I have browsed around other posts and responses for an answer, but nothing really fits my situation. I am baking 120 wedding cupcakes for my brother's wedding, which is Saturday morning September 8th. I've not done many cupcakes before (mostly cakes), and certainly never so many that I have to bake ahead. Here are my variables:

1. I'm in NC, the wedding is at my parents' house in Cape May, NJ

2. Wedding's on Saturday morning, reception 12pm; I will arrive (with my 2 year old ) on Monday to shop for ingredients

3. All cupcakes will have a gum paste flower, all of which will be completed in the next week, but I need to figure out whether to ship them or take them with me in the plane (but I will have that toddler)

4. I'm making *scratch* red velvet cupcakes (with laser cut wrappers to cover outside--already put together all 120)

5. I use BakingJeannie's hybrid buttercream recipe: http://cakecentral.com/recipe/fluffy-american-buttercream

6. Because the wedding is being catered from my parents' kitchen, I kind of have to be out of the kitchen by Friday

7. I am not technically in the wedding (they aren't having a procession), but my three girls and I and other relatives will be part of the wedding party and dressed alike. There will be plenty of help, but the ceremony is at 10 or 11am. With a casual dinner out on Friday night (which I can miss if necessary.

8. There are other places in the house I could decorate, other than that kitchen I have to be out of by Friday .

9. My mom has arranged for immediate neighbors to have refrigerator space for me, but from what I've read, refrigeration is not recommended for cupcakes.

****SO. . .

I've read the other posts on timelines, but most of them contemplate *boxed mixes*, which can be left out without drying for a couple of days. With scratch cupcakes, I think the timeline and process are different. I am also using a scratch BC, nothing with preservatives, and it's mostly butter. I use pasteurized carton egg whites.

Any insights as to what my timeline could be and what my storage options or no-nos would be? My parents have a big oven, but I am not familiar with it, and would probably not bake more then 24 per oven batch. I've told my mom we may need under bed storage boxes and lots of Press-n-Seal

For storage I would say not to refrigerate the cupcakes, but to place them in a container until you frost them. Then I would frost the cupcakes the night before. I'm unsure about whether you should ship your flowers or travel with them using an empty egg carton. Good luck.

Tough question on the sugar flowers - you might want to go to a shipping company, like the UPS store, and ask what they could do to pack the flowers so they arrive in one piece.

Why don't you make the buttercream on Wednesday, and store it in the neighbor's fridge until you need it (place Saran wrap on surface of buttercream so it doesn't get crusty). That leaves Thursday for baking - and I agree with chineka not to refrigerate the cupcakes. Just place them in sealed containers in the coolest, dryest place you can find. Friday, you assemble and decorate.

Hope that helps!
Sugar Baby
sugarbabybakes.blogspot.com

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