Featuring 40 recipes and eight party themes, complete with fun crafts and decorating ideas for each, American Girl Parties will inspire young chefs and parents alike. In this third cookbook from Williams Sonoma and American Girl, aspiring chefs will discover bite-sized delicacies like chocolate-dipped strawberries and butterfly-shaped cheese sandwiches, along with fare such as chicken-apple sausages on a stick, baked sweet potato fries, and caramel-dipped apple slices for holidays like 4th of July and Halloween, paired with clever serving ideas, fun theme-driven crafts, and colorful party favors. Sweet treats include s’mores ice cream sundaes, raspberry jam sandwich heart cookies, cinnamon-sugar monkey bread, peppermint brownie bites, hot chocolate cookies Savory dishes include mac & cheese cups, grilled cheese hearts with tomato-star orzo soup, bite-sized broccoli-cheddar quiches, mini corn on the cob with lime butter, biscuit-wrapped veggie hot dog “mummies” Refreshing drinks such as melon-mint agua fresca, spooky smoothies, milkshakes, and fruity “tea” Party themes : Sweetheart Party/Valentine’s Day Garden Tea Party Springtime Party/Easter Summer BBQ/4th of July Sleepover Breakfast Party Burger Bar Birthday Party Spooky Party/Halloween Holiday Cookie Party The delicious recipes, fun ideas, and colorful images in American Girl Parties will captivate young cooks and can be made with everyday cookware and kitchen utensils; this companion title to American Girl Baking and American Girl Cooking will be go-to resources for your little chef. American Girl is a premium brand for girls and a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. the world’s leading toy company. Since its inception in 1986, American Girl has been devoted to celebrating girls ages 3 to 12 through age-appropriate, high-quality dolls and accessories, books, clothes, movies, and unforgettable experiences. Best-selling lines include Truly Me™, Girl of the Year™, Bitty Baby™, and the classic historical character line BeForever. Since its founding by Chuck Williams in 1956, the Williams Sonoma brand has been bringing people together around food.   Carrot Cake Cupcakes  Makes 18 cupcakes CUPCAKES   2¼ cups all-purpose flour   1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar   1 tablespoon baking powder  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon  ½ teaspoon salt  1½ cups grated carrots  ¾ cup vegetable oil  4 large eggs  1½ teaspoons vanilla extract    FROSTING  4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature  6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature  1 teaspoon vanilla extract  2 cups powdered sugar    DECORATIONS  ½ cup shredded coconut, toasted  Jelly beans or speckled malted milk chocolate eggs  To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 18 cups of two standard muffin pans with paper or foil liners.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the carrots, oil, eggs, and vanilla and stir until blended. Add the carrot mixture to the flour mixture and stir gently just until blended.  Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them only three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and set them on a wire rack. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to the rack. Let cool completely.  To make the frosting, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl, then beat on low speed until blended.  Using a small icing spatula, frost the cupcakes. Sprinkle the icing with the toasted coconut to create “nests,” then top each cupcake with three candies so that they look like “eggs.” Serve.