Lady requested chocolate cupcakes for a male friend turning 40. She has the 23 cupcake holder from Wilton that I must use, but she only wants 12 ... Prefer bc (may include fondant/gumpaste extras).

I was thinking maybe to hide bottom tier(s) that will not be used with real ivy leaves and decorate each cupcake with an ivy leaf ... Top one to maybe have the numbers 4 and 0 on top in stead of an ivy leaf? I do not have a very small number set, otherwise I could have put the numbers on all of them?

BUT ... DH says it sounds a bit girly ...

Any other suggestions ...

IF she is willing to pay for them, i would put nice big chocolate dipped strawberries on the empty spots. maybe do an every other one thing, you know one with a cupcake (i would swirl with chocolate icing then just some chocolate shavings on them) next with a strawberry.

Strawberries and chocolate ... of course, it's Spring time and makes more sense for a man. I also love the "alternating" idea (cupcake, straweberry, cupcake ... )

Thanx peg818!!