Looking for cupcake topping/decorating ideas

[momtoemma]

We're going to decorate cupcakes as part of the activities at DD's upcoming 3rd birthday party. Does anyone have any fun ideas for what we can use to decorate with? I'll definitely be getting colored sprinkles, but I'm looking for other ideas too.

Has anyone done a cupcake decorating party before? I'm thinking I should go ahead and have the cupcakes already frosted and just have the kids do the toppings??? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

[Marisa6826]

What about making them in icecream cone cups and putting out little bowls of different toppings - sprinkles, mini MnMs, granola, dried fruit chopped up, berries etc.

Basically all the stuff they have at those make your own flavour ice cream places.

The other idea would be to take a white frosting, but do all difference colours (food colouring) and have them on palettes with a paint brush to decorate?

-m

[Sarah1]

No ideas for you, but now I'm craving cupcakes. Thanks a lot. :P

[laretce6]

I don't have any fabulous ideas, but if you go on the Family Fun website there are tons of cupcake ideas including an "A to Z" of cupcakes.

Caroline
Mama to Eleanor Katherine 8.2.04

[sugarsnappea]

I think the charter issue of Cook's Country (sister publication of Cook's illustrated) had a whole page of cute ideas. I thought I clipped it and filed it somewhere, but now I can't seem to locate it! :(

[momtoemma]

Ooooohhh...If you find it, I'd love to hear some of the ideas.

Thanks,

[amp]

Family Fun always does really cute cupcake ideas, so you might google and see what you come up with. If it were me, I'd have sprinkles, M&M's, licorice (which I don't like, but can be used for a lot of stuff like tails and eyelashes...the thin stuff I mean, not the thick twisted).

[hwin708]

Lots and lots of small candy.
Like chocolate chips, licorice (the thin kind), M&Ms, mini marshmallows, etc. Anything that looks like they could make a face out of it.
And I do agree, you should have the cupcakes "pre-frosted".

[JBaxter]

M&M's or get the small tubes of colored icing should be fun

[Jen841]

What about making like 'dirt dessert' and frosting them with chocolate frosting. Kids could decorate with crushed Oreos or granola, and gummie worms. Another idea would be to do white frosting, decorate with crushed graham crackers, life savers and umbrellas for a beach desserts.
For summer you could do blue frosting and decorate with swedish fish and blue sprinkles.

If you do the ice cream cone route like another person recommended all you need to do is fill a loaf pan with cones, and fill the cones with batter just like you would with a muffin cup. This is what my Mom did for us all the time when we were little. No special baking needs : )

What a fun idea!

[tigalig]

You can make graham crackers (crushed) into sand, add paper parasols, teddy grahams, and a gum ball (for a beach ball) and have a beach scene.

*or* you can add small white marshmallows, making a mound, add yellow food coloring, and have "popcorn."

Can you tell we like cupcakes around here? :)