You can give cupcakes as gifts without making a mess.
If you enjoy baking but have avoided giving cupcakes as gifts because you are concerned about making a mess, you no longer have to worry. If you haven't tried baking but know of a place that sells cupcakes that you would like to give as presents, there are gift-wrapping techniques you can use to give the cupcakes a personal touch. Here's what to do to protect your gift cupcakes after you've put the frosting on homemade ones or have taken store-bought ones out of the box.
Instructions
1. Invest in individual cupcake holders for single cupcakes, or a cupcake carrying case if you want to give a set of cupcakes as a gift (see Resources for examples). These holders keep cupcakes from shifting around; your cupcakes are safe as long as you keep them upright.
2. Find a sturdy attractive box in which the cupcake holder or carrying case fits securely, to keep the cupcakes from jiggling around. Tie gift ribbon around the sturdy box as a finishing touch. You don't need wrapping paper, as you are giving edible perishable items as a present: You don't want the box to disappear along with the other gifts your recipient may casually overlook.
3. Get a small gift bag for a single cupcake, if you prefer. Set the cupcake holder--containing the cupcake--right side up in the center of a sheet of gift tissue. Gather the edges of the tissue together so that the cupcake is enclosed inside the tissue. Stuff the cupcake wrapped up in tissue into the gift bag, allowing the ends of the tissue to flare out of the bag's opening for a decorative touch.
4. Stick a gift card on the box or gift bag. Other than your name and the name of your recipient, the gift card should include the words, "Keep Refrigerated." This will send the message to your recipient about the importance of eating or putting away your gift immediately while still maintaining the mystery of what is in the box or bag.
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