• Offer different flavors of mini cupcakes for variety.cupcakes image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
  
  Cupcakes offer a sweet little treat in a cute presentation. Although standard-size cupcakes are the most common, mini cupcakes allow for some creative decorating ideas. Whether for a birthday party, shower, wedding or dinner party, you can easily whip up a batch of mini cupcakes that will please the palettes of your guests.
  
  

Cupcake pops

• Miniature cupcakes can work well as cupcake pops. The small size of the cupcakes allows them to stay on the lollipop stick better than full-sized cupcakes. Dip the bottom half of the cupcake in melted chocolate. Chocolate candy wafers sold at craft stores work well because the chocolate hardens quickly. Press a lollipop stick into the bottom of the cupcake after dipping it in the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to harden. Decorate the top of the cupcake with frosting as you would a regular cupcake. Another option is to dip the top half of the cupcake in a contrasting color of melted chocolate.
  
  

Cupcake kebabs

• Cupcake kebabs are a creative twist on dessert. Bamboo skewers are used as the kebab stick. You can find them in the cooking section of most stores. Slide a mini cupcake onto the skewer. Add strawberries, pineapple chunks and other fruit pieces that go well with the particular cupcake flavor. Add another mini cupcake, followed by more fruit. Add a final mini cupcake at the end of the skewer. Serve the cupcake kebabs with chocolate sauce.
  
  

Flowers

• A cupcake bouquet makes a pretty centerpiece and as a gift for different occasions. Ice each cupcake to resemble a flower. Press a bamboo skewer or long lollipop stick into the bottom of each cupcake. A terra cotta flower pot works well as the container for the cupcake bouquet. Paint the flower pot to match the gift-giving occasion or holiday. Place a chunk of floral foam in the pot. Cover it with floral moss. Press the skewers or lollipop sticks into the floral foam to complete the arrangement.
  
  

Taste samplers

• The small size of mini cupcakes makes them ideal if you want to offer a variety of cupcake flavors. Your guests can easily eat two or more of the cupcakes, allowing for a little variety in their dessert. In addition to traditional white and chocolate cupcakes, offer specialty flavors such as carrot cake, German chocolate, lemon or strawberry cakes. Add signs next to each flavor so the guests know what they're trying.