Sep 152010
 

Let’s make some monkey cupcakes, shall we?

First, I used my Mom’s chocolate cake recipe (the same one I used for the boob cupcakes).  It’s super yummy and a snap to whip together…only one bowl required!

Truth be told, I bought the icing (yes, I know). I could have made it but decided my sanity was more important.

My inspiration for these playful primates came from Amy and her wicked blog, Serving Pink Lemonade.

 

 

How to Make Those Marvelous Monkey Cupcakes

Monkey Cupcake Instructions

Decorating goes something like this:

  1. Ice cupcake with store bought chocolate icing
  2. Position a vanilla wafer at the bottom of each cupcake for the muzzle
  3. Place a mini ritz cracker on either side of the face for the ears
  4. Cut miniature marshmallows in half with scissors and reshaped into circles for the eyes
  5. Place narshmallows in the center of the cupcake against the vanilla wafer muzzle
  6. Press mini M&Ms against the marshmallows to make the pupils
  7. Use a piping bag with melted chocolate or an icing pen, or Candy Writer to draw the nose and mouth on the wafer.
  8. Add chocolate sprinkles on the top of the cupcake for hair
  9. Do the happy dance!

Monkey Cupcake Tips

  • Get help, invite a couple of friends over. It’s much more fun that way.
  • Apply marshmallows sticky side out, then your M&M pupils won’t budge
  • M&M’s go dull if refridgerated (important to note if you care about that sort of thing)
  • Make slits on either side of the cupcake to insert the ears
  • Mini Ritz crackers come in a few sizes within the box make sure the ears match

(Thanks to Lerae and AC, who took this picture)

Related posts
Thinking of Planning a Monkey Party?

Calling all monkeys…calling all monkeys

More monkey music…Mommy!

Banana cookies – best of the bunch

Monkey party menu made memorable

Sep 132010
 

 

The assignment: banana cookies.

No, not cookies made with banana but cookies that look like bananas. Ohhhhhh…

Once again, it’s Mom’s famous sugar cookie recipe to the rescue. The trick was to find the right cookie cutter. I read on another blog how one Mom used a large circular cutter to cut out bananas “freehand”. A good idea but I didn’t have a large cookie cutter. So, I made the illogical decision and bought a banana cutter (like I’ll ever use that again?!?).

I found a 4-inch banana-shaped cookie cutter at cookiecutter.com. In addition, I bought the cheapest (potentially useful) thing I could find (a Candy Writer) in order to reach the minimum order dollar amount ($5.00US). What, you ask, is a Candy Writer? They describe it as the following:

Squeezable candy in a tube makes decorating cakes, cookies, and candies extremely easy! Simply warm in a microwave or hot water, snip off the end and decorate. Dries hard. 1 – 5/8 oz tube. 

 Sounds a little sketchy but it worked beautifully. I used it to add details to the banana cookies and to add a nose and mouth to my monkey cupcakes. The little tube went a long way and I still have half a tube left. I sure if will last forever (kind of like a twinkie).

The banana cookies were a nice accompaniment for the monkey cupcakes.

Related posts
Classic Sugar Cookie Gallery

Thinking of Planning a Monkey Party?

Calling all monkeys…calling all monkeys

More monkey music…Mommy!

Monkey cupcakes made easy

Monkey party menu made memorable

Sep 082010
 

Here is the playlist (featuring fabulous “Monkey Music”) from my son’s second birthday party. The music was a hit and really helped to create a festive atmosphere that jived with our theme. There is something for everyone on this list…50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, kiddie, etc… I downloaded the songs from iTunes but I’m sure there are other sources out there.

Every time “Tarzan Boy” came around, I had to smile.

MY MONKEY-TASTIC PLAYLIST

  1. Aba Daba Honeymoon – Debbie Reynolds                                                           
  2. Five Little Monkeys – Countdown Kids
  3. I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song: The Jungle Book) – Louis Prima & Phil Harris                            
  4. Mickey’s Monkey – The Miracles                                                                   
  5. The Monkees (Theme Song) – The Monkees                                                                 
  6. Monkey – George Michael                                                             
  7. Monkey Song (You Made a Monkey Out of Me) – Big Bopper                                                      
  8. Pop Goes the Weasel – The Merry Macs                                                             
  9. Shock the Monkey – Peter Gabriel
  10. Tarzan Boy – Baltimora

Related posts
Thinking of Planning a Monkey Party?

Calling all monkeys…calling all monkeys

Banana cookies – best of the bunch

Monkey cupcakes made easy

Monkey party menu made memorable