I’m really happy with how JP’s cake turned out, if I may toot my own horn. I finally got to use the cake decorating stand my mom got me for Christmas, and it is a bit of a game changer (the swirl is a breeze to make when the stand rotates!). Chocolate with vanilla buttercream. I made cupcakes too (same flavors, different format).

The cocktail was some blue punch I found online on various sites, but one of the kids at the party called it “ocean water” so I’ll go with that. It’s just blue Kool aid plus sprite–the recipes called for pineapple juice, but I forgot lol. However, I think it was better without. Add a little coconut rum for a grown up version.

The recipes all tell you to put Swedish Fish in there for flair. I’m here to tell ya, don’t just dump them in the punch bowl. They will sink to the bottom, nobody will know they’re there, and then you’ll just have a mass of semi-dissolved gummies at the end. Either have them in a bowl on the side, or if you’re very fancy have them prepared as garnishes (but if you’re fancy enough to do that you probably aren’t making this punch in the first place).