Wilton, the cake decorating gurus, has a Web site, www.cupcakefun.com, that's a companion to a book of the same name. Both include recipes, specialty baking products, icings, sparkling sugars and more. Cupcake Fun and Wilton baking products are available at most craft stores such as Michael's or wherever baking supplies are sold.

Among suggestions are providing cupcake decorating activities at kids' parties. Have bags of colored icings ready to pipe on and let the little ones decorate with sprinkles, plain M&M's, shoestring licorice and an assortment of colored gumdrops. When everyone's done, sing "Happy Birthday" and celebrate.

In other products, Reynolds recently came out with disposable foil baking cups in star, heart and other holiday shapes. They're available at grocery stores and online at www.reynoldsfunshapes.com.

For more cupcake fun, check out these two Web sites, both informative, http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/index.html and odd but strangely humorous http://a-muffin-story.livejournal.com/21796.html.

-- Rosa Colucci and L.A. Johnson