Another Easy Basketball Party + 2 Delicious Recipes

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I told you it was party week here at Endlessly Inspired, and when I promise you party week, I am going to deliver. In a big way.

I know I just shared a basketball party a couple of weeks ago, but that seems to have created a monster. Or to be more accurate, three little monsters. Now that NCAA® March Madness is in full swing, the boys are obsessed and have now been asking for basketball viewing parties pretty much every day. So I decided to do it again.

This time, I was inspired by the new Coca-Cola NCAA® Final Four Pack available at Walmart. I am a total sucker for fun product names and packaging, so when I saw what these can four-packs were called, I knew I had to get them.

Plus, you can get four 4-packs (a total of 16 cans) for $5, or two packs for $3. I got all three kinds — Vanilla Coke, Cherry Coke and Coke Zero — because I wanted to try to make some fun recipes with them. And again, I think I delivered.

My first recipe is for the grown ups. It’s a Chocolate Covered Cherry Coke Float made with vanilla ice cream, Cherry Coke and chocolate whipped cream vodka. For reals.

I feel like Coke floats are usually meant for kids, but why? Why, I ask?? Why can’t grown-ups pretend to be kids for a little bit?? Well, except for the whole vodka thing. You know what I mean.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Coke Float

Jennifer Young

A creamy and delicious Coke float made with Cherry Coke and vanilla ice cream and spiked with chocolate whipped cream vodka.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 mins

Total Time 2 mins

Servings 1

Ingredients

  

• 1-2 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 1 12- oz can Cherry Coke
• 1 oz. chocolate whipped cream vodka

Instructions

 

• 1. Place ice cream in a large glass or jar. Slowly pour in Cherry Coke and vodka. Stir and enjoy!

Notes

Note: For even more chocolatey flavor, you could use chocolate ice cream instead!

Now that you’re all excited from the Cherry Coke float, get a load of this: Two-ingredient cupcakes. Well, 3-ingredient, if you count the icing. 

Whaaaaat??

Seriously. Two ingredients: a box of cake mix and a can of Vanilla Coke. I couldn’t believe it.

I had read before about using a can of soda instead of all of the ingredients listed on the cake mix box, but I could not imagine how it would work. I decided to give it a shot with the Vanilla Coke, and my mind is officially blown.

All you do is dump your boxed cake mix into a bowl and slowly whisk in one can of Vanilla Coke. No eggs, water, oil — nothing. Once the batter is all smooth, plop the batter into some cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package. Before you know it, you’ll have some moist, delicious cupcakes! You would never guess by tasting them that they’re made with soda. And to make them officially the world’s easiest cupcakes, I iced them with frozen french vanilla whipped topping. Dee-freaking-licious.

Two-ingredient Cupcakes

Jennifer Young

The world's easiest cupcakes -- they are made with literally two ingredients: a boxed cake mix and a can of Vanilla Coke.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Ingredients

  

• 1 boxed cake mix {I used Classic White flavor}
• 1 12- oz can Vanilla Coke

Instructions

 

• 1. Preheat oven according to directions on cake mix box. Place dry cake mix into a large bowl. Slowly pour in Vanilla Coke and whisk until smooth. Fill cupcake liners approximately 2/3 full. Bake according to package directions and cool completely before icing.

And I don’t know about you, but cupcakes + alcohol definitely = party in my book. 

I created a fun little party that you can throw together quickly and easily if you have friends show up at the last minute to watch some NCAA® March Madness!

I dipped some pretzel rods in orange candy melts and topped them off with chocolate sprinkles for some cute little basketball-colored treats. Popcorn and mini bagel pizzas are easy-to-eat snacks that everyone loves.

I set up a station where people can make their own floats. If you’re having a bunch of people, the easiest way to do this is to scoop out the ice cream and place the scoops on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer. Before the party begins, put 1-2 scoops of ice cream in a bunch of Mason jars. Seal up the jars and place them in a tub full of ice near the bar. When people want a float, they can just grab a jar and add in their preferred flavor of Coca-Cola and alcohol, if desired. Make sure to provide a glass full of fun straws!

I think the centerpiece of this partyscape is my favorite thing. I got an inexpensive, $5 basketball from a discount store and CAREFULLY cut a hole in the top with a boxcutter. {Boxcutters and I don’t have a friendly past. We had a run-in one time that cost me 7 stitches on my thumb. I will now re-emphasize the word CAREFULLY.} I slid a large Mason jar inside and stuck in some white hydrangeas. I love the way it looks!

In case you need any more NCAA® March Madness fun, check out the National Coke Zero Final Four Selfie contest. You can upload a selfie with a Coca-Cola product on the site below, and be entered to win 2016 NCAA Final Four tickets. Afterwards, you can go on the site to find your selfie and see all of the others!

Coca Cola #FinalFourPack Walmart Sweepstakes – $1,000 in Prizing

For more fun from Coca-Cola, follow them on Pinterest {and here}, Instagram {here and here}, Facebook {here and here} and on Twitter @CokeZero and @CocaCola.

Do you have any basketball fanatics in your house like I do? What are your favorite ways to celebrate NCAA® March Madness?