You may have heard of salad bars and various similar station-like setups. What you may not yet have heard of is something known as a cupcake topping bar. They are really easy to create and the are an impressive addition to any lunch or dinner spread. Here’s what you need to know about setting one up yourself.

Layout

One of the most important elements to consider is the layout of your cupcake topping bar. You need to make each of the ingredients easily accessible. This means that you need to consider layers. In other words, some of the items should be higher than others. Particularly the items at the back. You can use various items like cake stands to help create height. You can also place sturdy boxes under beautiful tablecloths to give them height without having to buy anything extra. You should also plan the layout so that you group the items according to need. Your cupcakes should be placed near the dessert plates, for example.

Cupcakes

Make sure that you offer a selection of cupcake flavours including vanilla and chocolate. Each of your cupcakes should be partially decorated. In other words, you should apply icing to the outer rim of the cupcake but leave the middle empty. This is where your guests are going to add the ingredients of their choice from your cupcake topping bar. For this reason, it is a good idea to keep your icing flavour neutral, like vanilla buttercream.

Toppings

There are plenty of topping options from which to choose and this is the whole point of a cupcake topping bar. Some of the best toppings include sauces (chocolate, caramel, strawberry, fruits of the forest, etc), sprinkles, chocolate chips, crushed nuts and fresh berries. Make sure that they each have their own spoon or can be poured so that the ingredients do not end up mixing anywhere other than your guests’ cupcakes.

Don’t forget to decorate your cupcake topping bar too! You can display various edible flowers in vases and you can use fresh fruit to add colour too. As long as all of your decorative items are edible or artificial and non-toxic, you can be sure that they will not cause any problems for your guests.