The Best Cupcake Holder of 2024

Buyer’s Guide to Finding a Cupcake Holder

To buy a cupcake holder, there’s a lot that you have to keep in mind. Most people need a cupcake holder for a baking business, others simply need one to serve the treats at a party.

The aforementioned products were listed keeping all these needs and technicalities in mind, while this section will help you further narrow down our selection and choose a cupcake holder that best fulfills your needs and pleases your aesthetic sense.

Features to Look For in a Cupcake Holder

Capacity

How many cupcakes can the cupcake holder accommodate is perhaps the most important thing to consider. The capacity of the cupcake holders to store cupcakes determines which ones you will buy. Most commonly, cupcake holders are sold in the following capacities:

Personal sizes

Personal sizes for cupcake holders include holders that can store either a single cupcake or three. This is the generally accepted personal limit for cupcakes one would buy. They are great for shops where you have to sell cupcakes, or for bake sales and other events.

You can also keep them handy at home in case you make a batch and want to make a gesture for your neighbors.

Sharing sizes

Sharing sizes for cupcake holders range from 6 cupcakes to 12. These are generally packed and allow people to carry cupcakes to work, a meeting with friends, or people’s houses. They are easy to handle and can come with handles to make it easier. In case you need to carry more, you could stack these on top of each other.

Large sizes

Large sizes for cupcake holders range from 15 to 24. These are often in large trays of cupcakes with a lid to protect the top. They are easy to stack and load for transportation. In most cases, this size is used at catering events and food stalls.

Material

The materials used to make cupcake holders are usually either plastic or cardboard. Plastic holders come in many sizes and have dome-like shapes to accommodate the cupcake and icing.

Cardboard boxes, on the other hand, hold the cupcakes in place by putting them in a box with a cutout stand for them. This helps keep the cupcakes in one place even if the box moves.

Mostly, plastic cupcake holders are preferred as they are waterproof, protect icing, and can be reused easily. Cardboard boxes are easier to carry as they have a sturdy shape that fits into the palm of your hand.

Packaging

The packaging matters since it determines how your cupcakes will survive in the holder. Plastic packaging usually has domes to protect the icing of the cupcake. Normally, you’ll find an average cupcake holder to be 4 inches in size, but they can be bigger for jumbo cupcakes.

Cardboard boxes often have a foil lining on the inside to provide insulation, in addition to the cupcake lining already under the cupcake. This is something that plastic holders lack.

The groves in the tray of the boxes help keep the cupcakes in place. They have holes at the side for your fingers to easily pick up the treats. This ensures that their shape does not get ruined.

Handle to carry

Oftentimes, plastic cupcake holders do not have any specific area to pick up the package from. Single holders can easily be picked up in your hand whereas personal and sharing holders can be carried and picked up from the bottom.

Cardboard boxes can have grooves or handles to hold onto the box. Handles can make it easy to carry boxes without having to worry about accidentally crushing the icing by pressing too hard. They can also help make the boxes feel less heavy, allowing you to avoid the hassle of a carrying bag. Do consider buying cupcake holders that feature handles – if that’s an option.

Spacing

Your cupcakes need to be spaced far enough from each other so that even if the weather makes icing droop a bit, it does not impact individual shapes and designs. It also helps leave a lot of room to add toppings and make extravagant food art.

Ideally, you would want at least an inch and a half of space between cupcakes and the walls of the container. Also, make sure you do not accidentally press the box as that may damage the cupcake’s icing. Make sure to choose a box that is sturdy and helps protect the cupcakes inside.

Size of the cupcake

Cupcakes are either regular-sized, mini, or jumbo. It is difficult to interchange the cupcake holders as cupcakes can have different diameters and will not fit well into every holder.

This can cause issues with the look and shape of the cupcake after it’s subjected to travel or movement. Jumbo cupcakes often need wider and taller cupcake-holding trays. It helps them have more room.

So make sure the size of your container is suitable for the dimensions of your baked goods.

Safety

To ensure safety you need to make sure that the plastic and silicone used for the items are approved by the FDA. This will significantly reduce the risks of chemical poisoning or any other health risks related to the cupcake holder.

In case you buy plastic cupcake holders, make sure to protect them from the sun’s heat as much as possible! This could make the plastic release harmful chemicals that can have subtle adverse effects on your health.