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Next Up

11 Summery Cupcake Toppers

By: Sugar & Cloth

 

Deck your dessert spread with these themed cupcakes that will fit right in at the beach, on a picnic or at your backyard barbecue.

 

Photo: Jared Smith Photography
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Summer Sweets Are Tops

Cupcakes are cute, easy-to-make, hand-held treats — great for laid-back outdoor gatherings. But sometimes a plain frosted top falls flat against a sparkling summer setting. Instead, start with a Red Velvet Cupcake or Vanilla Cupcake base, and add these simple summer-inspired toppers for summer party desserts that are as jaw-dropping as they are delicious.

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Snow Cone Cupcake

When the heat waves start rolling in, everyone races for the nearest snow cone stand. By using crystal sugar sprinkles, edible food coloring spray and a striped straw, you can make your very own snow cones sans the quick-melting problem.

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Beach Ball Cupcake

Add a gumball beach ball to cinnamon-sugar-sanded frosting for a cupcake that really screams "pool days." Kids can help color stripes onto white gumballs with edible food markers as a fun summertime activity too.

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Burger-and-Fries Cupcake

This burger-and-fries topper nods to boardwalk lunches and grilling with the family — two of summer's most-frequent activities. You don’t have to worry about weird mustard flavors with these, though — the sour patch gummies are just as sweet as icing, and you can pick them up at most local candy stores.

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Shark Fin Cupcake

These may not be the best to serve for eating at the beach, but they definitely make a statement. Tint vanilla icing blue with edible food spray dye, then top the blue "waters" with a gray fondant shark fin.

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Edible Flower Cupcake

Edible flowers are surprisingly inexpensive, yet they add a stunning pop of color to simply frosted cupcakes. You can find them in the produce section of most specialty and organic grocery stores.

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Ice Cream Cone Cupcake

If ice cream isn’t the No. 1 summer staple, we don’t know what is! Simply add a marshmallow ice cream cone candy from the candy store on top of vanilla-frosted cupcakes.

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Lemon Drop Cupcakes

Add a little sour to a sweet cupcake with mini lemon drop candies. Green fondant leaves give these suckers the illusion of real miniature lemons.

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Beach Umbrella Cupcakes

Who knew a colorful food pick and paper circle (hot-glued in place) could make such a statement cupcake topper? What's even better is that your summer cupcakes will get some shade too!

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Giant Flower Cupcake

Use a lollipop top for an easy and colorful decoration that can match any party. This decorative striped flower is just the sunny topper your dessert spread needs.

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Candied Fruit Cupcake

Everyone loves a cupcake topper that's just as delicious as the cake itself (and icing, of course), and candied real fruit slices add the perfect (all-natural) touch. You can make them yourself, or experiment with any candied or dried fruits.

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Fresh Fruit Cupcake

For a no-fail, quick idea, top a flavored cupcake with some of your favorite fruits (mixing and matching encouraged). Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and peach slices are some summer favorites.

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