Custom Printed Cupcake Boxes with Inserts for 1, 4, 6 and 12 Cakes

What are cupcake boxes?

They are small folding board boxes with an insert inside. The insert has a round hole for each cupcake case, so every cake stands in its own spot and the topping never meets the next one.

Our photos show the main styles in bright print. Single boxes in pink and purple polka dots have a carry handle and a front window. A black box of four has a top window and a pink ribbon, and a white single box opens to show a cake on its insert.

Every one of these starts as a flat sheet. It folds into shape at your bench, so a full order takes far less shelf space than ready-made boxes.

Who sells cupcakes in printed boxes?

Cupcakes are often bought as a gift, so the box matters as much as the cake. A printed box turns four cupcakes into a present without any extra wrapping.

Bakers who also sell whole cakes often match these to their printed boxes for whole cakes. The brand then looks the same on every order.

• Cupcake shops and bakeries selling gift boxes
• Home bakers taking birthday and baby shower orders
• Coffee shops selling one or two cakes to take away
• Wedding cake makers supplying cupcake favours
• Corporate caterers delivering boxes of twelve to offices

How many cupcakes should each box hold?

Most bakers keep two or three counts on the counter. Fours sell well as gifts, sixes suit mixed flavours, and singles cover the impulse buy at the till.

The table shows typical inside sizes for standard cupcakes. Muffin-size cakes and minis need different hole spacing, so send your case size.

How tall does a cupcake box need to be?

Height is the measurement most often wrong. A tall piped swirl with a sprinkle topper can stand 90 mm or more above the base of the case.

Pipe your tallest design, measure from the bottom of the case to the tip, and add 10 mm. That figure is your inside box height.

If you sell flat-iced cupcakes as well as swirls, two box heights may be better than one. A short cake in a tall box leaves a lot of empty space above it.

Toppers such as chocolate shards, wafer fans or fondant flowers add height too. Measure a finished cake with its topper in place.

How does the insert hold a cupcake?

The insert is a folded board platform with holes punched to the base width of your case. The case drops in and the cake sits just above the platform.

Most cupcake cases have a base around 50 mm across, but brands vary. Send us a case, or its base measurement, and we size the holes to grip it without squashing the paper.

Inserts can be reversible, with a flat side for brownies or biscuits. That lets one box do two jobs on the counter.

Should cupcake boxes have a window?

A window lets customers see the colours of the icing, which helps when several flavours sit side by side. The single boxes in our photos show the whole cake through a front window.

A lid without a window gives more room for print and keeps light off cakes in a sunny shop. For gift boxes with a ribbon, a top window still shows the cakes once the ribbon is tied.

Printing ideas for cupcake boxes

White board makes full colour CMYK bright, so polka dots, stripes and pastel patterns look sharp. Dark designs like the black box of four make pink icing stand out through the window.

Keep your logo off the area cut away for the window. Inside print on the lid can carry a short message, and matte or gloss varnish finishes the outside.

A pattern that wraps around all four walls means the box looks right however it is put down in a carrier bag.

Our guide to designing food packaging that prints well covers bleed, colour and small text.

Buttercream, grease and warm shops

Buttercream and ganache can leave marks where they brush the board. A grease-resistant coating on request keeps the insert and lid clean.

Box cupcakes once the icing has firmed up, not straight after piping. Soft swirls lean in transit and touch the lid.

On warm days keep boxed cupcakes out of direct sun. Board does not keep cakes cool, and soft icing slumps in a hot window display.

Common cupcake box mistakes

Send your case size and tallest swirl height with your artwork and we check them on the proof.

• Measuring box height to the cake top instead of the swirl tip
• Ordering inserts without checking the case base size
• Using standard holes for mini or muffin-size cakes
• Putting the logo where the window cut-out goes
• Closing the lid before the icing has set

Can I mix cupcakes and other bakes in one box?

Yes, with a little planning. A box of six can take four cupcakes and two macarons if the insert has smaller holes at one end.

A reversible insert, flat on one side, lets the same box carry brownies or cake pops on quieter days. For sticks and pops, our cake pop boxes with stand inserts hold each pop upright.

Sticky toppings such as caramel drizzle are best kept in their own holes. Leave a gap between them and any dry bakes in the same box.

How do you order printed cupcake boxes?

Cupcake boxes are priced from £0.25 per unit, and your written quote sets the final figure. Quantities are quoted per order, and each count can have its own quantity.

1. Choose the counts you sell, from singles to twelves.
2. Measure your case base and the height of your tallest swirl.
3. Decide on windows, handles and ribbon slots.
4. Upload artwork, or have our designers lay it out for free.
5. Approve your free proof; production takes 4–6 business days.
6. Free tracked UK delivery brings your boxes in 2–3 business days.