Learn how you can quickly make these decorative cupcake boxes with matching wrappers and gift tags for a beautiful way to share your gift of a dessert with your friends.
These DIY decorative cupcake boxes are perfect for favors for parties, showers, weddings and other gatherings or for your party guests to take home their dessert. The matching decorative cupcake wrappers gives an extra level of class to the display of your cupcakes in these clear display boxes. They are sized for a standard size cupcake. The insert in the bottom of the box helps to keep the cupcake from shifting around. With the matching gift tags, you can also personalize the cupcake boxes.
Materials and Supplies for the Decorative Cupcake Boxes
(This post contains affiliate links to some of the items I used in this project. It just means that you will help to support my blog if you make a purchase after clicking the links. There is no added cost to you!)
- Design files: You can download these from my free Resource Library
- Acetate Sheet: One sheet 12″ x 12″ — Cricut’s foil acetate sheets worked great for this and are quite festive. I used sheets from the Foil Acetate Bejeweled Sampler but you can use any of their acetate sheets including the pastel sampler, metallic sampler, or the clear sheets.
- Card stock (top and bottom of box): One sheet of 12″ x 12″ card stock in a color to match the acetate (if applicable).
- Card stock (insert and wrapper): One sheet of 12″ x 12″ or 8-1/2″ x 11″ card stock. This can be the same color as the other sheet or one that complements the other.
- Cutting Tool: A craft machine such as the Cricut. Or, you can use an X-Acto knife and scissors to cut the designs.
- Glue: There are 4 small tabs that need glue. I use Aleene’s Tacky Glue for most of my card stock paper projects.
- Ribbon: For the size of these boxes, I like using 1/8″ to 1/4″ wide ribbon. Pick a color that works well with your card stock and acetate. The amount of ribbon per box will depend on if you make a bow, if you use the ribbon to add the gift tags, how long your streamers are, etc. You can expect to need around four feet of ribbon per box.
- Cupcakes: To place in your decorative cupcake boxes
- Optional: Washi tape or stickers
I like to make paper boxes. I made boxes for Christmas, 12th Night, and Valentine’s Day. While still feeling festive, I thought it could be cute to make a box that would hold a cupcake.
How to Make the Decorative Cupcake Box and Wrapper
There are four parts to the decorative cupcake boxes and one part for the wrappers. The design files also contain some gift tags to fill in the empty spaces to reduce cutting waste (because we can always use gift tags).
NOTE: if you are having issues cutting the fine scroll work in these designs, I have included versions of the files that do not include the fine scroll work.
The design files are available for free in my resource library. They are in .SVG, .DXF, and .PDF formats. Also, the PDF is for those who wish to cut the pieces by hand or need a guide for hand scoring the machine-cut pieces.
TIP: Sometimes, even a new blade doesn’t seem to cut well. While the metal of the blades are actually sharp, they can still build up some oxidation while in the packaging. The “foil sharpening” trick doesn’t actually sharpen you blades but it can remove the microscopic build-up of oxidation that impedes the blade from cutting well. Do a test cut first. If you find the blade isn’t cutting well, wad up some aluminum foil and poke the blade into the foil around 40 times. This will help to remove that oxidation so your blade can do its job.
Cutting the Cupcake Boxes and Wrappers by Machine
I cut my cupcake boxes on my Cricut. To do this, upload the .SVG files to Cricut Design Space (or upload the .SVG or .DXF files to the design application for your craft machine). If you do not have a scoring tool for your machine then you will need to hide the layer that contains the score lines and manually score those lines after you cut the box components. In Cricut Design Space, to hide the layer, select the layer then click the eye on that layer.
To use your scoring tool, select the layer that has the score lines then change them from cut lines to score lines. In the screenshot below, I show you which parts of the designs contains the score lines. After changing the scoring layers from cut to score, remember to select the whole design and click “Attach” so the scores happen where they are supposed to happen.
If you are scoring by hand, you can print the PDF to use as a guide for where to score. Also, when scoring by hand, score on the side of the card stock that will be the interior side of the box.
Remember to cut the acetate with the decorative foil side against the cutting mat so the scores are on the inside of the box. If you are using Cricut’s acetate, remove the protective film before cutting.
If you are using card stock that is different on each side, whichever side will be the outside needs to be against the mat when cutting so that the score lines are on the interior side of the card stock.
Cutting the Cupcake Boxes and Wrappers by Hand
The PDF file in my resource library has full-size patterns you can use for cutting and scoring the card stock by hand. It may be fastest if you print directly onto your card stock then cut all the solid lines and score along all the dashed lines.
Some of the scroll work in the design may be too small to cut by hand. I have provided pages in the PDF with and without the scroll work so you can decide. You may like the look of the scroll work and print it onto the card stock but not cut the scroll work. You can then fill in the printed scroll work with a decorative marker such as a metallic Sharpie®.
For the acetate sheet, I give you the dimensions for the cut because it will not fit onto 8-1/2″ x 11″ paper.
How to Assemble the Decorative Cupcake Boxes
I will walk you through the step-by-step instructions with several pictures so you can see how you can assemble your own decorative cupcake boxes. Once all the pieces were cut, it took me around ten minutes, including waiting for glue to set, to put together one box. If you have several boxes to make, you can save time by working in more of an assembly line fashion. Or, invite a couple of friends and work on them together!
I also made a quick video of me assembling one of my decorative cupcake boxes so you can see all the steps.
Step 1: The Acetate Box Walls
There are four score lines for the piece of acetate. Those four lines form the base of the cupcake box. Place the decorative side of the acetate on your work surface then fold along the score lines toward the inside of the box. You can crease these folds. The acetate should not crack.
Step 2: The Decorative Base
As with the acetate sheet, the decorative base piece has four score lines. Place the decorative side of your card stock on your work surface (if applicable) then fold along the score lines toward the inside of the box.
Place this base piece inside the acetate piece then set it aside.
Step 3: The Base Insert
The insert has eight folds. There are two on each side to create a short wall that helps to hold the cupcake in place. Fold all eight of these score lines toward the inside.
Place the insert into the decorative base. While you do not need to, you can place a couple of dots of glue on the bottom of the insert before setting it into the base.
Step 4: The Cupcake Box Top
The top of the cupcake box has eight folds. Four of those form the top as you fold over the sections that have the scroll work design. The other four are for the small tabs. As with other components of the cupcake box, place the decorative side of the card stock on the work surface then fold along the score lines. Once all the folds have been creased, add a spot of glue to each tab and affix to the adjoining section. This will help the box top keep its shape since this will go on the outside of the acetate.
Step 5: The Matching Cupcake Wrapper
The only thing to do with the matching decorative cupcake wrapper is to wrap it around a cupcake. I have found that, while there is a bit of a standard size to the standard cupcake, they are not all the same size. So, I gave you some adjustment in the wrapper.
Tuck the tab into one of the slots. Tuck from the outside to the inside.
Set the wrapper into the insert that is in the box.
Optional Step: Washi Tape or Sticker
You can optionally add some washi tape or a sticker to hold the edges of the acetate together.
This will give the decorative cupcake box some added structure if you intend for your cupcake recipients to take their boxes home.
You can use clear stickers, something cute you cut from your vinyl scraps, or washi tape like I show in these pictures.
Step 6: The Cupcake
Time to add a cupcake!
Once the cupcake is in the box, set the lid over the acetate walls.
Step 7: Finishing Touches to the Decorative Cupcake Box
The last step is to tie the boxes with a ribbon to secure the lid to the rest of the cupcake box.
You can also add gift tags to personalize the decorative cupcake boxes. This would be cute for gifting a classroom with cupcakes so each kid gets one with their name.
Other ideas for gifting your cupcakes in these decorative cupcake boxes:
- Groomsmen/Bridesmaids
- Your mail carrier
- Teacher gifts
- Co-workers
- Hobby/Club members
- Girls/Guys night in
You can get the patterns to this and all my DIY and craft projects in my Resource Library by signing up for my weekly newsletter.
Select From All My DIY Boxes
I enjoy making little handmade boxes for gifts and treats. You can try some from this list of all the DIY boxes I have made:
- Square Paper Boxes
- Paper Treasure Chests
- Cupcake Boxes
- Heart Boxes (one of my most popular!)
- Shamrock Boxes
- Woven Paper Baskets
- Easter Bunny Boxes
- Kentucky Derby Party Favor Boxes
- Cinco de Mayo Mini Piñatas
I hope you have fun making more of these adorable gift boxes!
