75+ Cupcake & Cake Toppings • The Wicked Noodle

Your cakes and cupcakes are a blank canvas waiting for you to create a delicious masterpiece. But you may get tired of the same old frosting and sprinkles. Here are some ideas for ways you can shake up your cake making game with awesome cupcake & cake toppings.

Frosting & Icing Toppings

Whether you want something store-bought or homemade, the frosting is often the star of the show, especially with cupcakes that are piled high with dollops of buttercream. But if you're looking for something different, try some of these frosting and icing alternatives for your cupcakes and cakes.

Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Frosting
Strawberry Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting
Royal Icing
Store bought or homemade icing
Store Bought Drip Icing
Whipped Cream
Cool Whip
Cocoa Powder
Cinnamon & Sugar Crumbles
Ganache
Fondant
Marzipan
Greek Yogurt
Peanut Butter
Jelly or Jam
Honey
Melted Marshmallow
Marshmallow Fluff
Plain Cream Cheese

Sauce Toppings

Ice cream sauces are a tasty way to flavor ice cream. Here are some creative and delicious ice cream sauce ideas to try:

Chocolate Sauce
Nutella
Toffee Sauce
Maple Syrup
Butterscotch Sauce
Fruit glaze

Fresh & Fruity Toppings

You can take your fruit toppings in different directions when topping cupcakes and cakes. Use whole berries on cakes, or freshly sliced. Or you can macerate the fruit by slicing it and soaking it in sugar or liquor for a few hours. You can also use candied or dried fruit, either chopped or whole.

Blueberries
Raspberries
Sliced/Whole Strawberries
Blackberries/Boysenberries
Dried Chopped Apricot
Shredded/Flaked Coconut
Freeze Dried Fruit
Fruit Compote
Lemon or Orange Zest
Candied Citrus Peel
Maraschino Cherries
Caramelized Banana
Fresh or Glazed Peaches
Pomegranate Arils
Lemon Curd or other Fruit Curd

Sweets & Candy Toppings

Head to the baking supply section and you can find candy sprinkles and candy toppings in all shapes and sizes, from tiny dots to soccer balls, hearts, and flowers. Here are a few other ideas for sweets and candies to use as cupcake & cake toppings.

Chocolate chips, shavings, sprinkles
Candy Sprinkles
Sugar Pearls
Marshmallows
Powdered Sugar
Crushed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crushed Oreo Cookies
M&Ms or Reese's Pieces
Nerds or Runts
Chopped/Crumbled Candy Bars
Rice Krispies (Use food coloring to dye them different colors or use Fruity Pebbles)
Edible glitter
Candy Flowers
Candy Eyeballs
Candy Stars
Candy Holiday Shapes
Jelly Beans
Mini Peanut Butter Cups
Crumbled Cookie Dough
Crushed Peppermint Pieces
Pop Rocks
Crushed Donuts
Crushed Cereal: Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Frosted Flakes, Cap'n Crunch, Cookie Crisp, etc.

Crispy & Crunchy Toppings

You may want a crunchy topping on your cakes and cupcakes that aren't sprinkles, and that's totally acceptable. Especially if you want something to complement the flavor of your cake or frosting. Here are a few crispy and crunchy cupcake & cake toppings with both sweet and savory ideas.

Popcorn
Nuts (Toasted or Roasted)
Pistachios
Sunflower Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds or Pepitas
Crushed Potato Chips
Crushed Pretzels (Plain or Chocolate Covered)
Spiced Pecans
Candied Bacon
Candied Jalapeños
Cocoa Nibs
Honeycomb
Candied Pecans
Candied Walnuts
Granola

Unique Cupcake & Cake Toppings

Wow your friends and family with cakes and cupcakes topped with these unique ideas that are both good to eat, and pretty to look at.

Use tubed/piped icing to make hand drawn designs
Real Edible Flowers, Candied - Carnations, Elderflower, Chamomile, Lavender, Nasturtiums, Orange, Roses, Geraniums, Violets
Edible Gold Flakes
Matcha Powder
Crystallized Ginger
Flaked Sea Salt
Takis Powder
Mint or Basil Leaves
Cotton Candy
Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans
Cake Toppers (decorative theme toppers for different occasions such as weddings, birthdays and more)
Personalized Cake Toppers (edible images for your cakes)
Characters & Miniature Objects (super heroes, princesses, cars and more)

Best Cupcake & Cake Topping Combinations To Try

Here are a few fun flavor combinations to try on your next cupcake or cake:

Chocolate Cupcake with marshmallow fluff, crumbled graham crackers, chocolate shavings, with caramel sauce drizzle.
Angel food cake with homemade whipped cream, topped with macerated strawberries in sugar with fresh chopped mint leaves.
Yellow cake with cream cheese frosting, cinnamon and sugar crumble topping, baked cinnamon apples and a drizzle of caramel.
Chocolate cake or cupcake with orange-infused whipped cream, topped with chopped mint and candied orange peel.
Lemon with buttercream frosting, topped with fresh raspberries and drizzles of raspberry sauce.
Maple cupcake/cake with cream cheese frosting, crumbled candied bacon, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Author
Recent Posts

Heidi Deal

Heidi Deal is an editor and experienced home cook who enjoys developing approachable recipes and sharing practical cooking advice. As a mother of two, she focuses on family-friendly meals, everyday ingredients, and helpful kitchen tips that make preparing meals easier. She also enjoys experimenting with new recipes and teaching her children to cook.