The average child goes to three or more birthday parties each year—friends, neighbors, cousins, you name it. So it’s no surprise that parents are constantly pressured to make their own birthdays special. After all, it only happens once a year, and nothing makes a child happier than a fun birthday party. But how do you come up with new ideas every year? It’s not that hard—sometimes all you need is one good idea. This year, many parents are ditching the cake for a cupcake birthday party, and often with very good results.

Cupcakes are essentially just cakes in miniature form, but they offer a whole range of advantages. For one thing, they’re a lot cheaper, whether you’re making them yourself or buying them from the bakeshop. They’re also a lot easier to distribute since they already come in individual servings. And the best part is that you can personalize them yourself—no need to pay extra for a custom cake design! You don’t need to be a pro to decorate birthday cupcakes. If you’re not sure how, this guide offers a few quick tips.

Choose simple, classic flavors.

You’d probably be tempted to buy fancy concoctions like black forest or blueberry streusel cupcakes. While they do add a different touch to the party, it’s a bit tricky when you’re serving kids. Kids tend to prefer simple flavors like chocolate and vanilla—tried and tested, and perfect for just about any menu. Keeping it simple will also help you cater to everyone’s tastes, since not everyone has a sweet tooth or is willing to try new flavors.

Caramel cupcakes are a great alternative if you want something slightly different. It’s still very simple and easy to make, but it’s just rich enough to give it that extra boost of flavor. You can also adjust the sweetness according to your tastes—tone it down if you want to keep it light, or add more caramel if you want a real treat for the kids. Other simple alternatives include chocolate marble, plain chiffon, and lemon cupcakes.

Add color with frosting.

Frosting and icing are an essential part of cupcakes, not just because of the extra flavor but because of the color they add to the mix. The main difference is that icing is stiff and thick, so you pipe it on top of the cake, while frosting is thinner and usually spread on the surface. For decorating purposes, it’s usually better to go with frosting because it’s easier to make, goes on flat and creates a smoother finish.

Cupcake frosting recipes usually take no more than ten minutes—just the right amount of time to let your cupcakes cool. If you’re really strapped for time, you can also just buy ready-made frosting from the grocery. Choose a plain white butter cream frosting so that you can add food color as you wish. Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before spreading so that they don’t melt the frosting. To make them look smoother, make sure there are no loose crumbs on top of the cake.

Decorate with birthday toppers.

It’s always nice to personalize your cupcakes, but sometimes you’re just out of ideas. If you’re not feeling too creative, one thing you can do is use colorful birthday toppers. Most cake toppers are about one inch tall, just the perfect size for one cupcake. And because it’s not seasonal, you can choose from a wide range of designs. For birthdays, some of the most popular are balloons, candles, party hats, and party whistles.

Edible birthday toppers are always the first choice, as they add more flavor to the cake and serve as an extra treat for younger guests. Usually made of icing sugar, they stick right onto the cake with just a dab of frosting as "glue." If you want something you can reuse, you can go for plastic toppers—you can wash them afterwards and use them for your next party. This makes them cheaper in the long run, especially if you host birthday parties every year.

Add a personal touch.

Of course, the main advantage of cupcakes is that they’re customizable. For a nice personal touch, design your cakes so that they reflect the celebrant’s interests. If they like cartoon characters, look for character toppers or try to recreate them with frosting and candy toppers. Or if they’re into sports, draw balls or put ball toppers over each cake. An edible golf cake topper would be perfect for a golf fan, while a basketball themed cupcake would be perfect for aspiring players.

Arrange the cakes so that they look nice on the table, instead of just putting them on a tray. Find a nice platter to serve them in, or put them on a tiered cake board. Not only would it look more presentable, it also adds a decorative touch that really puts everyone in a party mood.

Tags: cupcake frosting recipes | cupcake frosting recipes | edible birthday toppers | edible birthday toppers | edible golf cake topper | edible golf cake topper | caramel cupcakes | caramel cupcakes | cupcakes

del.icio.us Digg Furl Reddit