Spring Tea Party Inspiration with Peter Rabbit and Sweet and Savory Treats

Take inspiration from Beatrix Potter’s classic tale and celebrate Spring with a tea party with Peter Rabbit. Find recipes for Garden Veggie Spread Tea Sandwiches, Flower Sugar Cubes and Everybunny’s favorite Carrot Cake Cupcakes, that hop from a box cake mix for easy baking!

Welcome to our April edition of Tea on Tuesdays,

a celebration of all things ‘tea’

on the third Tuesday of the month!

Pam and I are excited to have Jennifer at Celebrating Everyday Life

 join us once again as a special guest for tea today!

We’re all so glad you’re here,

pour yourself a cuppa and join us!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.

I’d hope to be outdoors for my Peter Rabbit tea party today,

but Mother Nature was not cooperative.

My narrow window of sunshine between rain showers last week

was blustery, with oak tassels, aka, catkins, falling off the trees. . . 

not something you want in your cup of tea!

For a foundation for my table, I started with this adorable tablecloth from HomeGoods.

The watering cans with the bunnies and flowers, reminiscent of the

charmed world of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit!

A teapot bouquet of Snowball Viburnum, mimics white bunny cottontails

that are blooming now, as a centerpiece for the table.

It sits on top of a bunny pedestal to elevate the fun.

Join me on the porch for our tea party and a

 a cup of Beatrix Potter’s favorite tea. . .

English Breakfast, in a delightful Peter Rabbit Tea Caddy.

What’s your pleasure, one flower or two to sweeten your tea?

In addition to sweetness, flower-shaped sugar cubes add a little whimsy for our tea party!

DIY Flower Sugar Cubes are easy to make, and add a floral note

with a nod to spring blooms for a tea party.

These decorative sugar cubes come together in less than 10 minutes

and require just three ingredients + a silicone mold. . . my kind of DIY project!

Customize your sugar cubes using the molds and colors of your choice

to match your theme, party or holiday!

Omit food coloring if you prefer and add flavor extracts,

like peppermint, rose extract or vanilla, to flavor your sugar and tea!

Store your sugar cubes in an airtight container or jar until ready to use.

Use within two weeks, or for longer storage, store in the freezer.

More details to make your own, including molds found, HERE.

Help yourself to a garden veggie tea sandwich. . .

I used assorted bunny cookie cutters to cut out pretty shapes

to make these veggie-spread Peter Rabbit tea sandwiches. . .

fun for a garden party, shower, or tea party!

Note: You’ll want your cookie cutter to be approximately 3-inches in size

to fit Pepperidge Farm Thinly Sliced Bread.

In addition to Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Sliced Bread, I used a soft cheese spread,

an English cucumber (also known as a hothouse cucumber) and radishes,

both sliced very thinly with a mandoline.

English cucumbers have thinner skins so you don’t have to peel them and are virtually seedless.

Note: Make sure you use a guard when slicing the radishes to protect yourself

from the very sharp blade on your mandoline.

Place your sliced cucumbers on a paper towel and allow

 them to sit for 15 – 20 minutes to absorb any excess moisture

before assembling your sandwiches.

For the filling of the tea sandwiches, I used Alouette Garden Vegetable Cheese Spread.

Spread a layer of garden vegetable cheese on your bread,

then top with a layer cucumbers and/or radishes, using a bunny or

carrot-shaped cookie cutter to press through the layers.

For the best and most distinct impressions to make your bunny-shaped sandwiches,

make sure you use a sharp metal cookie cutter,

pressing the cutter down through veggie side of the bread.

Alternatively, skip the cookie cutters and serve your sandwiches open-faced,

or simply cut your tea sandwiches into triangles for serving.

Garnish your tea sandwiches with violas and a parsley leaf or other herbs.

To assemble tea sandwiches ahead of time,

cover them with a damp paper towel and wrap

well with plastic wrap before refrigerating.

Garnish with violas or any herbs right before serving.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with Everybunny’s Favorite Carrot Cake Cupcakes. . .

they’re topped with homemade cream cheese frosting and hop from a box mix

for quick and easy baking!

I’m a fan of ‘doctor the box’ recipes when it comes to a cake or cupcakes!

The dry ingredients are measured and ready to go which cuts down on prep time.

With just a few substitutions like buttermilk for water and an additional egg,

your cake or cupcakes will taste homemade,

especially topped with your favorite homemade frosting recipe!

To make Carrot Cake Cupcakes, I used a Duncan Hines Signature Perfectly Moist Carrot Cake Mix.

Follow the directions on the back of the box for mixing and baking.

The cake mix was “doctored” with *buttermilk instead of water,

4 large eggs instead of 3, and 1/3 cup of * Walnut Oil.

Roasted Walnut Oil adds depth of flavor and a layer of rich, nutty taste!

It can be used in place of most other cooking oils in baking recipes, sauces and salad dressings.

It’s also a delicious plant-based source of Omega-3 fatty acid.

Try substituting walnut oil for vegetable oil next time you make your favorite brownies

or add some magic to your banana bread!

*Use vegetable or canola oil if you have a nut allergy.

Don’t have or want to buy buttermilk for one recipe?

*Here’s an easy substitution:

Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup.

Fill with whole milk to 3/4 cup line. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes,

until slightly thickened and you see small curdled bits.

 Scoop batter into paper lined muffin tins or cupcake pans, filling 2/3 full.

(3 – 4 tablespoons of batter for standard size cupcakes)

Bake at 350 degrees F for 16 -19 minutes, or until cupcakes test done with a toothpick.

Allow cupcakes to cool in pan 5 minutes before transferring

to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a delicious basic cream cheese frosting recipe for carrot cake, perfect for cinnamon rolls too!

Adjust amount of sugar to taste for your preferred sweetness.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 – 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted so lump free

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.

Start with 3 cups of sugar, add more after tasting to desired sweetness.

Use 1/3 less fat cream cheese (Neufchatel) in place of the regular cream cheese if desired.

Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with an open star tip (I used a 1 M tip).

Sprinkle some chopped pecans or walnuts on top of the cream cheese frosting if desired.

Note: Refrigerate any cake or cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

 Take them out of the refrigerator an hour or two before serving

so the frosting has time to come to room temperature

and the cake or cupcakes lose their chill.

Peter Rabbit Details:

Peter Rabbit Salad Plates / Pottery Barn, several years ago, used HERE

Cabbage Leaf and Bunny Salad Plate / Bordallo Pinheiro, Tuesday Morning

Bunny Tablecloth, Napkin Rings / HomeGoods

Chargers, Napkins / Pier 1

Bunny Serving Platter, Geranium Leaf Cake Pedestal / Bordallo Pinheiro

Peter Rabbit Pedestal, Zrike / HomeGoods, several weeks ago

Assorted Teacups / Grace’s Teaware, similar Amazon

Cream and Sugar, Gracie China / Amazon

Bunny Pedestal / Amazon

Assorted Spoons / Vintage

Buzz over to join Pam in the garden for her adorable tea party

with Peter Rabbit (great minds sip alike ☕ :) . . .

Pam at Everyday Living

And don’t miss Jennifer’s Buzz-worthy 🐝 Mother’s Day Tea

at Celebrating Everyday Life!

Print Recipe

Everybunny's Favorite Carrot Cake Cupcakes that Hop from a Box Mix

Doctor a box of carrot cake mix to make perfectly moist carrot cake cupcakes topped with a homemade cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time19 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: boxed cake mix, carrot cake, doctor the box, Easter, Peter Rabbit, spring

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

• 15.25 oz. box Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Carrot Cake
• ¾ cup *buttermilk *see easy substitution in notes
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup Walnut Oil (or use vegetable oil or canola)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 3 - 4 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted so lump free
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

To make cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Fill (2) 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.
• Blend cake mix with buttermilk, eggs and oil in a large bowl on low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds.
• Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Using a cookie scoop, divide batter into 24 cupcake liners, filling 2/3 full.
• Bake for 16 -19 minutes, or until cupcakes test done with a toothpick.
• Allow cupcakes to cool in pan 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting:

• Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.
• Start with 3 cups of sugar, add more after tasting to desired sweetness. Use 1/3 less fat cream cheese (Neufchatel) in place of the regular cream cheese if desired. Transfer frosting to a piping bag with an open star tip to pipe (I used a 1 M tip).
• Sprinkle some chopped pecans or walnuts on top of the cream cheese frosting if desired.

Notes

• Easy substitution for buttermilk: Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Fill with whole milk to 3/4 cup line. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, until slightly thickened and you will see small curdled bits.
• If using a different brand carrot cake mix, used recommended quantity and additions on back of box. Add one extra large egg, and buttermilk for water.
• This is a delicious basic cream cheese frosting recipe for carrot cake and perfect for sweet rolls too. Adjust amount of sugar to your taste ( 3 - 4 cups) and for your preferred sweetness.
• Refrigerate any cake or cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Take them out of the refrigerator an hour or two before you'd like to serve, so the frosting has time to come to room temperature and the cake or cupcakes lose their chill.
• Walnut oil can be used in place of most other cooking oils in baking recipes, sauces and salad dressings. It’s also delicious plant-based source of Omega-3 fatty acid

🐇 ☕ 🐰 🫖 🐇

As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Thank you for your visit! Sharing with:

 Between Naps on the Porch