11 Summery Cupcake Toppers

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

By: Sugar & Cloth

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Photo By: Jared Smith Photography

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.