Celebration in Paradise

Whenever I host a gathering, I find it beneficial to begin with a theme. With inspiration striking from every corner, my ideas can get a bit chaotic during the planning stage. Having a clear theme helps me narrow my focus, making it easier to choose colors, flavors, food, decorations, cocktails, and more.

Since it's summer and one of my favorite destinations is the Caribbean, I decided to throw a small tropical-themed celebration. As you might know, I've had the pleasure of collaborating with Dinogo over the past year. They've been incredibly supportive of both me and IBC. It seemed only fitting to host a little gathering inspired by Caribbean paradise and my adventures at sea. After all, I'm always daydreaming about my next cruise, so these two themes complement each other perfectly!

I hope this post sparks some ideas for you to host your own paradise-inspired party.

During my last cruise, one of the stops was Aruba. Known for its flamingos, I knew I had to incorporate a few of these vibrant birds into my party décor. Palm trees were also essential. As you can see, my theme started to take shape quite quickly, with greens and pinks as my color palette, drawing inspiration from flamingos and palm trees.

To kick off the decorations, I decided a homemade garland was necessary. Keeping things simple, I crafted a palm tree garland using green cardstock and pink twine. It was easy to make and turned out just perfect for the party.

Here’s how I created it.

You will need:

• palm tree template (download it for free here)
• green cardstock
• twine
• tape
• scissors

Start by printing the palm tree template onto a sheet of green cardstock. (You can download the template for free here.)

Then, cut out the palm tree shape. I discovered that I could layer three sheets of paper together while cutting out the design, which saved a lot of time.

Next, use some tape (I chose a pink washi tape) to attach the palm trees to the string. I picked a coordinating tape so that if the garland got flipped during the party, it would still look good.
Finally, just hang it up!

Adorable, right? It's super affordable, quick to make, and adds a fantastic splash of color.

Alright, let’s dive into the cocktails.

I thought it would be fitting to serve my Spicy Chipotle Pineapple Martini. I shared this recipe with you a few weeks back here on IBC. You can check out the recipe here.

To make this cocktail blend in better with the party vibe, I decided to enhance the garnish with some flair and color. I cut up some fresh pineapple, added a slice to the rim of the glass, and inserted a playful sunglasses pick.

It was the perfect finishing touch to make these martinis look extra refreshing. Cheers!

No party of mine is truly complete without a delightful dessert. After discovering some cute flamingo picks, I knew I had to make tropical cupcakes. And what could be more tropical than pineapple and coconut?

Thus, these Pineapple Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting were created.

I’m absolutely in love with this flavor pairing, making me quite obsessed with these cupcakes. I even came up with the idea to dip the frosted cupcakes in graham cracker crumbs to mimic sand – the ideal spot for my flamingos. Plus, the graham cracker crumbs added a fantastic crunch and flavor.

Want to hear the best part? I used a boxed cake mix, making these cupcakes incredibly easy to whip up. Let me guide you through the process.

Pineapple Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting
(yields approximately 24 cupcakes)
Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 box of cake mix
• 1 cup of pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup of melted butter
• 2 egg whites
• 1 whole egg
• 1 (8-ounce) can of crushed pineapple, drained
• cupcake liners

Frosting:

• 1 (8-ounce) package of softened cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of softened butter
• 3 tablespoons of milk
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs for garnish

Instructions

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 muffin tins by lining them with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the cake mix, pineapple juice, melted butter, egg whites, whole egg, and crushed pineapple. Beat the mixture for about 2 minutes or until everything is well blended.
3. Scoop the batter into the lined muffin pans, filling each liner about three-quarters full.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.