made two Xs on each side.  The final product, when all sides were Xed, looked like this.

You’ll see I left the top, skinnier part bare of the Xs.  I was honestly done doing Xs by that point.  I had burned my fingers 3 times with my glue gun and I just wanted to paint this already!
I have to say, I thought it looked pretty awesome the way it was, but it REALLY came to life for me when I began spraying it!  I just picked up the cheapest, HD brand spray paint for this project because it was bare wood, and there wasn’t a lot of it to cover.

I gave it a few coats, being sure to spray on the inside as well, and turning it upside down to get the underside edges.

I have to say…I  LOVE  IT!!!!!

I cannot wait to put this on my dessert table!!!!!
Yeah, so it took me a while, and I have the glue gun burns to prove it, but I’d do this one over in a heartbeat!  I am so very happy with the outcome.  And the fact that I didn’t have to spend $60?  Perfect.
Here’s how much it cost me:
$.19 x 12= $2.28 (small dowels)
$.20 x 4= $.80 (medium dowels)
$.97 for paint
$0 for glue on hand
Total cost= $4.05
$4.05!!!!! I’ll always take the less expensive price with a little bit of elbow grease every time.

Such a fun little model product. 

Don't you agree?

Is this something you would try with your kids or do on your own, I'd love to know!?

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