Tropical Themed Cupcakes for a Tiki Party

Earlier this year, my sister in law got married and of course there was a bridal shower before the wedding.  Being me, I volunteered to help with the shower favors but not single handly of course!  I had my other sister in law and nieces to help. Following the Tiki Theme that was chosen by the bride, myself and others decided to go with boxed cupcakes.  For months before the shower, I practiced baking cupcakes of all flavors and attempting different decorations, in the end, simple was better and we stuck to vanilla and chocolate cupcakes.  As for the decorations, being that 100 cupcakes had to be made and decorated in a short period of time, I did a combination of store bought cake toppers and candies.

The hibiscus and palm tree cupcakes were made using store bought toppers.  Shredded coconut was tinted with green food coloring to represent grass, Whoppers malt balls were used as coconuts under the palm trees.  
 


  The seashells for the beach were made using Wilton candy melts and plastic molds.  I prepared them a few days ahead and kept them stored in an airtight container to withstand the travel up north.  After frosting the cupcakes simply dip in brown sugar and you have a beach all ready for decorating.  In our hurry to prepare for the actual shower, I forgot to take a detail pic of the other beach scene cupcake (which can be seen in the first picture).  All you need is Fruit Rollup or Fruit by the Foot, cut into beach size blankets, puff mints or gumballs to use as beachballs and paper cocktail umbrellas.

Now you don't need to have a party or make a hundred cupcakes or buy store bought toppers, just start with a box of cake mix, can of frosting and sugar for a sandy beach and get creative from there.
However if you have the time, try adding coconut or banana or rum flavored essences to your mix for that real tropical taste.