cake buffet

Who’s up for some delicious DIY? I recently helped throw a ‘let them eat cake’ surprise birthday party, but the theme would work just as well for a wedding, engagement party or bridal shower. I made the cake stands, garland and food labels as well as most of the food. Let’s see how:


CAKE STANDS

cake buffet

You will need:
Second-hand plates
Second-hand candlesticks
Putty
Superglue
Spray paint

Instructions:

Atypical Type A - cake stand tutorial1

1. Clean the plates and candlesticks thoroughly. Work out which bases suit which plate.

2. Fill the opening of the candlestick with putty and allow to dry completely (if it is a large hole like the one pictured, for best results fill in stages and allow to dry between each stage). This will give you a nice flat surface for the glue to adhere to.

Atypical Type A - cake stand tutorial2

3. Turn the plate upside down and glue on the base. Allow to dry.

4. Apply two coats of spray paint. Instead of laying down newspaper, I recommend using a cardboard box for a more effective way of containing overspray.

I was unsure whether the spray paint was food safe, so I erred on the side of caution and made sure there were doilies or cupcake liners between the plate and food. It was an easy project that really tied together the colours of the cake buffet. The best part is that you can simply re-spray if you want a different colour for your next occasion.

GARLAND

cake buffet

This garland could not be simpler. Just take a length of satin ribbon in a coordinating colour to your tablecloth and attached folded paper doilies with double-sided tape.

EMBELLISHED BISCUITS AND CUPCAKES

cupcakes

I made cupcake decorations using silicone molds in various shapes; I love how the fleur de lys and crowns fit in with the Marie Antoinette theme. Simply press fondant into the mold and pop out once set.

edible lace biscuits

edible lace doily in teacup

I discovered this product called edible lace, which is a great news for anyone like me who struggles with piping icing. Plus you can drop one into a cup of tea or coffee to make it extra special.

SCALLOPED FOOD LABELS

cake buffet labels

I designed some cute scalloped labels to match the invitations, which I’ve made available as a free download for you.

cake buffet label vanilla wafers Atypical Type A - cake stand tutorial

cake buffet labels coconut macaroons

Instructions:
1. Download the font and PDF template.
2. Type in the names of your sweet treats.
3. Print on thick, textured cardstock (I used 300gsm watercolour paper).
4. Punch out circles using a craft punch (I used Friskars 2″ / 5cm scalloped circle punch).
5. Attach to ribbon using double-sided tape, or insert into holder.

You could also use them as gift tags (punch a small hole and thread through string or ribbon) or favour labels (print onto adhesive paper instead of cardstock).
I have done a couple of sweets tables (the first was for my engagement party) and they’ve been such a hit! You can find more info on the invitations and loads more photos over on my blog.

Ms Polka Dot says: Three simple and achievable projects all in one post today from Alicia from Akimbo . Half the fun will be searching for the plates and candlesticks to use – the other half will be putting all the elements together and making something that is uniquely yours!  Thank you Alicia for allowing us to dream, and plan our own stylish cake buffet!

Hi, my name is Alicia and I am a paper addict.
I love designing quirky invitations through my business Akimbo. I’m also the Atypical Type A, my blog where I share projects and inspiration for home, parties and weddings.