Whether topped with swirls of frosting or a shiny glaze, decorated with flowers or piped lettering, cupcakes are the ultimate dessert for a party to celebrate a mom-to-be.
01of 15
Planning a party for someone who's expecting a baby is a great opportunity to have a little fun with desserts, and cupcakes are the perfect basis. They're portable, easy to serve to guests, and most can be made ahead of time. We also appreciate that you don't need to serve them with anything, although a simple fruit salad is always welcome. Last but not least, there's something kid-like about them, which feels just right when you're celebrating the impending arrival of a new little one.
But what makes a cupcake baby shower-worthy? The net is wide, yet a few pitch-perfect themes do bubble up: flowers, fruits, and cute animals. All of them convey a happy feeling that's definitely on-point for an event like this. If flowers are the mom-to-be's fancy, you'll find some inspiring options in the slides ahead, including cupcakes topped with real flowers, like the Brownie Cupcakes with Sugared Pansies pictured here. We also have diminutive cakes decorated with frosting made to look strikingly like real chrysanthemums and sunflowers, but you may want to do a test run first to get the technique down (none of them require professional skills, so a little practice will make perfect).
For fruit-lovers, there are Passion Fruit-Filled Cupcakes and Nectarine Cupcakes, as well as our Vanilla Cupcakes with Fruit Glaze made with cherries and raspberries (though you can use other fruits, too, like peaches or plums). And on the adorable animal front, we've certainly got you covered with cupcakes that resemble kid-friendly caterpillars and owls.
Of course, any cupcake truly works for a baby shower if you want it to. We certainly wouldn't argue with a Cappuccino-Chocolate Cupcake or one decorated with cream cheese frosting, sprinkles, and berries.
02of 15
Chrysanthemum Cupcakes
A dazzling chrysanthemum seems to spring directly from the buttercream icing of this pretty cupcake.
View Recipe
03of 15
"Parade" Cupcakes
Simple and charming, these cupcakes feature cream cheese frosting, sprinkles, and fresh berries. Whether you line them up into a parade-like configuration or arrange them in rows on a platter, they're sure to command attention.
View Recipe
04of 15
Rose and Ginger Cupcakes
A glaze tinted pastel pink sets to a very smooth sheen atop these little cakes that pack a sweet gingery punch. One or two sugared rose petals make an elegant finish.
View Recipe
05of 15
Passion Fruit-Filled Cupcakes
Passion fruit curd in the center of these cupcakes infuses them with a sweet surprise while vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream nicely complements the fruit's sweet-tart flavor
View Recipe
06of 15
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
A fun way to serve cupcakes to a baby shower crowd, this dessert looks like a sheet cake on top but there are actually vanilla-coconut cupcakes underneath the fresh berries and fluffy whipped-cream frosting. It's easy to make and even easier to serve.
View Recipe
07of 15
Cappuccino-Chocolate Cupcakes
These sophisticated cupcakes consist of espresso- and chocolate-laced cake topped with fluffy white frosting. Pro tip: Finely chop the chocolate in small shards so they won't sink in the batter.
View Recipe
08of 15
Sunflower Cupcakes
To make these happy-looking cupcakes, you use sunny yellow buttercream for the flower petals, and mini candy-coated sunflower seeds for the flower centers.
View Recipe
09of 15
Meringue Flower Cupcakes
Get your pastry bag ready for these lovely cakes, which feature meringue flowers and petals in a variety of shapes and sizes. You pipe them onto a baking sheet, then bake until dry. They're gorgeous atop frosted cupcakes.
View Recipe
10of 15
Pull-Apart Vanilla-Wafer Cupcake Cake with Berries
Fun for a baby shower, this dessert looks like sheet cake on top, but there are actually vanilla-coconut cupcakes underneath the fresh berries and fluffy whipped-cream frosting.
View Recipe
11of 15
Polka-Dot Cupcakes
Spell out whatever message you'd like for the parents-to-be on these cupcakes, which are flavored with orange zest, from "Congratulations" to "Oh, baby!"
View Recipe
12of 15
Nectarine Cupcakes
Filled and topped with fresh stone fruit, these are the perfect dessert for a summertime baby shower.
View Recipe
13of 15
Owl Cupcakes
Whooooo wouldn't love these adorable owls? Twisted open Oreo (or similar) cookies form the eyes along with button-shaped candies, while sliced almonds create the feathers.
View Recipe
14of 15
Caterpillar Cupcake
Arranging cupcakes in a curvy line makes them look like a cute caterpillar; just position a larger one with eyes and antennae (aka mini candy canes, licorice sticks or pretzels) at the front.
View Recipe
15of 15
Chocolate Heart Cupcakes
Show your love for the new parents with these decadent chocolate cupcakes, we decorated half the batch with chocolate hearts stamped out of the cupcakes with a cookie cutter, while the other half is topped with vanilla frosting hearts. You could do the entire batch one way for an equally delicious and striking look.
View Recipe