CUPCAKES!

One time when I was a little girl, I had to bake a treat for a bake sale fundraiser. Being that I was a bit quirky and strange, I decided to make “Cupcakes on a Stick”. First, my mother and I made a couple dozen mini angel food cupcakes (without the wrapper), then we pushed a wooden skewer into the bottom of each one until they stuck out of the top of the cupcake just a little bit. We frosted them, then stuck a gumdrop onto the top of the skewer for a little added decoration. To display them, we wrapped a block of florists foam in wrapping paper and stuck the skewers into the block. The cupcakes were a big hit! Ever since my first cupcake baking experience, I have had a passion for cupcakes. I absolutely love them. Every time I see one, I get all excited as if it were a puppy. I just can’t get enough of these little treats. Even the word “cupcake” is perfect!

A Self Portrait with my favorite food.

Because everyone else seems to love cupcakes as much as I do… well, maybe not that much… but because EVERYONE seems to love the look and nostalgic qualities of cupcakes, I have decided to dedicate this entire post to my favorite little pastry!

Cupcakes are a huge trend in weddings right now for a number of different reasons:

• You can offer an unlimited number of cake and frosting flavors (unlike a cake, which you can only have one or two flavors at the most)
• There are numerous presentation options (a big cupcake tower, a number of different sized platters, etc.)
• They are fun and different
• You can dress them up for an elegant wedding or make them simple and casual.
• It is easier to distribute cupcakes to the guests. No cutting necessary!
• They are the perfect serving size
• You can decorate them to fit any occassion.
• Cupcakes are cheaper than a large wedding cake.
• Cupcakes are easy to make yourself, and fun to decorate.
• Of course, they are super cute.

If you would like to learn more about the history of cupcakes before reading more, I highly recommend you watch this video of Alton Brown on Good Eats: Honey, I Shrunk the Cake (1/2)

If you decide to have cupcakes at your wedding, here are some things to consider:

• Will you have a small cake at the top for the traditional cake cutting and to save for your first anniversary?
• The size and shape of your cupcakes, or will you have a combination?
• Will you have more than one flavor?
• According to Cupcakes Take The Cake, You will want about 1.25 cupcakes per guest. Some may only have one, but some may want to try each flavor.
• How will the cupcakes be decorated?
• Will you present the cupcakes on a tower so they look like a wedding cake?
• Will you be offering more than just cupcakes for desert?

Here are some great examples of wedding cupcake displays (click on the images for more information about the sources).

A cupcake stand look with assorted sweets from the Vanilla Bake Shop.

Variation of Chocolate/Cream Cheese (Chocoluxe with Cream Cheese frosting) and Almond/Cream Cheese (Panama Paradise) cupcakes for a Starfish Theme Wedding. From Miami's best cupcakes The Cupcake Bistro.

Here's a great Idea for keeping the traditional white cake, and using the wrappers for a pop of color. Also, Check out that mirrored cupcake stand! Wedding Cupcakes by Sweet! Cupcakes and Treats (Just Cupcakes!)

Monogram Cupcakes Homespun white cupcakes are crowned with fondant hearts cut with a cookie cutter and imprinted with the bride's and groom's first initials using a new rubber stamp.

Nobody does cupcakes quite like Martha Stuart Weddings.

Can you imagine how expensive it would have been to have a traditional wedding cake this big? Midsummer wedding Cupcakes by The Ladygloom on Flickr

I love the candy store look used by Sara from Stinkerpants Designs at her wedding. (Click the image to check out her wedding blog!)

Again, by Sara from Stinkerpants Designs. Cute little his and hers flags!

These cupcakes are incredible! Who says you can't dress up a cupcake?! Click for source.

This cream & lilac cupcake tower by Crumbs & Doilies Cupcakes is enormous! I like how it has different sized cupcakes, and they are all decorated differently!

Normally I'm not a butterfly person, but the decorations on the top of this tower are beautiful. From Pink Cake Box Blog.

Detail Shot. From Pink Cake Box Blog

Last but not least, a cupcake decorating station from Sweet Pea Bakery. I LOVE this idea! Not only do the guests get to put whatever they want on their cupcakes, but it's less work for the cake decorater, which means more money in YOUR pocket!

Lastly, here’s a link to the most gigantic cupcake site ever with every cupcake blog you could ever hope to find.

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