Make DIY Cake Toppers with Pipe Cleaners

The party problem: You don’t have the skills or patience for elaborate cake-decorating.

The party trick: Skip the piping and make a cute cake topper with some pipe cleaners and a straw.

Instead of searching for the right cake topper last minute, just spell out whatever you want with pipe cleaners. Make numbers, letters, or shapes. Not only is this trick incredibly easy, but it’s also 100 percent customizable!

If you want to make a two-colored topper (like ours), start by twisting two pipe cleaners together. Then, working from one end, bend the pipe cleaner into your desired shape. You can always attach pieces of other pipe cleaners if you need to add to the shape. Tip: Print out a stencil on the computer if you need something to trace while you bend.

Once your shape is formed, use scissors to cut a paper straw into quarters. Push the straw pieces into the cake where you’d like your toppers to go. Then, just slide the end of each topper into each straw. (This way, the pipe cleaners won’t get cake guts on them).

Try it out on a cake or cupcakes and your dessert will be the talk of the party — guaranteed.