Party! Cupcakes, unicorns & sprinkles!

A little help from the pros took this sweet cupcake party to the next tier. 

Kaitlin Chapman lives in a small rural town just north of Auckland with her two young daughters. To celebrate the sixth birthday of her eldest daughter, Stella, Kaitlin looked to the city and booked a cupcake decorating party at Bluebells Academy in Auckland. The delightfully sweet occasion incorporated a cupcake decorating class followed by high tea for some lovely little ladies.

Running her own freelance makeup and hair business, Kaitlin knows a thing or two about putting on a party. For this special event, however, she wanted to host a party with minimal fuss and maximum impact. “I didn’t want to put on a huge party, rather I wanted a special experience for Stella and her closest friends and family. I wanted the celebration to be interactive and a bit of fun for all ages. And what six-year-old girl doesn’t like unicorn cupcakes!” says Kaitlin. Outsourcing the party to Bluebells was the perfect way to have a ‘girls’ day out’, quality time together being something Kaitlin and her daughters truly savour.

THE KEY INGREDIENTS
Once the party guests were assembled, the lessons in buttercream and sprinkles began. The cupcake icing class itself took about 45 minutes. Stella and her friends had fun creating shapes from fondant, mixing butter cream icing, playing with glitter and sprinkles, and then decorating four cupcakes each. “Bluebells then put on the most beautiful high tea for lunch, and after that we sang Happy Birthday and cut into the delicious unicorn cake” recalls Kaitlin. 

LET THEM EAT CAKE
Kaitlin, Stella and little sister Sadie all have very fond memories of the party. “The entire day was just perfect, I couldn’t pick just one highlight. Everyone had grins from ear to ear the entire time, and we got to take home so many delicious treats” says Kaitlin. And her advice for other parents considering outsourcing a cupcake party for their next celebration? “Do it! It’s the easiest, stress-free party idea ever. Karla and her team at Bluebells literally took care of everything. All we had to do was turn up.”

Check out your local cake shop, as many cake-decorating specialists offer lessons and classes that can be adapted for young children. Otherwise, brave the stickiness and host your own cake decorating party at home! A plastic tablecloth, and maybe even a dropcloth, come strongly recommended!

JUST A SPRINKLE
Bluebells Academy, located in Auckland’s Kingsland, offers three different kids’ party packages. For more details visit bluebellsacademy.co.nz.

Follow Kaitlin on Instagram at @kaitlinrobertson_

Photography: Sarah Willcox, sarahwillcox.com, @sarahwillcoxphotography

GET CREATIVE AND KEEP LITTLE HANDS BUSY WITH A DIY CUPCAKE DECORATING PARTY! BECAUSE WHO DOESN'T LOVE DIPPING THEIR FINGER IN THE ICING BOWL?

From left to right: Kmart unicorn printed plates, $3 for a 16-pack, kmart.co.nz; Meri Meri ‘I believe in unicorns’ cupcake set, $24.95, poppyseed.co.nz; Brighter Baking metallic jimmies in pink, gold and blue, $11.99 each, pixiepartysupplies.co.nz; Kmart multi-coloured wooden unicorn string lights, $9, kmart.co.nz; Sundays heart acrylic cupcake toppers, $16.99 for set of 8, pixiepartysupplies.co.nz; We Heart Pastels cake stand with unicorn topper, $39.95, sweetpeaparties.co.nz; Wilton 12-piece cupcake decorating set, $21.95, poppyseed.co.nz; Kmart rainbow napkins, $2 for a 20-pack, kmart.co.nz; My Mind’s Eye gold unicorn cupcake toppers, $23.99 for set of 8, pixiepartysupplies.co.nz; 2m long table runner/wrap in pink/brown dot and aqua chevron, $6.50 each, poppyseed.co.nz; Magical Unicorn invitations, $4.95 for an 8-pack, sweetpeaparties.co.nz.