Have fun with the way you display your cakes and desserts.

Creating a dessert table with different layers and multiple cakes and desserts produces an eclectic style and flavor palate that isn’t possible with just one cake or dessert. A dessert table is an automatic showstopper at a party and allows for the guests to have an interactive play with the desserts.

On the following pages, you’ll see the different characteristics a dessert table can exhibit, depending on the style of the cakes, the selection of other petite desserts, and the décor. My go-to desserts are mini tarts, coconut macaroons or chocolate truffles, cupcakes, and mini cakes. Depending on the season, you can accent the table with caramel-covered apples or even cookies.

Some of the visual elements that enhance a dessert table are linens, cake stands, plates, trays, serving utensils, and flowers. Vary the heights of the cakes and desserts by stacking cake stands on crates, boxes—even books. I especially enjoy adding flea market finds to the mix to create a beautiful, eclectic spread. I’ll often arrange the props and cakes on the table first, and then place the desserts among the various elements.

Flowers can be displayed in various ways, such as a bouquet in a vase, as individual blooms loosely placed around the table, or even as a backdrop. For the following dessert tables, my dear friend Liza Lubell, who is the owner of Peartree Flowers in Brooklyn, created all of the floral elements.