I have a confession to make…I don’t bake. Seriously. I’ve made one pie in my whole life. I do cook almost every night, but I have never perfected the art of baking a beautiful dessert. My solution… I know where to shop for great desserts! The truth is, whether you’re baking delicious sweets for the holidays or shopping at your favorite bakery, everything looks better if you take a moment to display your sweet treats in a festive way, so today I ‘m sharing my tips and tricks for creating a beautiful dessert table in just a few minutes.

THINK IN LAYERS

One of the keys to creating a beautiful dessert display is to use plates and stands of different heights to add layers to your table. In this case, I wanted a bit of a rustic look, so I used wood slabs and cake stands to build up height in different areas of my table.Small wood discs make the perfect “plate” for these chocolate swirl cookies. Rather than just placing them on the discs, I let them spill over from one plate to the other to create some interest.

In the past I have used old books or all glass cake plates to create a different but equally beautiful display. Think outside of the typical items you find in your kitchen to make your layers. The larger wood “stumps” that I used are actually flower containers turned upside down and covered with parchment paper.

If you have a one sided buffet, make sure to put the taller plates in the back and the shorter plates toward the front.

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ADD CLOCHES AND CAKE DOMES

One of the easiest ways to create a beautiful dessert table is to add a couple of cake domes or cloches to your display. There is something about pretty cupcakes or a lovely cake siting under a glass dome that adds a little shine a sparkle to your dessert table.

You only need one or two strategically placed domes to make a big impact. This is a case where less is definitely more. I chose two different height cloches, in the same style, for my dessert table. When it’s time to serve dessert, I remove the domes to make it easier for my guests to get their treats.

There is something about chocolate cupcakes hiding under glass that makes them look even better, don’t you think!?

DON’T FORGET THE FLOWERS

In case you don’t know this about me, I don’t believe any table is complete without flowers and that includes a dessert table! You don’t have to get fancy here, but adding flowers to your dessert table can bring the whole look together in a super easy way.

I usually make one simple arrangement for my dessert table and then reserve some flowers and greenery to sprinkle on the table in different areas.

The corner of my cake plate looks pretty with a sprig of antique hydrangea and eucalyptus alongside the berries.

My store bought pies gets a special touch with some eucalyptus leaves tucked between the pie and the plate I set it in.

It only takes a couple of extra flowers or greens to make the whole look feel cohesive. Don’t go overboard here…again less is more.

The final touch is a stack of pretty glass plates and my new vintage silverware with some soft linen napkins. And there you have it. A super easy, and beautiful holiday dessert table that you can create in just minutes! For me it is a fun and creative endeavor to make the holiday sweets look even better with a few special touches. If you are having guests over during the upcoming holidays, I hope this gives you some ideas about how to easily create your own beautiful dessert table!