Cupcakes In Plastic Cups – 4 Creative And Fun Ideas

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Last Updated on April 9, 2022

We have the best ideas and cutest ideas for cupcakes in plastic cups. These are all incredibly easy to make and incredibly versatile.

These individual cupcakes work great for birthday parties, kitchen teas, or any special occasion!

What Are Cupcakes In Plastic Cups?

When people use the term “cupcakes in plastic cups”, many are baffled about what exactly this refers to. Cupcakes in plastic cups are a way to store and transport individually wrapped cupcakes.

Now, there are a few ways in which this can be done, and we are not even talking about the type of packaging you choose to use!

Cupcakes can be pre-baked in a cupcake liner and then added into a plastic cup. This cup can either perfectly fit the cupcake, or it can hold the cupcake at the top. Leave a gap at the bottom for candies or other treats you can add.

Then, you can also create a cupcake inside of the cup. You can make pre-cut layers of cake lined with frosting or jam. Essentially you are making a mini cake. At the top, you simply decorate it like you would a regular cupcake.

Cupcakes are only one of thousands of plastic cup desserts ideas. These are all easy to portion for budget control, easy to transport, and easy to serve and eat.

Can you bake cupcakes inside plastic cups?

Unfortunately, these treats cannot be baked inside plastic cups. Plastic packaging is not heat-proof and will completely warp (even melt) inside of the oven. Not to mention the dangerous gasses they release!

Now, if it was maybe a silicone cup, that’s a different story! But, silicone is also not completely transparent, so you won’t be able to see your beautifully decorated cupcake.

Furthermore, silicone is more expensive than plastic cups, making it rather impractical.

Different Kinds Of Plastic Cups For Cupcakes

There are a few different types of individual cupcake holders. Or even just ways to serve cupcakes in plastic cups. Let’s have a look at some of our favorites. We know you will love these cupcakes in plastic cups too!

Cups with lids

If you have ever bought ice cream from a fast-food chain store, you probably know what we are talking about. These are plastic cups that look like regular drink cups, however, they also come with a domes lid.

They come in a variety of diameters which makes them perfect for all sizes of cupcakes. And, the domes lid will help prevent the piped frosting and garnished from squishing!

You can also use these types of cups to create a mini cake-like cupcake inside. Make sure to use a cup that isn’t too deep.

TashiBox 9 Ounce -100 Pack plastic cups with dome lids | Bulk Party Cups 

Individual cupcake cup

These cupcake cups are made to fit one single cupcake perfectly. It functions as a regular takeaway container where the top simply folds open but is still attached to the container.

These cups also often come in a variety of shapes, but not really sizes (seeing as all cupcakes are basically the same in size). They are also almost always stackable, making mass transport a breeze!

Katgely Individual Cupcake Container –  Stackable – Deep Dome – Clear Plastic – BPA-Free

Baking cups with plastic lids

Now, while you won’t find any plastic cupcake liners, you will be able to find some aluminum foil ones that come with a transparent plastic domed lid.

These can be used to directly bake and cool cupcakes. Then, all that is left to do is decorate them and add your lid. These can also be stackable to make storage and transport much more convenient.

And, the foil liners even come in a variety of colors. Now, you can adjust the color to your themed occasion!

Aluminum Foil Baking Cups with Lids, Gold Dessert Baking Cups  for Wedding, Various Holiday Parties

How To Pack Cupcakes In Plastic Cups?

So, the exact steps for packing cupcakes in plastic cups will mainly depend on what cup you use and what you want to achieve (visually).

1. Building cupcakes in plastic cups

Building a cupcake into a plastic cup is probably the most difficult and time-consuming of all these techniques. However, it is also probably the most creative and visually appealing option too.

First, the cups that work the best are ones with straight sides and that are about as high as a regular cupcake is (roughly 2 1/4-inches). The dome will have to hold the decorated top.

Then, measure the diameter of your cup. Cup circles from either pre-baked cupcakes or layers of sheet cake. Then, layer some cake and frosting until it reaches the top of your bottom cup.

Finally, decorate the cupcake with frosting and garnished, and add the top dome. Make sure that the dome doesn’t squish the cupcake.

2. Adding cupcake in a large cup with a domed lid

For this technique, you want a taller cup so that you can place more treats or decorations below the cupcake. Just make sure that the top of the cup is a little smaller than the diameter of the top of your cupcake. This way you can create a snug fit and the cupcake won’t fall to the bottom.

Before adding the cupcake, simply add your decorations or treats first. Then, gently slide the cupcake into the cup. Finally, decorate it and add the domes lid.

3. Adding cupcakes into an individual plastic holder

If you are only looking for a way to transport individual cupcakes then you can completely make and decorate them as you normally would. Once you are done, you can slide each into an individual holder and close it carefully.

4. Baking in aluminum foil cups

Baking cupcakes in these aluminum foil cups requires no special steps. You can even still use cooking spray to help prevent them stick.

Once baked, they have to be completely cooled before you can decorate them. This might take a little bit longer as they are better at retaining heat. Once decorated, simply pop on the domed plastic lid and stack.

Final Words

As you can see, there are loads of cupcakes in a cup ideas you can try. If you have any others, feel free to let us know in the comments below!

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