I was just thinking that it might be alot easier to do one of those cupcake cakes using the upside-down method of icing: http://www.cakecentral.com/article6-Upside-Down-Icing-Technique-for-Perfectly-Smooth-Icing.html

I haven't done the cupcake cakes before so maybe there's something to it that would make it not work but I would think it'd be easier...

What do you think?

I don't think that would work with cupcakes, I would think they would go all over the place when you tried to flip them. Not to mention, I think that frosting method is when you are trying to get a perfectly smooth top on a cake.....I was under the impression that cupcake-cakes are a bit more casual and it would be difficult to get it totally perfect with the little mini-gaps between the cupcakes.....but I have never made one so I may be missing something.

I wish I could help but I've never done either the upside down icing or made a cupcake cake. I think they look great though. Good luck.

Here is a bump for you.

I'm not sure what the upside down icing method is, but I have a picture you can see that I decorated cupcakes inverted. I used poured fondant and put a filling inside. They turned out really well. It's the picture with pink cupcakes and white tiaras.

I don't know about upside down icing, but I did a cupcake cake with FBCT which is somewhat similar and it worked out fine. Sorry, I don't have a picture. Even if you didn't pipe an image with your icing, the technique might work.

Here's what I did:
1. Make FBCT so it has time to freeze. (About 20 or 30 minutes.)
2. Make sure all of the cupcakes are about the same height.
3. Make sure the FBCT is frozen solid and add another layer of the base color icing so the icing will be thick.
4. While the second layer of icing is still soft gently place the cupcakes as close together as possible.
5. Place a cookie sheet on top of the cupcakes with a level on top of it and press lightly to make sure the cupcakes are secure and level.
6. Remove the level and put the whole thing in the freezer to set.
7. Once it is frozen (about 30 to 40 minutes) gently flip it over onto the serving dish, peel off the wax paper, and allow it to thaw (about 30 or 40 minutes) before serving.

HTH

wow, I wish you had a pic but you described well. I'm encouraged to try this now

I really think the upside down icing technique is more about getting sharp, clean edges on a round layer cake. I don't think that is really a concern with a cupcake cake because they are usually arranged to make a creative design. I think what you were seeing in your mind was a faster way to get a smooth top of the ccc? Probably would work just as well to arrange the cupcakes on the board with each cake secured with a dab of icing under the bottom and then iced as a whole with an offset spatula.

If you look at the pictures in the FBCT tutorial you can see that the cake the tutorial is done with and at least the bottom two pictures are cupcake cakes. I think all of them may be. I just varied my method a little bit from the tutorial.