No-bake Soda Can Cupcake Liners

A creative way to upcycle aluminum cans into durable cupcake liners, candle holders, plants pots or boxes is explored. The process of transforming soda cans into a practical new form is demonstrated by using a 5 blade crimper.

To transform a soda can into a cupcake liner, candle holder, plant pot or box you need the following tools:

1. 5 blade crimper (Link)
2. Cardboard disks
3. Soda Can Slicer (Link) or utility knife
4. Dotting tool (Link) or pen
5. Scissors
6. Ruler

Beside the cupcake liners, the technique can also be used for other things. For example, candle holders, plant pots or as containers for storing nuts and bolds. If you make two different sizes of cupcake liners, you can also place them inside each other and use them as boxes (see pictures).

Clean the empty can and then place it in the soda can slicer to remove top and bottom parts. I have already published an Instructable that explains the soda can slicer in detail (Link). To flatten the aluminum sheet thereafter, use an electric iron. The detailed Instructable is given here (Link). Alternatively you can just bend the aluminum sheet over the edge of a table (see video).

With the help of cardboard disks mark a bigger and a smaller circle on the aluminum sheet (here 6 and 12cm) with a dotting tool (or pen). Cut out the outer circle with scissors.

Place the smaller paper disc in the center of the aluminum circle. Move the 5 blade crimper with the two blades facing upwards until they touch the cardboard disc. Then grasp the aluminum disc very carefully with the 5 blade crimper and bend the aluminum by about 90°. Then move the 5 blade crimper back in the middle and squeeze the pliers to make the first fold. Then repeat the process right next to the first fold. Always position the 5 blade crimper so that the blades point toward the center of the circle.

For fine tuning, a ruler is inserted into each fold. Then the aluminum is pressed around the ruler. This allows you to adjust the angle of the folds relatively to the bottom of the cupcake liner.

You may have noticed that the title of this instructable mentions “no-bake” soda can cupcake liners. This is to indicate that these soda can cupcake liners cannot be used in the oven. An inner layer is on the aluminum of the soda can, making it sort of "food grade". You drink from this can. However, if you put it in the oven, this inner layer would break down and it would no longer be suitable for food... so just have fun filling it with pudding or custard.