If you’re the mom of a little girl, it’s very likely that you will be channeling your inner princess at least once during her childhood to pull together the perfect princess birthday party. And let’s face it, you want your little princess to feel special and for her royal court (aka her girlfriends) to be in awe from the invitations to the cake.

Oh yes, the cake. How do you create a castle, a tiara or a fairytale dress (with a Barbie sticking out the top) molded from flour and layered with sugar without collapsing from stress? Well, there are moms out there who can do it and I say, “you go girls,” but for those of you who are looking for a fun approach that won’t make you a nervous wreck, I’ve got the princess cupcake castle for you.

Here’s what you’ll need in addition to your cupcakes (which can be from the box, or better yet, from the grocery store):

• 3 cake plate sizes (12″, 10″ and 8″ shown)
• Craft paper
• Lollipop sticks
• Sugar cones
• Pink melting chocolate
• Tooth picks
• Curling ribbon
• Cloth ribbon
• Glue gun
• Silicone brush

And here are the simple steps:

1. Cake plate embellishing:
   • For the bottom tier, using a scallop ruler cut out the design on thick craft paper (DCWV green embossed polka dots shown). Apply to the cake plate with a glue gun and then trim with a fuchsia ribbon. (NOTE: Apply the glue to the paper, not the plate. To clean up, simply pull it away.)
   • For the top tier, apply the same ribbon as the bottom tier using hot glue.
2. Castle towers – melt pink chocolate (available in the baking section of craft stores) in a double boiler and apply to sugar ice cream cones using a silicone brush. (TIP: Place the cone on a lollipop stick so that you can ice all the way to the bottom of the cone.)
3. Castle flag – using the same craft paper as the scallop, cut two rectangles (1 ¾” x 5/8″) and then trim a triangle out of one end. Pipe hot glue to the inside of the paper; insert a toothpick and then top with the second rectangle.
4. Princess scepter/wand – take a lollipop stick and apply a dot of (non-toxic) glue about 1 ½” from one end. Apply an end of green curling ribbon and then roll the stick in your fingers to stripe it like a candy cane to the top of the stick. Apply another dot of glue to secure the ribbon. Curl 6″ strands of green, blue and pink curling ribbon with a pair of scissors. Starting with the green and ending with the pink, layer the curling ribbon on top of the stick.
5. Embellishing cupcakes – ice each cupcake with pink icing and sprinkle sugar around the edges of each. For the cupcakes in the middle tier, tie them with the fuchsia ribbon. (TIP: Apply the ribbon before icing.) Insert your princess scepters in every other cupcake on the bottom and middle tier, alternating positions. (Do not insert scepters in the front facing side of your tier.

Rather see than read? Check out our how to video: