Cupcakes

I am a little embarrassed to say that I have never made cupcakes or cake from scratch.  I've always used a box mix; it's just easier.  And they taste good, so why bother with baking from scratch?  I am hosting a girls day in a few weeks, and I have decided to serve cupcakes.  I made this incredibly cute cupcake platter at The Pottery Works in Lancaster, PA.

So do I make cupcakes from scratch?  Or do I stick with my regular box mix?