Baseball Cupcake Stand Tutorial

I am so excited to share this tutorial with you. I had a lot of fun constructing this project.


Every entertainer needs a cute cupcake stand, wouldn't you agree?

I built this baseball bat cupcake stand for our kiddo's third birthday party last week.

This was my main inspiration:

photo source (not original creator)

I also loved how Shanty2Chic used scrap wood to make planked tiers.

So pull out your tape measure and power tools and I'll show you how its done!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

scrap wood (I used 1x4s)

old wooden baseball bat (I found mine at the thrift store)

wood glue and/or E6000 glue

clamps

skill saw (I ended up using the skill saw, a hack saw and a table saw on this; its power tool ADHD I tell ya!)

paint

paintbrush

level

painting tape

athletic tape

STEP 1:
Timeline

First and foremost, do not put this project off until a mere week before your kiddo's birthday party as it will undoubtedly cause unnecessary stress. Unless you're a glutton for punishment like I am, I would suggest completing this project while you still have loads of time to spare.

I have said it before and I'll say it again: I have serious procrastination issues.

Now that I've covered that small detail let's move on...

STEP 2:

Make your tiers


Glue your scrap wood together like so using wood glue.

Then do a forehead slap once your realize that the wood clamps you have on hand aren't even close to being large enough for this task.

Doh!

Since it was 11pm and I had already applied the glue, I simply squeezed the wood slats together really hard and propped them up to dry, like so.

Who needs clamps anyway, right?

That was a joke.

Use clamps if you can.

Note: I like to keep scrap wood on hand for various projects such as this. Check the scrap bin at your Lowes or Home Depot to get good scraps for cheap. I especially like the 1x3 and 1x4 sizes.

STEP 3:
Cut your tiers
(I neglected to photograph this step - sorry!)

Once your glue has completely dried, measure and mark the lines for your two tiers. Then cut your wood accordingly.

Although my inspiration photos both had circular tiers, I liked the idea of a diamond tier better.

Get it?    Baseball?   Diamond?

I crack myself up.

By the way, did you know that a baseball diamond is actually just a square?

Straight cuts are sooo much easier than circular cuts anyway, so I went with the "diamond thats actually just a square" plan. Keep in mind I was on a tight deadline here.

I cut both my tiers 10x10.

STEP 4:

Sand and paint

After a light sanding I coated both diamonds with SW Creamy paint.

Once that paint dried I taped off my bases, baselines and pitcher's mound with Frog Tape (love this stuff!) before applying my green paint.

Don't forget to shape your home plate accordingly! :)

Remove your tape before the paint dries completely.

Finish with a clear coat.

STEP 5:
Cut your bat

My bat was too long to begin with - although I would be lying if I said the idea of a four foot high, six tiered cupcake stand wasn't mighty tempting.

Note to self: must make a four foot tall cupcake stand for my 40th birthday.

I hacked off the top and the bottom of the bat, and then cut out a middle section, making sure to match the circumference of each piece as close as possible so it wasn't totally obvious that I hacked the bat into multiple parts.

STEP 6:
Bat sanitization

Please make sure to sanitize your bat.

If you're a thrifter or yard-saler this goes without saying. I'm simply pointing it out as its own individual step so you can rest peacefully knowing I didn't buy an old dingy bat at the thrift store and use it to make a food platter without cleaning it first - particularly if you were a guest at Kendry's party and you ate a cupcake...

My first sanitizing step was to remove all of the yucky tape from around the grip of the bat. I don't even want to know how many hot, sweaty hands have gripped that tape over the years. And then, like I said, I cut off the bottom a few inches of the bat so most of the tape-covered portion was discarded anyway.

Then I gave my three bat pieces a good scrubbing with soap.

STEP 7:

Assembly!

Disclaimer: be sure you have wood glue or something like E6000 for this part. This author will not assume liability for any cupcake disasters arising from the use of cheap glue.

I can see the carnage already - the handle breaking off as you carry your beautiful homemade cupcakes outside to the party. The twenty plus cupcakes hitting the floor and rolling in twenty different directions. The delicious buttercream frosting splattering everywhere. Your birthday kiddo sobbing over the disaster: "Mommy broke my birthday cake!"

Oh the anguish!



Get the picture?

Use good glue!


And here is where you want to use your level. It doesn't need it to be architect perfect, but you will want it as level as possible to display your cupcakes in a pretty fashion.

I predrilled a hole in the end of my bat and in the center of my bottom tier.

Then I drilled a screw through the bottom of the tier into the bat, but not before I dabbed some E6000 glue onto the tip of the bat for extra hold.

With these two pieces attached, I put glue on the other end of the bat and placed the second tier firmly on top. I used my level here to position the tier correctly.

The little jug of paint helped hold the bat in place as the glue dried. I'm a 'use what you've got on hand' kind of gal.

Let this dry overnight.

Meanwhile, take the remaining two pieces of your bat and glue them together as well. Once that dries, use athletic tape to re-wrap the grip of the bat.

(sorry for the blurry photo)

Once all your glue is dry, glue the flat end of your mini bat to the top of the second tier, taking care to line up the separate pieces of your bat so they appear as one.

Allow to dry again.

And there you have it - your own custom made cupcake stand.

Throw on some baseball cupcakes and you're ready to party!






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