Throw a Decorate-Your-Own Cupcake Celebration

There’s no denying it—everyone loves cupcakes. That’s why a frost-your-own party is a sure crowd-pleaser, whether your crowd is single girlfriends or families with little ones in tow.

To find out how to pull off this sweet event, we tapped Candace Nelson, owner of Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills, California. Steal her party plan—or just use her frosting tips to take your mini cakes to the next level.

Ingredients:

all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt, vanilla, pink grapefruit zest.
For the frosting: cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, pink grapefruit zest and juice, red food coloring

Calories: 116

Try this recipe: Pink Grapefruit Cupcakes

Set out nibbles

Spiced nuts are a healthy and filling treat for grazing while decorating. Put them out in a few small bowls so everyone can reach them.

Display your work
Show off cupcakes on a multilevel cake stand like Petit Four Tray ($46; westelm.com). You can also get the effect with a few cake stands of different heights.

Send 'em home in style
Transfer cupcakes to sturdy to-go boxes so guests can take their creations with them after the party’s over. Our fave: the half-pound aqua gloss candy box ($1 per box; fancyflours.com).

Sip while you work

The girls will get a kick out of the cheekily named red Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet ($12; cupcakevineyards.com). Bubbly lovers will enjoy washing their cupcakes down with Cristalino Brut Cava NV ($8; wine.com).

Mix it up
There’s no such thing as too many bowls. We like these easy-to-clean melamine nesting bowls ($30 for a set of 5; surlatable.com).

Easy frosting trick
To frost minis, place a dollop of frosting on top, and swirl with a spatula like Mini Offset Stainless-Steel Spatula ($16; williams-sonoma.com).

Just the cutest

Dress up even the most basic cupcake with gorgeous wrappers. ($12 for a set of 10; fancyflours.com).

Put them on a pedestal
For a more glamorous look, try mirrored stands like a set of Venetian cake pedestals ($75 for a set of 3; fancyflours.com). When the party is over, you can use them to display your jewelry!