Picket Fence and Flowers

• Frost the cupcakes in a variety of pastel shades to resemble flowers for a spring celebration or Easter party. Use a pastry bag to apply some green piping in the shape of a leaf near the edge of each cupcake to create the impression that the cupcakes are flowers. Place them on an elevated cake platter. Build a picket fence with flat craft sticks, which can be found at craft stores. Paint it white and staple a wire to it for stability. Surround the cake with your 'fence'. Fill in the space between the cake plate and the fence with Easter basket grass.

Cupcake Wrappers

• Purchase cupcake wrappers in the theme that suits your event. For example, choose a silver filigree wrapper for the cupcakes for a winter wedding. Place them on a silver platter with an elaborate doily for a liner. For a young girl's birthday, try a princess crown cupcake wrapper in pink. Use pink frosting and a princess cupcake topper. Group the cupcakes around a birthday cake which is frosted in the same color.

Cupcake Party Kits

• Find a Spongebob Squarepants, Sesame Street or Scooby Doo cupcake party kit for a child's birthday party. These (among many others) come with a display setup designed just for kids who love cupcakes. The paper displays are very colorful and inviting to little ones, so your efforts to catch their attention are sure to succeed.

Cupcake Stand

• For a large gathering, you may want to invest in a cupcake stand. They come in square or round tiers of three, four, five or six levels. Make your display of cupcakes a delight to the eye by frosting them all in different colors, or make them all alike for a solid, monochrome effect. Or, try decorating them with attractive toppers that suit the party or theme of your festive occasion. Plastic cupcake stands are available for children's birthday parties. Another possibility is a wire stand, which is shaped to hold cupcake-sized treats. See Resources for more information.