Dessert Displays

For a dandy-themed graduation party in Hollywood, Canvas & Canopy designed a dessert buffet that eschewed the twee look in favor of a sophisticated display of treats on cake stands made from vintage candlesticks and shelves built using industrial pipes.

Marcy Blum Associates built a bakery-style display case to offer guests breakfast-to-go treats from New York bakeries at the end of a wedding reception.

An illuminated table held jars filled with candy.

The candy shop was brightly lit and filled with Ernst & Young's colours, yellow and white. There were four candy stations that had fudge, yellow cotton candy, a self-serve candy bar with branded plastic bags, and white-iced cookies and cupcakes.

Stacks of books supported and decorated the dessert tables. Typewriters, globes, and open books added to the presentation.

Ridgewells provided two dessert stations with mini-sweets like pie bites and tiny macaroons for the after-party.

A candy buffet toward the entrance had a mostly blue palette.

Atlas's yellow and black display for the launch of Pilates NYC's pre- and post-natal programs.

At the Campfire Ball benefit for Children’s Oncology Services in May at Venue One in Chicago, Cork Catering set up a make-your-own s’mores station.

Inspired by the food truck craze, Abigail Kirsch in New York created roving carts to bring guests desserts and beverages, like gelato with dipped miniature cones and toppings, or sangria and punch.

Guests indulged in chocolates and baked goods while checking out the chocolate artwork inspired by artists such as Matisse, Van Gogh, and Jackson Pollock.

Colorful sweets topped a table at the preview night. "The day before and the day of Sneak Preview Night hosts nearly 10,000 media and auto industry executives, so it’s a challenge to set up for one event during another," the auto show's Callari said. "In addition to the limited setup time and juggling of events, the venue itself is vast, with high ceilings and thousands of windows. Making that space feel intimate and festive requires creativity. And we have to be conscious of costs since this is a charity event, but we do not want to lose the world-class look of the L.A. Auto Show."

A lavender candy bar offered cakepops, cupcakes, and rock candy.

Occasions Caterers set up an elaborate dessert buffet in a separate room at the Anderson house with Cuban sweets like drunk pineapple, exotic fruit crème brûlée, coffee parfait, and cocktail arroz con leche.

A baked-goods station had sweet bites, including mini brownie squares, sugary doughnut holes, and bite-size chocolate chip cookies.

BMW returned as the automotive sponsor this year with an all-white lounge area for guests—with a touch of color from this edible logo.

Kiehl's 10-day philanthropic motorcycle ride along the Eastern Seaboard wrapped up with a finish-line party July 20 at the Kiehl's Georgetown store. The event, which raised awareness for H.I.V./AIDS research and resources, had motorcycle-inspired decor and cuisine including a dessert display from Georgetown Cupcake.

Silver Lining In Flight Catering provided an extensive dessert bar at the after-party.

Candies filled tabletops in a Food Network lounge-dining section. (Other tables had lazy Susans for easy dessert sharing.)

At the doughnut station, guests could top freshly baked plain doughnuts with white or milk chocolate sauce, powdered sugar, chopped nuts, or colored sprinkles.

Evoke designed a doughnut wall that Design Cuisine executed for a client in April and will continue to offer the concept this fall. The wall was constructed out of pegboard, with 1,200 wooden golf tees showcasing the chocolate-glazed chocolate doughnuts (forming a “J” for the guest of honor’s name) and the outlining cinnamon sugar and powdered white donuts. In coming months, a server with a step stool will be on hand to pull doughnuts off the wall for guests, who can carry the take-home treats away in brown paper bags with to-go cups of hot apple cider.

Last year, Fox's after-party offered a wide selection of pies and this year the network tapped Brooklyn doughnut bakery Dough to provide its tasty treats for guests. Options include dulce de leche with almonds, salt and pink pepper, and hibiscus.  Also similar to last year's outing was an area dedicated to photo ops with Fox talent. Organizers set up a series of stages where guests to meet and pose with actors and notables like Simon Cowell, Mindy Kaling (whose series The Mindy Project was picked up by the network), and Kevin Bacon.

No detail was spared for the preview party, not even when it came to the food. Creative Edge served a bevy of Italian-inspired hors d'oeuvres on custom, Missoni-inspired trays lined with patterns. The menu included colorful macaroons (pictured), as well as a lobster pop tart that had rice paper garnishes decorated with the signature zigzag print.

Candy shark fins topped on-theme cupcakes from Washington's Georgetown Cupcake.

An ice sculpture held push-up pies in nostalgic flavors such as banana cream, cookies and cream, and mixed berry parfait. Nearby, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and oatmeal raisin cookies were served warm on griddles.

A mosaic of mini cupcakes from Baked by Melissa played up Time Warner Cable's new ad campaign.

Dylan's Candy Bar also provided sweet treats with an array of candy that guests could scoop into a bag. Coffee Bean offered iced tea and coffee.

Whimsically presented desserts at the after-party included cupcakes on forks, towers of meringues, and cream puffs in birdcages.

Disney's chef created four mini dessert options for Tomorrowland.

The park's catering department set up an expansive candy display and station in Liberty Square that included full bags of candy as well as a variety of sweets for guests to create their own bags.

Target's "Dish You Were Here" booth offered up recipe cards featuring dishes from around the world and food products from the company's Archer Farms collection. Staffers at the sponsored booth also served guests globally inspired snacks such as Mexican spiced brownies.

Among the indie food vendors were a few big names, including fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, whose whimsical booth highlighted offerings from her newly opened Upper East Side Curious Candy boutique, such as custom piñatas and party favors.

Staffers at the Cynthia Rowley booth handed out green-apple-flavored cotton candy dotted with edible silver stars to guests at the opening night V.I.P. party.

Brooklyn upstart Salty Road sold its naturally flavored, handmade salt-water taffy in flavors like bergamot, salty caramel apple, and peppermint saltwater.

Brooklyn-based company Monsieur Singh hawked its lassi push pops, an Indian treat made with probiotic yogurt, mango, mint, and ginger.

La Newyorkina, a purveyor of Mexican-inspired frozen sweets, offered guests miniature cones of ice cream in quirky flavors such as avocado, corn, and rice horchata. The company is available for private events and catering in New York.

Brooklyn outfit Fred's Marshmallows gives the artisanal treatment to the campfire favorite, with flavors such as key lime pie, orange fennel, and apple pie. The company is available to cater events and can even create edible marshmallow centerpieces.

Brooklyn-based Jack's Chedbread handed out samples of its handcrafted, fresh-from-the-oven corn bread in flavors such as maple bacon, roasted jalapeño, garlic chive, and honey sea salt.

The Jam Stand's jellies are made with fruit from local New York farms and come in inventive flavors such as blueberry bourbon and peachy Sriracha. The company can make custom jars of jam as favors for corporate events.

New York's Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls specializes in New Orleans-style shaved ice, offering more than 46 flavors, including seasonal specials such as grapefruit basil, strawberry rhubarb, and watermelon jalapeño. The company's catering packages include 10 flavor options, ice, and servers.

Is hip, gourmet Jewish fare the next food-world trend? The Gefilteria reimagines Old World favorites such as gefilte, horseradish, and beet kvass using sustainably sourced ingredients and stylish packaging.

Right Tasty's Brooklyn-based line of gourmet vinaigrette salad dressings come in flavors such as Meyer lemon, ramp, and smoked heirloom tomato.

Chef Andy Ricker, of Pok Pok fame, peddled his line of drinking vinegars, Pok Pok Som. The tart liquid, made with vinegar and concentrated fruits and vegetables, is meant to be mixed with soda water or liquor.

The Swarovski crystal-covered Heartschallenger ice cream truck was parked outside the entrance to the venue, offering passersby frozen treats.