Paper Crafts Origami Origami for Kids

Making An Origami Cupcake Birthday Card

Who doesn’t love cupcakes? This origami cupcake birthday card is the perfect way to send good wishes to birthday boys and birthday girls of all ages!

This project is easy enough for a child to complete with minimal adult assistance, so it’s the perfect project if your son or daughter has been invited to a friend's birthday party and you need a last-minute greeting card.

  • 01 of 06

    Supplies

    Cupcake card

    The Spruce / Dana Hinders

    For this easy origami model, you’ll need one sheet of square origami paper that is 6 inches by 6 inches square. Your paper needs to be colored on one side and white on the other side. The colored side becomes your cupcake liner and the white side becomes the cupcake frosting. Free printable origami paper designs would be appropriate if you find a pattern that you like.

    Additionally, you will need one sheet of 8 1/2 by 11-inch paper for your card base and one sheet of 12-inch by 12-inch square scrapbooking paper to create an envelope for your card. These larger papers should coordinate with the color you’ve selected for your origami cupcake.

  • 02 of 06

    Initial Folds

    Cupcake card initial folds

    The Spruce / Dana Hinders

    Begin with the white side of your paper face up. Fold your paper in half along one of the diagonals to make a large triangle. Fold the top point of the top layer of paper down as shown in the photo. This fold should be about 1/2 inch from the bottom horizontal edge of the paper.

  • 03 of 06

    Accordion Folds

    Cupcake card accordion folds

    The Spruce / Dana Hinders

    Make accordion folds by folding the bottom point of the triangle up and then down as shown in the photo. This creates the edge of the frosting on your finished cupcake.

  • 04 of 06

    Flip

    Flipping your paper over

    The Spruce / Dana Hinders

    Flip your paper over. Fold the top layer of the paper down to make a small triangle. Fold the left and right sides in towards the center crease as shown. This forms the angled part of your cupcake liner.

    Continue to 5 of 6 below
  • 05 of 06

    Finishing Touches

    Cupcake card finishing touches

    The Spruce / Dana Hinders

    Flip your paper over once more, so you’re back to the original starting position. Bring the tip of the triangle created in the previous step over the top of your paper to create a gumball topping for your frosted cupcake.

    If desired, you can add texture and realism to your design by making light accordion folds along the bottom colored cupcake liner portion of the paper. Do not fold up into the white frosted portion of the cupcake. Note: This portion of the project can simply be skipped if you’re working with a very young child.

  • 06 of 06

    Create the Card

    Completed cupcake card

    The Spruce / Dana Hinders

    Fold a sheet of 8 1/2 by 11-inch paper into fourths to create a base for your card. Attach the origami cupcake to your card with a glue stick or some adhesive squares. If desired, use colored washi tape to create a birthday candle and table base for your card design. You could also use fine-tipped markers to go over the fold lines created in Step 5 and add colorful sprinkles to the white cupcake frosting. To add a feminine touch to the card, consider embellishing with a bit of glitter glue or small self-adhesive rhinestones used as cupcake sprinkles.

    Add the desired saying to the inside of your card using letter stickers, stencils, or scrapbooking rub-on letters. If you’re having trouble coming up with a suitable sentiment, check this out if you need some great birthday card sayings.