The temperatures are dipping, the days are getting shorter and there’s a new, crisp feeling in the air. This can only mean one thing: We’re shifting from the lazy, hazy days of summer straight into the festive fall season!
One of the most exciting things about this time of year? All of the incredible foods you can prepare, share and enjoy. There’s nothing quite like giving the gift of flavor to your closest friends and loved ones.
This year, why not “wow” them with a dessert that’s as delicious as it is spectacular? A cupcake tower is one culinary creation that impresses immediately. Whether you need a special dessert for your company potluck or a stunning centerpiece for your party table, there’s nothing quite like a layered display of your favorite treats.
Today, we’re sharing how to create the ultimate cupcake tower that’s sure to be a head-turner anywhere you take it! Along the way, we’ll share some of our favorite products to make all of your holiday baking fun and easy!
What is a Cupcake Tower?
Before we dive into how to make one, let’s explain what a cupcake tower includes. While the concept might be simple, there are quite a few variations and customizations you can try.
A cupcake tower is a tiered display designed to hold cupcakes or other similarly-sized bakery items. Some are circular, while others are square-shaped or designed into other shapes for party themes. To make sure it’s sturdy and well-supported, the largest layer on a cupcake tower is on the bottom and every other layer gets progressively smaller.
This way, every cupcake gets to be the star of the show. You can design or purchase a cupcake tower that’s big enough to hold every single one of your frosted delights without worrying about them spilling onto one another, crowding each other, or creating any other kind of mess.
Ultimately, the most common and traditional use of cupcake towers is to hold smaller-scale baked goods. However, the sturdiest ones can also double as a merchandise display for lightweight items such as scarves and jewelry.
The best part? You can find cupcake towers that are easy to clean, store and reuse whenever you need them! That’s exactly what you’ll find when you browse our full collection of reusable cupcake towers in our online shop.
What Makes a Great Cupcake Tower?
You’ve decided that you need a cupcake tower, but one internet search reveals that they’re far from a one-size-fits-all kitchen accessory. In addition to pre-made models, there are also myriad templates and YouTube videos explaining how to make your own!
We know you’re busy and time is a luxury. That’s why we’re helping you cut through the clutter and head straight to the source. Our cupcake towers are some of the most reliable and well-loved ones on the market, and there are a few major reasons why.
You can rest assured that our cupcake towers:
- Are made in the USA
- Are produced using materials from the USA
- Will store flat
- Are adjustable and configurable
- Are quick to assemble
- Include a custom storage and carrying bag
Made from white PVC and featuring interlocking pieces for an extra-durabe base, you can feel confident using any of our cupcake towers for your next centerpiece, party display or special gift. From weddings and graduations to retirements and holiday get-togethers, there’s no event that isn’t worthy of this sky-high creation!
Making the Ultimate Cupcake Tower: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you know a little more about how they work, let’s get into the good stuff! How do you put a cupcake tower together and turn your vision into reality? Let’s take a look at the step-by-step details to follow!
Step 1: Size It Right
It’s easy to get excited and overwhelmed by the different sizes of cupcake towers on the market. They can range from jumbo-sized to very small, depending on your needs and how you plan to use them.
While there are some gigantic models designed for large-scale parties such as weddings, there are also small-to-medium sized ones that are ideal for your personal baking use. These are also excellent for event planners, professional bakers, and of course, moms on-the-go who need an extra-special treat for the class party.
To make the selection process as easy as possible for you, we’ve provided multiples sizes and selections. We also offer size-adjustable models that you can tweak to fit your quantity perfectly.
Let’s take a look at some of our most popular models.
Five-Tier Square PRO Cupcake Tower
It takes a lot to create, bake and frost 100 cupcakes. When you work that hard, you need a substantial tower that’s big enough to show everything off the right way.
Enter, our 5-Tier Square PRO Cupcake Tower.
This tower can hold between 80 and 100 cupcakes, and it’s just right for your most expansive baking needs. Then, when it’s time to pack up and go home, you can store all of your tower parts in our custom storage and carrying tote, including with your order.
Five-Tier Round PRO Cupcake Tower
Capable of holding between 70 and 90 cupcakes, our 5-Tier Round PRO Cupcake Tower is a go-to for your largest parties and events.
The overall dimensions for this cupcake tower are 20 inches wide by 21.75 inches tall, with a four-inch clearance between each tier. If you’re used to catering for a crowd, it’s the perfect way to showcase your hard work in a beautiful way.
2-in-1 Cupcake Towers
Sometimes, you may need a five-tier cupcake tower display. Other times, a three-tier display is all you need.
If you find yourself baking for a range of different group sizes, our 2-in-1 cupcake towers are as versatile as they come. These are easily adjustable and are designed to be used as either a five-tier or three-tier display. This way, you always have the exact size you need, every time.
Easy to assemble in 90 seconds or less, you can have your tower up and ready in no time. Each tier is separated by four inches, so there’s plenty of room for even your most fanciful iced toppers!
For your convenience, we offer two different models of our 2-in-1 Cupcake Towers. The first is our 2-in-1 Square Cupcake Tower Stand, which holds 80 to 100 cupcakes. The second is our Round Cupcake Tower Stand, which holds 70 to 90 cupcakes. Both stands measure 20 inches by 20.5 inches.
Three-Tier Cupcake Towers
Finally, you can also choose from our two three-tier cupcake towers!
Planning to bake no more than 48 cupcakes, and looking for a display that’s whimsical and unexpected? Try our 3-Tier Flower Cupcake Tower! Designed to hold between 36 and 48 cupcakes, it stands 18.5 inches wide by 12.75 inches tall, with tiers arranged in a petal formation.
Want to go a more traditional route? Our classic 3-Tier Round Cupcake Tower is a cinch to assemble and destined to become a kitchen staple for years to come. Perfect for smaller parties and gatherings, it will easily hold 24 cupcakes.
Create Your Own Cupcake Tower
Do you want to create your very own custom cupcake tower that’s precisely designed to hold the quantity you need? Looking for a special shape that’s all your own? If so, you can always go the DIY route and make your own cupcake tower!
We can provide all of the materials you need for this fun, at-home project. To get started, simply visit the Create Your Own Tower page on our website!
Then, you can get to work customizing your tower just the way you want it. To begin, select your preferred tower shape from the following:
- Round
- Square
- Flower
Next, choose the number of tiers you need (up to seven). From there, you can even specify exactly how far apart you want the tiers to be spaced, as well as the specific size of your tiers. Our largest custom tiers measure 24 inches and can hold up to 38 cupcakes!
Want to get even more elaborate? You can add your custom tiers onto one of our ready-made PRO towers for dramatic, one-of-a-kind display that’s sure to keep guests talking -- and coming back for more.
If you have a design in mind that you don’t see on our site, don’t hesitate to reach out to us to create a custom design from the ground up. Once you briefly explain your vision to our design department, we’ll get to work creating a unique tower that meets your exact style and specifications.
Step 2: Add Cupcake Tower Tier Liners
At the end of an event, the last thing you want to do is go home and wash cake and icing off of multiple plastic tiers. While there’s bound to be some degree of inevitable cleanup, you can greatly reduce this time by using our innovative Tier Liners!
These liners are laser-cut and made of a strong and durable fabric. This way, you can easily reuse them over and over again, and they’ll look great each time.
Designed exclusively for use with our ready-made or custom cupcake towers, each liner fits perfect on our tiers and wipes clean in seconds! To use them, you’ll simply slip them over each tier and that’s it!
This way, as guests come to the table and remove your treats, the liners will stay snugly in place. This protects them from sliding into one another and also keeps your tower as clean as possible. When the very last cupcake is taken and it’s time to pack up, a quick swipe of the liners is all that’s left to do!
Not only do they help you extend the life of your cupcake tower, our liners also add pizazz and a touch of personality to your display. Depending on your event theme, you can choose from a wide variety of solid colors and patterns to complement the decor. Especially if you’re responsible for throwing the event, you’ll appreciate this easy, no-fuss decorating trick!
Step 3: Make Your Sweet Treats
You’ve chosen the right-sized cupcake stand and your liners are all in place. Now, it’s time to get to the fun part: baking!
Think you have to take the standard approach and keep everything traditional? No way! Let’s take a look at a few of your options.
Cupcakes
When it comes to the cupcakes on your tower, you’re free to take full creative reign! Will you choose devil’s food cupcakes or red velvet? What about key lime or chocolate-covered cherry?
For a sweet and simple look, you can keep all the cupcakes the same. Or, you can mix and match them in a pattern formation to offer your guests a variety of flavors. This is also a great way to accommodate a range of taste preferences, which you might find at a formal event, such as a wedding.
Cake Pops
Another way you can help your tower pop? Consider dedicating a few tiers of your cupcake tower to cake pops instead! We make it easy to incorporate these with our Round Cake Pop Rings Add-On.
To use these, you’ll start by simply placing them on top of the tiers you want to decorate. While they’re designed to stay firmly in place once you begin adding your cake pops, you can always use a few pieces of double-sided tape for extra reinforcement.
Each set has a capacity to include 124 cake pops on your display. The largest tier can hold up to 40 cake pops, while the smallest tier is designed to hold 12. In between, there are other tiers made to hold 30, 24 and 18 cake pops, respectively. If you opted for a square-shaped cupcake tower, we also provide a Square Cake Pop Rings Add-On package! The largest tier on this set can hold up to 44 cake pops.
Never made cake pops before and need a little guidance? Check out this list of do’s and don’ts and you’ll have the hang of it in no time! Make sure to wrap them or store them in an airtight container before you store them so they don’t wind up with condensation on top.
Top Tier Cake
While you’re baking, consider swapping out the cupcakes on your smallest top tier for a small sheet cake instead. This is a great way to add dimension to your tower and can help accommodate a larger crowd, too! For this reason, many married couples choose to add a top tier cake to their cupcake tower, freeze it whole, and eat it on their first anniversary!
If you go this route, remember to use our handy Cake Pan Parchment Liners! Designed to lay flat in your cake pan, these convenient liners feature tabs that allow you to easily lift your baked goods out of the pan when they’re cooled. That means no mess and no stress!
Our parchment liners are available in both round and square sizes, in dimensions that include 6-inch, 8-inch, 9-inch and 10-inch. In addition, we also offer small, medium and large cookie sheet liners, as well as bundles that allow you to order these with your cake pan liners.
If you like the look of a top tier cake, or if you’re catering an event and a client requests one, simply match the size and shape of your cake pan and parchment liner to the size of the top tier on your tower!
Cookies
Cupcake towers are a great way to visually display a range of different baked goods, including cookies! You can use our Parchment Sheets to line your cookie pan. These are pre-cut to the following dimensions:
- 9x13
- 10x15
- 11x17
Depending on the kind of cookie you choose, you can stack them around the tiers, overlapping the edges slightly. If you have a thicker cookie, or cookie sandwiches, you can space them apart a little more.
Tarts
Need a unique way to display savory appetizers?
A cupcake tower is an unexpected but totally practical way to serve tarts, mini quiches, cucumber sandwiches, and other finger foods. This would make a lovely addition to an afternoon tea or a ladies luncheon.
Ultimately, there’s no right or wrong answer, and there’s no treat that’s better suited for a tower display than others. Just keep the tier spacing in mind as you add your individual items and you’ll be all set! For a more the finished look, remember to use cupcake liners that complement your tier liners.
Step 4: Embellish Your Cupcake Tower
On its own, a cupcake tower is already a knockout. Few dessert displays are as interactive and fanciful, which makes them a surefire crowd pleaser.
Yet, you may want to make yours just a bit more decorative, depending on the event you’re baking for.
From ribbons and bows to succulents and edible glitter, the sky's the limit when it comes to embellishing your tower! You can get creative and use materials you have at home, or find the items you need at your local craft store.
Step 5: Transport Your Cupcake Tower
You did it! You chose the perfect cupcake tower, decorated it to perfection and you’re ready to show it off!
Now, it’s time to go to the event.
For good measure, it’s always smart to bake a few extra cupcakes in case any get smushed or damaged en route, but with the right accessories, you can safely and securely transport your dainty delights with ease.
Heavy-duty cupcake boxes are easy to find, and most are reusable, so they’re well worth the investment. These are usually made of corrugated cardboard and come with individual dividers, so you can make sure your cake and icing both stay pristine. If you’re used to piling on the buttercream frosting, look for extra-deep ones!
Along the same lines, you can also find cookie boxes, cake pop boxes, and specialty storage containers for almost every confection under the sun. While it might be tempting to just stash everything in
If you have room, lay all of the boxes flat, or stack them if you need to. As long as they are kept level, you shouldn’t have any issues.
Step 6: Cleaning and Storing Your Cupcake Tower
Did you remember to use our tier liners to line the various levels of your cupcake tower? If you did, you know that cleanup is a breeze. Simply wipe the liners down with a soft, slightly damp cloth and allow them to dry.
Then, peel them off, store them in a secure spot and reuse them the next time you’re ready to serve and stand out.
When you’re not using your cupcake tower, keep it in a cool, dry place, with all of the pieces stored flat. Want to extend its life even more and make sure it looks great each time? To maintain its shape, store it away from other big items and avoid stacking anything heavy on it.
The Ultimate Cupcake Tower, From Start to Finish
We know how long it takes to bake several batches of cupcakes. The same goes for cookies, tarts, macaroons or any other pastry you can dream up.
That’s why we designed top-of-the-line cupcake tower displays to help you showcase them in the best way. When you invest that much time, energy and resources, you deserve a stand that’s equally as awe-worthy.
As the holidays creep closer, keep our products in mind for all of your baking needs! From our easy-to-use, pre-cut parchment paper to our tier liners, we’re here to make your life easier, one dozen at a time.
Got any questions? Want to learn more? If so, contact our team today and let’s connect!
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