Baby Shower (with Cake Balls!)

I hosted a baby shower on Saturday, and while I'm sure the mom-to-be would disagree, my favorite part was the cake balls I made. Ok, maybe even "favorite part" is a stretch, but I was definitely pretty proud of them.

If you've never heard of a "cake ball" before, basically, you just bake a cake, crumble it up, stir in a can of frosting, refrigerate, make balls, dip in candy coating (or almond bark), and serve. Sprinkles and lollipop sticks are optional. I've seen these on a couple blogs and heard they were recently featured on the food network. The candy coating was tough to work with, but it was worth it and they were definitely a big hit.

But enough about my cake balls. I love hosting parties, and while I am by no means a big cook, I love presentation. My co-hostess and I did a color scheme of pink, yellow, and turquoise, with a minor rubber ducky theme. (I saw the idea of rubber duckies in the punch bowl on a blog too.) The mom-to-be's MIL made the little paper shoes filled with Jordan almonds. She couldn't be there, but sent them from Utah for the shower.

We played a couple games--baby trivia, and a memory game. Chocolates make a good prize, I think--cheap, but something people will enjoy and not clutter up their house.

On the practical side of shower-planning: it's a good idea to stash a notepad, pen, and trash bag nearby for when opening presents!

Here's mom-to-be Brittney cutting the cake...

...and opening presents...

...Grandma and Aunt gushing over a super-soft blanket...

Congratulations, Brittney! and Welcome Baby Ellachase!!