Americans eat over 770 million cupcakes a year. This wildly popular treat is perfect for dozens of occasions and events, particularly the bite-sized mini versions. But with that many cupcakes out there, how do you make your baking stand out?
Using mini cupcake display stands to show off your hard work is a simple and elegant way to take a classic dessert to the next level. Whether you're baking for a school bake sale or a bridal shower, a display stand will give you the polished finish you need to make a good impression.
The Value of Mini Cupcake Display Stands
Perfect cupcake towers seamlessly blend form and function. You want your baked treats to look beautiful and still be easily accessible. If your guests have trouble picking up a dessert, it won't matter how beautifully you displayed it.
A display stand for your cupcakes will keep the treats accessible while adding a sophisticated design element to the table. Raising the cupcakes up also shows off the entire cupcake, not just the frosting top, letting you show off patterned cupcake wrappers.
Display stands also adds visual interest to your table. If all the food is at the same level, it becomes monotonous. Elevating some foods will give your guests more room to see all the treats you're offering. Whether you're a professional event planner or just hosting a party for your close friends, your guests will be impressed by your eye for design.
A tower stand will also save table space. Depending on the size, a single tier can hold over 30 cupcakes. Even just three tiers will let you display cupcakes for several dozen people without overcrowding the dessert table.
Picking the Right Display
There are tons of display towers out there, in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and styles. Choosing the right display for your event is just as important as choosing the right flavor of cupcakes.
There are two basic constructions for cupcake displays. The first is a tower with a central beam that supports the tiers. Some towers with a central beam are flexible so that you can change the number of tiers. The tiers can be any shape.
The second has support beams on the outside of the tiers, usually on a rectangular or square cupcake tower stand. For this version, the tiers are permanently attached to the side supports.
If you bake frequently, you should consider a versatile cupcake tower stand. The three-tier flower-shaped stand might be perfect for a baby shower but the wrong shape for a school auction night.
While some stands might be embellished or have decorations on them permanently, you may not want those embellishments every time you use the stand. A simple shape and a customizable number of layers will help you use one cupcake display stand over and over again without it getting boring.
Custom Display Stands
When choosing your cupcake stand, you aren't limited to a basic round, three-tiered display. Making custom cupcake stands opens up your design possibilities and display options. These displays give you total control over the final design.
A stand made of interlocking pieces instead of a fixed display lets you add or subtract tiers to your tower, depending on your needs. That flexibility means you only have to buy one cupcake display stand, but you get the benefit of having a whole pantry full of them.
Sometimes, you might want more than one stand to add depth and visual interest to your dessert table or to separate different types of cupcakes. Having custom stand pieces can help you create as many stands as you need.
Decorating Your Display
Another benefit of starting with a simple base is that you can decorate it a new way every time you use it. Your baked goods are the star, but a nicely decorated stand will help show them off.
You can use colorful washi tape around the base or on the edge of each tier to add color and pattern to a plain white stand. Try coordinating it with the wrappers on your cupcakes.
The top tier is an excellent place for additional decorations or displays. If you have a small cake that coordinates with your mini cupcakes, you can place it on the top tier to give an illusion that it's all one cake. Cardboard cut-outs, signs, and figurines are other great choices for the top tier.
Another benefit of a cupcake display tower is that you can decorate the table around the base of the stand. Streamers, flowers, confetti, and place cards can all have a place around the bottom of your cupcake display so that it looks as good as your desserts taste.
Other Ways to Use a Cupcake Display Stand
A good display stand isn't limited to cupcakes. Other individual desserts are an obvious choice, like cookies, macarons, danishes, or mini-tarts. Cupcake tower stands are handy for any food that you're serving in individual portions.
Cupcake display stands aren't just good for food, either. You can use them to display anything from trinkets to candles and soaps. They can also be a great internal support for diaper cakes at a baby shower or other novelty decorations.
If you're worried about cross-contamination between food and other items, you can always use liners for the display stand. They make clean up easy and can add a pop of color to your display.