Easy DIY Sand Bucket Cupcakes

Looking for a creative way to display cupcakes at your summer parties? You’re going to love these easy DIY sand bucket cupcakes. All you need are a few simple ingredients and 10 minutes to make these fun and surprising treats.

The cupcakes here were made for a summer kickoff party, but you could also serve them at luau parties, beach themed parties, or pool parties.

This tutorial was originally written several years ago as a guest post by Party Like Paula. I always thought it was a cute and clever way to display cupcakes for summer parties.

In fact, many other versions of sand bucket cupcakes have since popped up, but I still think this is the easiest one out there.

How to Make Sand Bucket Cupcakes (Step-by-Step Directions):

To make things easier for you, I created a simple photo guide below. If you like this recipe and want to make it again, don’t forget to grab your printable copy at the bottom of the post.

Step 1 – Grind your graham crackers or Nilla wafers in a food processor.

Step 2 – Add an unfrosted cupcake to the bottom of the sand bucket.

Step 3 – Pipe the frosting onto your cupcake.

Step 4 – Sprinkle crushed graham crackers or Nilla wafers on top.

Essential Tips:

Don’t skip these tips – read them before assembling to avoid any potential mistakes.

• Don’t worry about getting a finely ground powder with your graham crackers. A rough grind is just fine. You can also place the crackers in a zip top bag and crush them with a rolling pin to reduce your dirty dishes.
• Use any cupcake flavor you like. Since it’s covered by the frosting and graham crackers, you won’t be able to see it.
• Vanilla, white, or cream cheese frostings work best. Chocolate and brightly colored frosting will show up underneath the ‘sand’ and ruin the look of your cupcakes.
• To save even more time, ask your grocer if you can order cupcakes without the frosting. Often they’ll even give you the frosting you need in a tub.
• If you’re baking your own cupcakes, you can use frosting in a can to speed up the process and reduce clean up time on party day.
• It shouldn’t have to be said…but please make sure to clean your sand pails and shovels before assembling.
• Mix some white sparkling sugar in with the crushed graham crackers or Nilla wafers to add some beach-like sparkle.
• Top your cupcakes with chocolate seashells or edible sugar seashells to make them even cuter.

Sand Bucket Cupcakes FAQs:

What size sand pails do I need?

Most cupcakes are between 2-3 inches in diameter, which is why we recommend using these mini sand pails.

Can I use store-bought pre-frosted cupcakes?

I’m sure you could try. The biggest issue you’ll have is that your fingers are likely to mess up the frosting.

However, you could simply use the back of a spoon or a 6-inch offset spatula to spread the frosting back out before adding your edible ‘sand’.

Can I use homemade graham crackers?

While I absolutely adore our homemade graham crackers recipe, I don’t believe it’s dry enough to create the right consistency for this project.

Can I make these in advance?

I don’t recommend making these before party day, because the ground ‘sand’ will likely get soggy.

That said, you can definitely make your cupcakes and frosting in advance, so you don’t have to spend much time at all assembling your sand bucket cupcakes on party day.

Don’t Forget to Add a Label

Make sure your guests know exactly what to expect when they see sand pails on your party table. Find a cute table tent card that matches your party theme, and then let everyone know that there are cupcakes buried underneath that ‘sand’

If you liked these Sand Bucket Cupcakes…

You’re going to love these other tasty summer recipes.

• Strawberry Fruit Dip with Cream Cheese
• No Bake S’mores Icebox Cake
• Crave Worthy Ice Cream Cake Recipes
• Raspberry Coconut Pops
• Dairy Free Strawberry Ice Cream

Or you can check out all my desserts recipes here.

---

This post was originally published on July 2, 2012. It has been updated with additional information, clearer steps, and new photos.