Cupcakes 'n Cocktails? Absolutely!

Submitted by Regina Thomas-Dillard

For the past few years, there have been a surge of cupcake bakeries popping up all over the city of Chicago and metro area. One of my favorite Chicago area bakeries is THE BLEEDING HEART BAKERY (www.TheBleedingHeartBakery.com)which have all sorts of flavors infused into their delicate treats. (By the way, if you happen to stop by, tell owner Michelle Garcia, Regina sent you).

When we think about about cupcakes, we often think about serving them for tea parties, birthday parties, baby showers and the finishing treat for small receptions, but have you ever considered cupcake for cocktail parties? CUPCAKES & COCKTAILS, hmmmmm...what a novel idea! So, what that being said, here are a few ideas for Creating a Cupcakes and Cocktail Menu:


Creating a cupcakes and cocktails party menu is fun and very easy. Get creative with your cupcake varieties and cocktail pairings. Half the fun is in fincing new twists on existing recipes.

Tip 1: Creating the Right Mix

Pairing cupcakes and cocktails should be approached with the goal of creating a balance. Try to avoid mixing super sugary cocktails with super sugary cupcake flavors, since guests will be hit with a saccharine overload. Serve cocktails without sugar as well as the syrupy sweet ones to create a nice balance for guests to choose from.

Tip 2: Integrate Wine and Beer

Instead of only serving wild cocktails, consider including a mix of suggested wine and beer pairings with the cupcakes. Many wines have fruity, smokey or floral notes that pair very well with cupcakes, depending on the flavor. A rose with a hint of raspberry, for example, would pair splendidly with a cupcake that has a raspberry vanilla frosting.

Tip 3: Mixing and Matching Tastes

Wine and food pairings work for two main reasons. The first is that the wine and food have some similar thread within the palette that tie them together. The second is that the wine and food have distinctly different, but complimentary flavors that enhance the enjoyment of each other. Strive for this when creating the cocktails and cupcakes pairing menu.

Tip 4: Infuse Alcohol Into the Cupcakes (My Favorite!)

Who says you can't have your cupcake and your drink too? There are many great cupcake recipes that incorporate everything from Syrah to Kahlua to Bailey's Irish Creme to Guinness beer. A quick search will yield a plethora of delicious cupcake recipes that are delicious and also have a sneaky kick to them. Though most of the alcohol disappears during the baking process, a hint of the flavor remains. These cupcake recipes would be great paired with a cocktail or drink featuring the alcohol used in the recipe.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL CUPCAKE SHOP AND WE'LL BE SURE TO POST.

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For more event planning ideas, visit www.pop-events.com or Email: regina@pop-events.com

Cheers!