So, there you are, enjoying a nice picnic. The breeze is blowing, the heat has (thankfully!) abated, and you’re enjoying all of your summertime favorites – burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, and watermelon. Life couldn’t get much better.
Until…
The ants attack!!
Those little buggers have no respect for your party – they will steal your food…and your pride. Look – they’re taking the watermelon! They bring your party to a premature end. No one got to eat the watermelon.
When I was invited to a Summer Picnic Party by Hani of Haniela’s and Beth of Hungry Happenings, I knew I wanted to stage an ant attack. I mean – it just screams picnic to me! The recipe is below, but please scroll down and enjoy all of the amazing recipes and creations from my fellow bloggers – everything from cookies to cakes, sandwiches to pasta salads (even a cordial recipe!). Scroll down even further for a fabulous giveaway with SIX, count ‘em, six winners!
- Cupcakes of your choice, in red gingham liners, if desired
- Frosting
- White fondant
- Circle cutter (about the same size as the tops of your cupcakes)
- Wilton red food color spray (or an airbrush, if you have one)
- A sharp knife (like an exacto knife)
- A stuff piece of paper (like cardstock or a file folder)
- Chocolate covered almonds
- Ant leg pieces (brown frosting, black licorice string – your choice!)
- Watermelon candies, optional
- Bake your favorite cupcakes as directed. Cool.
- Roll out white fondant (I like to use vegetable oil). Using circle cutter, cut out as many circles as you have cupcakes.
- To create gingham effect on fondant circles: Using a very sharp knife, cut out “bars” of equal size of the paper, like this:
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- Place each circle on a disposable surface, like parchment paper or paper towels.
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- Place paper guide on top of fondant circle:
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- Spray lightly with Wilton food coloring spray. Turn 90 degrees and spray again:
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- Lightly frost cupcakes with frosting of your choice. Gently attach the fondant circles with frosting is still tacky. Use the same frosting as “glue” to attach three chocolate covered almonds in a line, creating the ant’s body. I used strips of dried prune for the legs, but it was messy and I don’t recommend it! Use frosting or black licorice string instead. Attach the legs of choice. Finish with a piece of watermelon candy, if desired.
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The Marshmallow Studio – Buzzy Bee Pop Tutorial
Sam’s Kitchen – Elderflower Cordial
Lila Loa – Sandwich Picnic Cookies
Pink Little Cake –Shortbread Cookie Tart with Caramel Bits
Hungry Happenings – Ketchup and Mustard Push up Pops
The Partiologist – Ant on a Log
Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons – Picnic Blanket Treats
The Baked Equation – Lemon Cookie Cake
The Decorated Cookie – Cookies on the String
Not Your Momma’s Cookie – Ant Attack Cupcakes
GIVEAWAY SPONSORS
Thank you to all the amazing Giveaway Sponsors. Be sure to check out their websites below.
The Marshmallow Studio
Mary Had a Little Party
To enter giveaway, please use the Rafflecopter below. Giveaway will run from July 20th, 2013 till July 27th, 2013. 6 Winners will be picked using the Rafflecopter widget. Prizes will be picked in the order of sponsors you see above, starting with The Marshmallow Studio and ending with King Arthur Flour. Winners will receive one email from hanielas@yahoo.com. Winners will have 48 hours to respond. New winner(s) will be picked if we don’t hear from you. Thank you and good luck.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
{ 85 comments… read them below or add one }
Seriously, I think we’ve experienced the same picnic! Your ant attack cupcakes are super cute!
Thank you, Kim!
Those little ants are adorable! I’d want them at my picnic any day!
Thank you so much, Karyn!
Oh, my stars! Jennifer, your Ant Attack Picnic Cupcakes are totally adorbs…right down to the red gingham “tablecloth”, chocolate covered almond ants and watermelon candies! Very clever and truly innovative. Sa-weet! xo
Thanks so much, Stacy!
For my next picnic party, I want to attempt a watermelon cake!
I’ve seen those! They look really fun
I would love to win the $50 credit to the Cookie Cutter Company and stock up on some fun supplies! I have no formal baking experience and just learn from other blogs, and trial and error. That what makes it fun!
Oh yes, for sure!
Cute cupcakes, Jennifer! The watermelon candies were an awesome touch.
Thanks, Mike!
Ant heart attack is more like it because that’s what would happen to me if I saw an ant that big – pretty cute though (since I know it isn’t alive). Can you tell I have a thing against bugs?
Haha! I don’t blame you
I was actually attacked by a hive of fire ants as a child but, thankfully, I don’t remember it!
Your fondant tablecloths look so realistic, just as real as ants invading a picnic. Thanks for joining us for our summer picnic party.
Thank you, Beth, for your hard work on such an awesome party!
Oh these cupcakes are genius…so fun and would be enjoyed in minutes!
Thanks so much, Diane! Your pasta salad looks delicious!
With all of these amazing treats, I would have LOVED to attend your picnic, ants and all. Your cupcakes are adorable. The spray painted tablecloth and ant are so creative. Love ‘em!
Thanks so much, Aida!
I gotta try these cupcakes!
Thanks, Jan!
I’d like to win the $50 to Cooke Cutter Company so I can stock up on good supplies instead of “improvising” all the time! Thanks for the giveaway!
Good supplies can make all the difference!
I love that you use Wilton spray for those of us (most of us!) who don’t have an airbrush. Very cool and very cute!
Thanks, Michelle! I’m sure an airbrush is nice though
I love the ants on a picnic table cloth idea — and I’m a cookie baker — so that’s what I’m going with!
Awesome!
The gift certificate to the Cookie Cutter Company would be AWESOME!!
Oh yes!
Love the cupcakes, Jennifer, and your ants look so realistic! The watermelon candy is the perfect added touch, and adorable to boot!
Thanks so much, Sue! Your cookies were so adorable
I would make broccoli salad for my next picnic, with lots of extra bacon!
Yum!
love these, spray painted fondant looks great, and the ants, so fun. Where did you find the watermelon candy? is that taffy??
Hi Michelle! It is a chewy candy, like taffy
I found it at a little local candy shop, but I’ve seen the watermelon slice candies around – they would probably be easier to find! (like this: http://www.amazon.com/Candy4u-Fruit-Slices-Watermelon/dp/B0000DIRZQ)
Would like to win the restaurant ware or cookie cutter store credit because I’m a beginning baker & need lots of supplies!
For the next picnic I am making Dinosaur BBQ macaroni salad & cupcakes!
Sounds like fun, Jennifer!
OH MY GOSH JENNIFERRRRR. These cupcakes are some of the cutest I’ve ever seen! I LOVE the addition of the watermelon taffy .. so cute and genius! And for once, I actually feel like I can handle an ant.. especially if he tastes like licorice!
Thanks, Hayley! I can handle ants (mostly…), but spiders? NO WAY.
I would for sure serve these really cool cupcakes, along with watermelon and pasta!
Thanks, Grace!
The Restaurant Ware prize pack would be the one I would want to win! The products they have are really cool!
How cute are these! Love your checkered tablecloths and your chocolate covered almond ants would be welcome to any of my picnics.
Thank you, Paula!
haven’t been on a picnic so don’t know.
King Arthur flour
I love to bring fruit to picnics, especially at the beach. It’s refreshing and 99% of people like fruit.
Very true!
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to win the $50 credit for The Cookie Cutter Company! My company was just acquired by a competitor so my job hangs in the balance for the next couple months. I’m trying not to buy anything that isn’t a necessity so this would be an awesome gift to contribute to my cookie cutter obsession!
Thank you foe giving us all a chance to win some great things!
Good luck everyone!
The restaurant ware
macaroni salad
Love these Jennifer. Especially the ants, they are huge! I can see kids kidding around they ate the ant, well that kid being me, I guess.
Thank you, Hani!
These are about the cutest cupcakes I have ever seen! Sharing!!
Thanks so much, Cathy!
These are just too cute! I love the little table cloth you put on top too!
Thanks, Erin!
The way you did the fondant tablecloth is such a good idea! I’d definitely want to try that!
I would love to win the prize from Wilton because those push up pops are so cute!
These cupcakes are too cute! I can’t handle it!
Thanks so much, Pamela!
These are so stinkin’ cute Jennifer! Next week is our big family picnic and these would be perfect! I don’t know if mine would turn out nearly as good as yours – I could only hope.
Trust me – I was just throwing pieces on these willy-nilly – I bet yours would be just as good!
What a fun party! And what cute cupcakes!
I hope I win the restaurant ware credit!
Good luck!
These cupcakes are ADORABLE!
Thank you!
I would love to win the cookie cutters
Oh these cupcakes are so cute!!
Thanks so much, Yvonne!
I love the photo with the watermelon! SO pretty!
Thank you, Georganne!
These are exploding with cuteness!
Thanks, Nessa!
Your ant attack cupcakes are soooo cute! I love what you did to create the ants.
Thanks, Melissa!
I absolutely LOVE your cupcakes!! The ants and the blanket with the watermelon candy is genius and so creative!!!
Thanks so much, Michelle!
These are so dang cute. I love your creativity!
Thank you!
I would make fried chicken and macaroni salad. And I would like to win Wilton. Thanks!
You’re on a roll with cute cupcakes! I love these!
Thank you, Ashley!
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