What is a Cupcake Stand?

For many people, cupcakes are a perfect dessert with just the right amount of cake and frosting to satisfy a sweet tooth. They’re also easy to make, or even easier to buy, but they do have one fallback. Stack cupcakes on top of each other, and the ones underneath get squished, the frosting gets wrecked and they’re no longer as pretty to serve. This issue is remedied by the cupcake stand, sometimes also a cupcake tree. The stand allows for placing lots of cupcakes on a display, without every creating the squished effect, and there are many different stands available to make or buy.

It’s fairly easy to find a cupcake stand or tree for home use, and these may differ in appearance. Those that are called trees, often have individual slots in which to place each cupcake, and they may hold anywhere from to 12 to 24 cupcakes. Trees are often made of metal, and when they’re filled with cupcakes, they’re an attractive way to serve dessert. A cupcake stand of this type typically has the most storage at the bottom of the tree and works its way up to a single cupcake on top, slightly reminiscent of a tree shape.

Other types of the cupcake stand are a series of circles or squares that are separated by a center base between each layer. These can have a few layers or many of them and can even be made at home with heavy cardboard and materials like Styrofoam, or round heavy cardboard rolls. Such stands can grow impressively large when people order cupcakes as dessert for large parties. Alternately, they can have just enough layers to stack a couple dozen cupcakes for a home party. Since people can make a cupcake stand, size of the stand really depends on individual needs and preferences.

Those who enjoy making and/or serving cupcakes, may be interested in purchasing a cupcake stand. There are plenty available at kitchen supply stores and in large department stores that feature kitchen or baking supplies. Many online stores stock them, and crafts stores may have them if they have cake decorating supplies. Crafts stores usually at least have materials to make a temporary stand.

Materials may vary in the cupcake stand, as can price. A variety of metal ones are available, and there are some very ornate made of glass and crystal. Stands can be very tall, so it may be a good idea to purchase one that can be disassembled or collapsed. This can make for easier storage. Frequent use could require a lot of cleaning, so bakers should also consider how well materials will hold up (especially metal) with frequent washing, and whether parts or all of the cupcake stand can be placed in the dishwasher.