Happy times with kids call for cheerful cupcakes. Easier to serve than cake, cupcakes require no slicing, no plates, and no forks -- and every child gets her fair share of icing.

All the designs on these pages start as Chocolate Cupcakes or Vanilla Cupcakes iced with Swiss Meringue Buttercream -- perfect for spreading in thin layers or sculpting into thick mounds (and licking from the bowl).

The cupcakes can be baked a week ahead and frozen, but decorate them no more than a day before serving. Set up an assembly line, and put kids in charge of affixing candy eyes, gumdrop cheeks, and other trimmings. Pack the cupcakes in a shallow plastic container, and stuff crumpled waxed paper in between. Then dole them out and watch kids marvel for a second before opening wide!

January: Snowman Cupcakes
February: Xs and Os Cupcakes
March: Lion and Lamb Cupcakes
April: Butterfly Cupcakes
May: Lollipop Cupcakes
June: Shark and Beach Cupcakes
July: Flag Cupcakes
August: Clown Cupcakes
September: Apple Cupcakes
October: Witch Cupcakes
November: Turkey Cupcakes
December: Holly Cupcakes