Last week our mid week hump day post about strange cupcake ideas was so popular that today we bring you another five!  This time it is fruity cupcakes!  All with recipes, so why not try something a *bit* different with one of these fantastic fruity cupcake ideas!

1. Pomegranate Green Tea Cupcakes – How good do these cupcakes look??  The Cupcake Blog is always experimenting and exploring with her baking and in this case played with a green tea recipe.  The full recipe is on her blog, and if you do not like the idea of pomegranate foam, then just replace with normal frosting!

2. Spiced Apple Cupcakes – This is the first time we have featured the blog Cake Batter and Bowl, but I am sure it will not be the last.  These cupcakes are a spice fiesta of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves, apple and topped with cream cheese frosting and a caramel drizzle.  Sounds too good to be true, good thing you can make it yourself!

3. Peanut Butter and Banana Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting – So do you get that our fruit recipes are not the norm?  We really are going for recipes that challenge what everyone else is doing! This recipe from Baking Bites certainly does that!  Apparently they turn out fantastic, and just in case you want it to be more peanut butter, they have provided an alternative peanut butter frosting recipe as well!

4. Honey Poached Pear Cupcakes with White Chocolate Pistachio Buttercream – Can I say anything more than that these make me drool, they look so yum and would be perfect with my morning cup of tea! This recipe comes from ecupcake and was her answer to the challenge to use pear, lemon and a selection of nuts in a cupcake form.

5. Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache – We could end in no other way but with strawberries, so when I saw these stunning looking cupcakes on Annies Eats I knew that I had found fruity cupcake heaven. My only problem would be sacrificing the Champagne required in order to make them.  You could use these cupcakes for any adult party as they are so stunning and stylish you are bound to make a statement.

Click here to see last week’s strange cupcake ideas which featured of all things a brain cupcake and Coca-Cola chocolate cupcakes. And check us out next week for five ‘yucky’ cupcakes.  The ideas that really didn’t work!

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Whoever said that birthdays were sweet was right! And American Greetings is certainly taking that saying to heart, offering a new line of greeting cards called Tasties ™ that have a flavor strip inside. This dissolvable strip complements each card type according to the flavor offered.

Our favorite is the cupcake card (of course!). A yummy cupcake is featured on the outside of the card and it says, “If nothing else, birthdays are a great excuse to eat cake.” The inside says, “lots and lots of cake.” Then the dissolvable strip invites the card recipient to “taste” the vanilla cupcake to make this greeting even sweeter. What a unique card? We think that’s certainly a greeting card people will remember. What could be better than offering the temptation and treat of a great cupcake and your sweet wishes for a Happy Birthday for a loved one?

The Tasties ™ cards are available at grocery stores (where you can also find the ingredients for cupcakes….), drug stores and other locations that sell American Greetings cards. We have a feeling you’ll be on the lookout for these great cards near you!

When it comes to celebrating birthdays, cupcakes are the best! Whether for an child’s or adult’s birthday, the sweet treat of cupcakes says, “Happy Birthday!” like nothing else. We bet you have your favorite birthday cupcakes you like to make for a loved one’s birthday.

A single cupcake is a sweet way to say Happy Birthday, especially to someone who doesn’t like much of a fuss over their birthday. It shows you are doing something special, without going out and getting a mariachi band or parade floats. Cupcakes are always sweet and thoughtful. And who can resist blowing a single candle out to get that great birthday wish we all hope comes true? (I know I can’t!) Someone you love is on a diet? Try making mini cupcakes! It’s a tiny sweet treat that still has all of the celebration with less than half of the calories. That’s a great way to celebrate when someone is watching their waistline – and you still have that deep urge to make them cupcakes.

So spill and share! What Happy Birthday cupcakes have been a big hit at that birthday party? What birthday cupcakes do you love for kids? Or adults? What birthday cupcake tips would you give fellow cupcake lovers?

(c) photo Michael Lorenzo

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If you love cupcakes (we know you do!) then you’ll want to hold or display them sometimes. Whether taking them to a baby shower or displaying them at the actual party, it’s great to know there are special cupcake holders created for this exact purpose.

A cupcake holder is most important because it keeps your sweet cupcakes intact so people can enjoy them. You want a cupcake holder (hold or display) to keep cupcakes from knocking into each other or rubbing up against each other. The other great feature of your cupcake holder is it will help your cupcakes look cute at a party, not simply putting them on a plate or platter for guests to enjoy. A cupcake holder is a fun way to display cupcakes at a party and is often a showcase for your party table.

Here are some of our favorite cupcake holders. Whether you are transporting cupcakes or showing them off at the dessert table, these cupcake holders will certainly deliver your sweet treats in style!

Wilton 16.25” X 12” Dessert Tower 4 Tier W307856 This cupcake tower is sturdy and pretty – and unbeatable combination. Made from white plastic, your cupcakes fit snugly into round trays on the tall tower. You have 4 tiers to fill with yummy cupcakes.

Oneida Bake and Take Cupcake Carrier 62518  Now this is a great cupcake holder – when you’re headed to that birthday party and need to be sure your cute and yummy cupcakes get there and still look as yummy as we know they taste! It can hold up to 2 dozen cupcakes, so it is perfect for most parties and special events.

Wilton 307-651 Cupcakes N more 38 Count 5 Tier Metal Dessert Stand We like this large cupcake stand especially if you’ve got a bigger crowd. It holds just over 3 dozen cupcakes – 38 to be exact! Perfect for that large bridal shower or child’s birthday party where you know your cupcakes will be popular. A sturdy metal stand easily holds this large number of cupcakes and looks fancy.

Wilton 2105-9958 3 in 1 Ultimate Caddy  This is a great cupcake holder. It holds a dozen cupcakes easily, with a large cover so it is great for those fancy and decorated cupcakes many of you like to make. The clear cover also means people can admire the cupcakes as they are brought to the party or you can even be sure they are okay during transport.

(c) photo Una J.

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photo credit: Cake Girl by Hyeyoung Kim

While creating cupcakes for parties and holidays is always great deal of fun, these desserts are a great way to show off your creative talent any time of year. Decorating cupcakes offers a unique opportunity to express your creativity in the kitchen and can be a great way to enjoy time with your kids or to present your loved ones with a small token of appreciation. There are no limits when it comes to decorating ideas, and you will find that almost any occasion or hobby can present the ideal theme for your desserts.

While birthdays and holidays present their own unique decorative themes, you will find that there are many all-purpose cupcake decorations that are ideal for any time of the year. Sports themed cupcakes are always exciting, and creating a batch of cupcakes with a beautiful snowflake design on a winter day when your kids are home from school can present great fun. Using fondant can create almost any shape or design and by implementing various colors your cupcakes can be as detailed or as simple as you like. Letting your kids help come up with ideas and decorations can be a great way to enjoy bonding time during snow days or when you simply have a bit of extra time together.

Cupcake decorating can also be a great way to celebrate milestones in life. Buying your first home can be a thrilling event, and creating cupcakes decorated with houses, contracts, or other symbolic decorations can be a great way to celebrate. Using white fondant to create a face with a toothless grin or even to create a tooth decoration can be a unique way to celebrate a child losing his or her first tooth, while making rulers and books can be a fun addition to a lunchbox on the first day of school.

If you are seeking cupcakes that can be created without the need for any occasion, you will find that you can do almost anything. Animals are always popular with kids, and creating cupcakes that have the names of your family members can be fun. Creating a certain number of cupcakes for each child in your home can be a great way to provide snacks and you can even implement a favorite color or design for each child. Your little ones will be thrilled to see that there are cupcakes in the batch that were specially designed just for them.
Creativity really is the heart of cupcake decorating. No matter how simple or intricate your designs, you will find that the people you share your desserts with will certainly be appreciative of your effort. Cupcakes are a delicious treat and a wonderful way to show off your skills. Whether you are looking to celebrate a special event or are just seeking to offer a fun dessert you will find that decorated cupcakes are a sure hit. There are perfect ideas for almost any occasion, and all you have to do is find the one that is right for you.

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photo credit: Melody @ Party Cupcake Ideas

My daughter and I had a fun time planning her Hello Kitty themed 6th birthday party. But ever since we were at Michael’s right after her 5th birthday and she saw the barbie doll cake kit, she had her heart set on that would be her next cake. Of course we would also be making Hello Kitty cupcakes. We had so much fun coming up with games and crafts for her special day. I used Oriental Trading and Michael’s for most of the decorations and supplies. One of the crafts was having the girls decorate their own mini barbie doll cakes with sprinkles and candy. We also took an old game, pin the tail on the donkey and gave it a Hello Kitty twist. We had the girls spin around and try and pin the bow on Hello Kitty.

photo credit: Melody @ Party Cupcake Ideas

The Hello Kitty cupcakes were easy to decorate as I just piped frosting for her face. Most of my time was spent creating and decorating the Barbie cake.

photo credit: Melody @ Party Cupcake Ideas

I found these cute mini Barbie dolls at Safeway of all places and they came in a plastic cupcake necklace. It’s hard for me to walk away from a cupcake toy I made mini cakes using a Wilton 4 mini’s pan, frosted with vanilla frosting and then covered with a circle of fondant colored with gel in pink and turquoise. Each girl would then be able to decorate the mini Barbie cakes with candy and sprinkles. Moms got to help and it turned out to be a fun birthday activity. One thing to note if you try this with young kids, I gave each girl a few tablespoons of frosting in a plastic baggie with the tip cut off so they could use it as glue for the candy. I think 3 of the girls decided it was best to just go ahead and pipe it all directly in their mouths. I guess it all evens out in the end.

photo credit: Melody @ Party Cupcake Ideas

photo credit: Melody @ Party Cupcake Ideas

The centerpiece for our birthday table was a Barbie cake. I used fondant to create the dress and decorations for Barbie. How fun was it to dress Barbie but we almost had a wardrobe malfunction. The delicate fondant straps were having difficulty sticking. My daughter especially loved the necklace and first thing asked if she could eat it too.

The Hello Kitty pinata was purchased through Oriental Trading and the girls all loved it. They even loved pulling the string and taking turns until the candy and Hello Kitty items fell out. I found a lot of Hello Kitty items in the dollar section at Target for the pinata. Can anyone tell why it’s always the last string available that opens the pinata?

Pin the Bow on Hello Kitty was a game all the girls loved playing. Trying not to get dizzy and silly with 8 girls was impossible.

Each guest was given a Hello Kitty box for her mini Barbie and candy.

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These crocodile cupcakes by chigginsiii look so fun. The teeth look so ferocious, I think I would have to eat a tail piece first.

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My daughter enjoys it when I read the American Girl books to her and her favorite character is Kit Kittredge. She even wanted her hair cut similar to Kit’s. When she turned 5, I took her to see the Kit Kittredge movie and she loved it so much she asked for an American Girl theme birthday party. Kit and Ruthie in the tree house are from an American cut out book and the tree house was made out of graham crackers. I used icing and melted chocolate candy to hold the graham crackers together. The ladder was borrowed from a lincoln log set. Cupcakes were chocolate with mint frosting and topped with Valentine hearts.

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Addi made these gorgeous lighthouse and seashell cupcakes for her boyfriends mom’s birthday. She made the lighthouse, star fish, and sand dollar out of fondant. I love the little sand dollars. I can remember looking for hours as a kid on the beach looking for that perfect sand dollar.

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I made these candy apple caramel cupcakes for a friends birthday party and they turned out very yummy and gooey. I was inspired by a blog post at Culinary In The Country and added the wood sticks so the cupcakes could be eaten like a candy apple. These cupcakes brought back fun memories of eating candy apples as a child.

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been read countless times in our house and I love this cupcake picture from J. McPherson. What a fun birthday cupcake idea for a childrens birthday party. The theme could be caterpillars and you could even have the book as party favors for the children to take home.

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