Friday, February 20, 2009

Darned Festive: A Cupcake Stand

Laura's class celebrates birthdays once a month, and L's birthday is coming up soon, so today another mom of a birthday girl and I brought treats up to school in the afternoon. I volunteered to bring cupcakes, and the other mom brought drinks, plates, and napkins. The problem is that this school has a rule that no homemade treats can be brought in, if the whole class is going to eat them. I guess this is an anti-allergy measure. But it results in so-so storebought cakes and cookies being served. I'm unthrilled about this, not just because I think we could make them better at home, but because the presentation is not that nice, you know? I guess I tend to harp on the presentation thing, but those plastic store boxes, with the sticky barcode labels, are a buzzkill to me. Yes, I should probably just relax and yes, second graders probably don't notice, but I ask you, couldn't our stars shine just a little bit brighter? Yes they could.

So I've done different things with the whole school-party situation, but this week I found these Wilton cupcake stands at Michael's.

This is the small stand, it holds 13 cupcakes. There's a medium one (23 cupcakes) and a large stand (38 cupcakes, good Lord). The little one was on sale for $7.99. I thought this was a good, flexible size, because you could use it to serve muffins on for your family or a small group--you don't have to make two dozen of something to use it, or to have forlorn, empty tiers like you might with the big stand. It would make a cute centerpiece too.

I got two of the small stands and loaded them with cupcakes for the class. It was very cheery-looking, and the kids seemed to like choosing their cupcakes off the stands. The Target cupcakes had a little more zing, this way. I'm sure the other mom was cursing her Capri Suns and wishing she'd properly decanted them, perhaps into cut glass punch cups. I kid!

I'm trying to think of more things I could put on those tiers, besides baked goods. Votive candles? Mini cheeseburgers? Hey, I could go get a bunch at Krystal and fancy 'em up. Cocktails and mini burgers at my house!

10 comments:

Amy said...

That is a really cute cupcake stand! You did Laura proud. I like the votive idea, but would it drip everywhere? Better stick to Krystal, in that case.

Michele said...

Presentation always makes things taste better.

I rarely make cupcakes but the muffin idea would work for me.

Jane said...

I love the idea of a Krystal burger stand! So festive!

Also, maybe you could get some of those little silicone cupcake cups and use them to present single servings of fruit or candy.

Camp Papa said...

A tower of whiskey sours?

Keely said...

You? Are a nerd.

Though a nerd after my own heart.

Anonymous said...

Cute, indeed.

And, apropos of very little except that you used the phrase "mini cheeseburgers"... when my father was living with us, he and my husband would, invariably, end every food-based phrase with "...sprinkled with cheeseburgers."
Thus:
ME: What's for dinner?
HIM: Spaghetti... sprinkled with cheeseburgers.

Every. Time.

Casey said...

I would have NEVER thought about looking for a cupcake stand. You're a genius!
I think the "no home baked goods" think is weird too but I get it. I also appreciate it since I'm a germophobe and won't eat anything from someone's house. I know, weird. When I worked at a school, I was so paranoid that I had half of the office staff not eating home baked goods since my paranoid talk rubbed off on them. Heh.

The Dental Maven said...

No home-made treats rule?? And I thought our school system was wierd.

Anonymous said...

Cheeseburgers - snort!!

Sara said...

No doubt, anything you get to eat from that stand is going to taste way better than if it had just come from a plate or tray.
I was getting all excited thinking about how much *funner* breakfast would be. Cornbread muffins, jello shots...anything.
Endless possibilities indeed. Good call.