Cupcakes instead of birthday cake... Yes or No?

[laurajetter]

For DS's 2nd birthday I'm doing a Sesame Street theme. I was thinking, instead of doing an entire decorated cake, maybe I could just do cupcakes that are decorated like a few of the individual character faces. I think the idea is cute, but a part of me would sort of miss the whole aspect of blowing out candles on a traditional cake, cutting it up for everyone, etc.

What do you all think? Do you like the idea of only serving cupcakes or do you like having the whole cake? Maybe I could do a small-medium cake from the local bakery (to satisfy the adults; the bakery does excellent but pricey work) and cupcakes for the real little kids. Just feeling a bit indecisive today!

 

[dzorn]

I've done it both ways. I usually do cup cakes and a separate small cake for birthday girl in the # of her birthday. Who says you cannot blow a candel out on a cupcake.

Denise in MI

 

[Tiggeroo]

I have seen even at our grocery store bakery wonderful cakes that are in fact cupcakes. They are decorated as a whole and then you just eat the cupcakes. I think cupcakes are great in the summer when everybody is hot and just would like a little something sweet. You can put candles on the cupcake tray. I would miss no candles too.

 

[AshleyMWC]

I think that sounds like a very cute idea, especially for kids of that age. It's easier to hand out, and each kid has the same size piece! Kids and cupcakes are a great cmobo in my opinion. Now, my friend had cupcakes as her wedding cake, and I thought that was much less cute- but to each thier own, she loved it!

 

[tink_n_pooh]

I love cupcakes. I think its a great idea.

And if they are chocolate with buttercream icing can you send me one?

 

[Hillbeans]

Laura, I went to a birthday party where they had about 24 cupcakes pushed very close together in a pan and they were decorated on top like a sheetcake. Then, when the time came to "cut" the cake, each piece was a cupcake.

It was a super idea!

 

[milkabum]

You can make a cupcake cake. Arrange the cupcakes closely together, forming a cake. The design can be spread across the entire "cake". Like these: http://users.adelphia.net/~suebaum/cupcakecakes.htm

 

[solferino]

I always do cupcakes when there are other kids involved- all the pieces are the same size, yadda yadda yadda. To make it more fun I bake them in traditional, flat bottom ice cream cones. No paper waste that way, either.

 

[tw1nsmom]

I think cupcakes are great! I even bought cupcake cakes for DS and DD to bring to school this year. Basically, they were cupcakes placed in a pattern to resemble something (a rainbow and a baseball). They were then frosted with copious amounts of icing so that when it was done you could hardly tell they were individual cupcakes. They just looked like one big cake that you could pull apart. I'll try to find some photos f something similar to show you what I mean.

I also really like the look of putting cupcakes on a tiered plate/cardboard stand. It gives it more the look of a layer cake.

 

[CEDmom]

If there's a lot of kids I'd do cupcakes. You can even bake them in ice cream cones for easy eating. Most party stores sell those icing decorations with different characters on them. You could put 1 on each cupcake.

 

[java]

Cupcakes are BIG! I think it is a great idea. And the idea of individual characters is a great one and at 2 you don't have to worry too much about everyone wanting the same character(or maybe you do?)

 

[Sir Ron]

And if they are chocolate with buttercream icing can you send me one?

I'll second that!

 

[tw1nsmom]

Here's a link for an Elmo cupcake cake: http://www.cakesbytara.com/cakepics/elmocupcakecake.jpg


Wilson's also has some metal stands to arrange cupcakes on: http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-7/qid=1184182109/ref=sr_1_7/601-0561113-3382556?ie=UTF8&asin=B000EN6CNC

 

[poohluvrs]

Cupcakes are easier to serve too! I would do the cupcakes & put a candle in the bday boys! Or you can get a tiered cupcake holder, so the one on top can be his like the top of a cake w/ the candle in it....

 

[Tiggeroo]

sams club does cupcake cakes too. Some look like those pics of a whole cake others are like a field of daisies

 

[mommasita]

Cupcakes are what we do all the time..We still do the candle thing.

I do them in ice cream cones as well.

YUMMY

 

[pfishgirl]

Oooohhh I LOVE Cupcakes and they are the perfect size for Little one's bellies.. No need to worry about how big to make slices..

My brother had a Beautiful Cup Cake Wedding Cake

 

[GraysMom]

We did cupcakes for DS's second birthday. I have one of those cupcake towers so all the cupcakes went into that. I actually just did sprinkles on the cupcakes to match the party colors (I'm not so good on the decorating stuff!). DS blew out a #2 candle on his cupcake, and I liked having only one open flame to deal with. The other kids were happy they didn't have to wait for the cake to be cut, and then try and use a fork to eat it.

My main reason for doing cupcakes though, is that I'm a bit germaphobic. I hate having the birthday boy/girl blow all over the entire cake . Especially at 2-3 years old, some kids don't know how to just blow at the candle and not spit all over the cake! I always worry when the birthday child is sneezing/stuffy about whether DS will end up sick after the party (I know I'm anal, but that's just the way I am!).

 

[Handbag Lady]

I'd check with the birthday person first, then I'd go ahead with the cupcake cake idea and use candles.

When I was a kid when dinosaurs walked the earth, my favorite part about birthdays was getting to pick out the cake. My mom made fancy cakes, so it was really fun and we had the best parties ever. We even got to go to the Cake Palace with mom to pick out the style and decorations she'd do for us. *sigh*

 

[laurajetter]

Wow, thanks everyone! I didn't realize cupcakes were so popular. I really like the idea of the cupcake cake... I'd like to try it myself, but I'm not sure how to get the base layer of frosting spread so smoothly over the cupcakes like in this link:

You can make a cupcake cake. Arrange the cupcakes closely together, forming a cake. The design can be spread across the entire "cake". Like these: http://users.adelphia.net/~suebaum/cupcakecakes.htm

Is that regular frosting or is it something that's professional grade which should be left up to a bakery to do? Oh, and do you place all the cupcakes close together before baking, or do you bake them normally and then arrange them close together afterwards?