Learn how to make your own easy DIY cupcake stand to display your gorgeous cupcakes and cakes at birthday parties, wedding reception or just any event. Use this tutorial to let your creative juices flow and customize it further for your next party!
This tiered cupcake display stand can be used not just for cupcakes, but also a small cake at the top. It is a perfect way to display cupcakes and other sweet treats and save space at your dessert table. You can add more layers to this stand to create taller dessert towers.
Here is a DIY cupcake stand cum cake holder I made for a customer for a set of Olaf cake and Frozen cupcakes. She ordered a 6 inches round cake and some cupcakes to go with it. So she was looking for a stand that could fit both the cake and cupcakes.
She was initially looking for any cake or cupcake stands she could rent, but since I did not have any, I proposed to make one for her instead.
This was quite an easy DIY cupcake stand, made using wrapping papers, cake boards and Styrofoam dummies.
This tutorial is a remake of my original cupcake display stand. And that is simply because I did not manage to capture any step by step images while I was making it for my customer. It will be easier for you to follow the tutorial if I include detailed images on how I put the stand together. Hence the remake with detailed images.
There will be slight variations in my tutorial below as compared to the completed DIY cupcake stand you see in the image above, especially with regards to the wrapping papers I used as I was unable to find the ones I used for my original project.
Jump to:
❤️Why you will love this tutorial
- Easy to assemble. The tutorial lays down clear step by step guidance, and you can assemble the stand fairly quickly.
- The materials used to make the stand are relatively cheap and can be easily purchased from local craft stores.
- The cost of making your own cake stand will only be a fraction of the cost of a complete cake stand purchased elsewhere.
- You can customize the cake stand to match and complement your party theme colors.
📋Supplies required
- Styrofoam dummies - I used 2 Styrofoam dummies, one measuring 6 inches in diameter and the other measuring 10 inches in diameter. Both were 4 inches high and I purchased these dummies at a local cake decorating supply shop. You can also get these at your local craft supplies stores.
- Wrapping papers - I chose silver and royal blue colors for this project because the stand was made for a Frozen themed party. You can also use scrapbook paper if you like.
- Cake boards or cardboard cake circle - I used 3 cake boards in total. The first 2 were in the exact same size as the Styrofoam dummies, i.e., 6 inches and 10 inches. The third one measured 15 inches.
- Hot glue gun & glue stick, paper glue - I used 2 types of glue, one is a paper glue which I used to stick my wrapping papers around the cake boards and Styrofoam and the other is the hot glue which I used to assemble the cupcake stand.
- Scissors and ruler - These were basically to measure and cut the wrapping papers.
✂️How to make
- I used 2 Styrofoam dummies as the main base for the holder. In deciding on the sizes of the Styrofoam dummies, main consideration was the size of the cake that was going on the top tier of the holder and the size of the cupcakes that are to be put on the subsequent tiers.
Choose the size
- For this DIY cupcake stand project, my cake size was 5 inches round in diameter, and so I used a 6 inch round cake dummy for the top tier of the holder so that my cake could fit well on it. In deciding on the diameter of the next tier, I measured the diameter of my cupcakes. I had to make sure that the second tier was large enough to hold the 6 inches dummy that made the first tier of the cake stand as well as to fit a row of my cupcakes all around it.
- My cupcakes measured approximately 2 inches in diameter. That means there had to be at least 2 inches space all around the 6-inch dummy that was resting on the second tier of my stand. This in turn meant that the diameter of the second tier had to be 4 inches larger (2 times 2 inches) than the first tier.
- So my second Styrofoam dummy measured 10 inches in diameter (6 inches + 4 inches). And finally, for the third tier (which was just a layer of cake board), I added another 4 inches to the second tier dummy which means I needed a cake board measuring 15 inches (11 inches + 4 inches).
- As for the 3 cake boards I used for the project (as I have listed above), the sizes I used were 6, 10, and 15 inches round. The 15 inches board made the base of the cupcake holder. The 6-inch one was used on top of the 6-inch dummy. The 10-inch board was used on top of the 10-inch dummy.
Prepare the cake boards
- The first step was wrapping the cake boards with my wrapping paper. I used blue colored wrapping paper for this purpose and started with the smallest cake board. Placed it on the reverse side of the blue wrapping paper. Draw a circle following the size of your cake board. And then draw another circle around the first one, giving an extra allowance of 1 inch all around the cake board. Cut it out.
- The extra 1-inch allowance is for wrapping the paper around your cake board. Since its a circle, for ease of wrapping, snip the paper in about one-inch intervals all around. Make sure the snipping does not go beyond the inside circle.
- And then place your cake board in the center. Apply paper glue on the wrapping paper that shows around the cake board.
- And then, wrap the paper all around your cake board. Here is how I started mine:
- And this was how it looked when completed. You would need to adjust and make smaller folds on the wrapping paper as you go around your cake board. The idea is to make sure its snugly wrapped.
- Turn the board around and your cake board should look something like this:
- Go ahead and wrap the remaining 2 cake boards in the same way.
Prepare the dummy blocks
- Next, prepare the Styrofoam dummies. I wrapped mine in silver wrapping paper. The first step you need to do is to measure the height of the dummies. Mine were 4 inches high.
- And then, mark it on the reverse side of your wrapping paper, giving one-inch allowance at the top and bottom. The idea is to basically cut a strip of paper that is long enough to wrap the sides of the Styrofoam dummy. The extra 1 inch allowances are to secure the edges neatly once it's wrapped around the dummies.
- Here is my paper strip looked like after cutting. Notice how I made small snips on both ends of the strip. This is to ease the wrapping process.
- After that, apply paper glue all over the strip. Place the dummy right in the center, and wrap the paper securely around it.
- Once you have the paper all around the sides, cut off the excess. Secure the ends, similar to the cake boards earlier. This was how I started:
- And this was how it looked like after completion:
- Go ahead and wrap the remaining dummy in the same way.
Assemble the stand
- Next is the assembly process. Start with the largest cake board. Placed the larger of the 2 wrapped cake dummies right in the center. Glue these together with hot glue. And then attach your second-largest cake board on top. This should be the same size as the Styrofoam dummy it is placed on.
- Continue with the smaller cake dummy and then the smallest cake board right on top. Secure all in place with hot glue.
- Here is the completed DIY cupcake stand. I have my cupcake casings on it, just to show how the cupcakes fit well on the stand.
And that's that. Your DIY cupcake stand is pretty much done. You can decorate it further if you like or use it as it is.
Here is the image of the original DIY stand I made for a Frozen themed party order.
💡Expert tips
- Instead of wrapping the foam blocks with wrapping paper, you can also spray paint them. Let them dry completely before assembling the stand.
- Use satin or silk cloth to wrap the cake boards and the foam block or use satin ribbon to wrap the top rim of the foam blocks for a classy look and elegant cupcake display stand.
- Instead of using hot glue, you can also use double-sided tape or strong double-sided carpet tape to wrap the cake boards and the foam blocks.
- Cake board can be substituted with cardboard cake circles.
Do you like this tutorial? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐rating in the recipe card below and consider a review further down this page. I would love to hear from you. Thank you!
📖Recipe
DIY Cupcake Stand (How to Make)
This DIY cupcake stand is not only easy to make, it can be customized to your party theme colors and can even hold a cake on its topmost tier.
Print
Pin
Rate
Yield: 26 cupcakes
Equipment
- Styrofoam dummies - Two Styrofoam dummies measuring 4 inches high. One with a 6 inches in diameter and the other with a 10 inches diameter.
- Wrapping papers - Silver and royal blue colors You can use any colors your like, or use scrapbook paper if you like.
- Cake boards or cardboard cake circle - 3 round cake boards measuring 6 inches, 10 inches and 15 inches in diameter.
- Hot glue gun & glue stick, paper glue - Paper glue is to stick the wrapping papers around the cake boards and Styrofoam and the hot glue is to assemble the cupcake stand.
- Scissors and ruler - To measure and cut the wrapping papers.
For best results, use the metrics measurements. US customary measurements have not been tested and are only meant for guide.
Ingredients
- 26 cupcakes
- 1 cake
Instructions
Measuring the cake boards
- Measure the diameter of your cake. Choose a cake board that is one inch larger than the cake. For example, if your cake is 5 inches in diameter, choose first cake board 1 inch larger, i.e. 6 inches in diameter.
- Next, measure the diameter of your cupcakes. Choose the next cake board to with the diameter that adds the diameter of the cake board in the step above, plus 2 times the diameter of your cupcakes. For example, if your cupcakes are 2 inches in diameter, choose a cake board that is at least 10 inches in diameter (i.e. 6 inches plus (2 X 2 inches)).
- And finally, for the third tier (which was just a layer of cake board), add another 2 times of your cupcakes diameter to the measurement of the earlier second cake board. For example, if the 2nd tier cake board is 10 inches and your cupcakes measure 2 inches in diameter, the diameter of the third cake board should be at least 14 inches (10 inches + 4 inches).
Preparing the cake boards
- The first step is to wrap the cake boards. I used blue colored wrapping paper for this purpose. Start with the smallest cake board. Place it on the reverse side of the blue wrapping paper. Draw a circle following the size of your cake board. And then draw another circle around the first one, giving an extra allowance of 1 inch all around the cake board. Cut it out.
- The extra 1-inch allowance is for wrapping the paper around your cake board. Since its a circle, for ease of wrapping, snip the paper in about one-inch intervals all around. Make sure the snipping does not go beyond the inside circle.
- And then place your cake board in the center. Apply paper glue on the wrapping paper that shows around the cake board.
- And then, wrap the paper all around your cake board. You would need to adjust and make smaller folds on the wrapping paper as you go around your cake board. The idea is to make sure its snugly wrapped.
- Wrap the remaining 2 cake boards in the same way.
Preparing the dummy blocks
- Next, prepare the Styrofoam dummies. I wrapped mine in silver wrapping paper. The first step you need to do is to measure the height of the dummies. And then, mark it on the reverse side of your wrapping paper, giving one-inch allowance at the top and bottom. The idea is to basically cut a strip of paper that is long enough to wrap the sides of the Styrofoam dummy. The extra 1 inch allowances at the top and bottom are to secure the edges neatly once it's wrapped around the dummies. Make small snips on both ends of the strip. This is to ease the wrapping process.
- After that, apply paper glue all over the strip. Place the dummy right in the center, and wrap the paper securely around it.
- Once you have the paper all around the sides, cut off the excess. Secure the ends, similar to the cake boards earlier. Wrap the remaining dummy in the same way.
Assembling the stand
- Next is the assembly process. Start with the largest cake board. Place the larger of the 2 wrapped cake dummies on top, right in the center. Glue these together with hot glue. And then attach your second-largest cake board on top of the dummy. This should be the same size as the Styrofoam dummy it is placed on.
- Continue with the smaller cake dummy and then the smallest cake board right on top. Secure all in place with hot glue.
- Let the glue dry completely before using the stand to place your cake and cupcakes.
Nutrition
Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.6g | Protein: 2.9g | Fat: 5.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.4g | Cholesterol: 12.6mg | Sodium: 212.5mg | Potassium: 52.3mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 19.5g | Vitamin A: 40.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @decorated_treats or tag #decoratedtreats!
Leave a Reply