I got a request for cupcakes for a wedding. They are expecting about 150 people and are baking regular sized cupcakes, I am just doing the decorating. I have heard different ideas as to how many cupcakes they should have per person, anywhere from 1, 1.5 or 2. Any suggestions and/or recommendations from experience would be greatly appreciated.
First things first, I would NEVER, NEVER, EVER decorate anyone's cupcakes, unless it was a family member I grew up with, for a family gathering. Or all in the same bakery, like one person does all the baking, while there is another for decorating. If these are clients, this could very well end in tears, or getting sued. How do you even know where they came from? Walmart?
What if they are dry and they say you didn't store them right? I just wouldn't do it....
You didn't even answer my question so why bother to respond? I have been doing this for a VERY LONG TIME so I know what I am doing as far as when to decorate cupcakes baked by someone else.
Is this the only thing they are serving for dessert?
Not sure Izzy. Waiting for them to get back to me on that. I know that would help in determining how many cupcakes.
A
Original message sent by cakeadoodle
You didn't even answer my question so why bother to respond? I have been doing this for a VERY LONG TIME so I know what I am doing as far as when to decorate cupcakes baked by someone else.
AGenerally weddings usually have tons of food so 1 per person is probably sufficient, but I recommend 1.5 if they want to make sure they have enough for people who want seconds and don't have other dessert options.
I also wouldn't worry about decorating someone else's cupcakes as long as the customer knows not to tell everyone that you baked the cupcakes and the contract is clear that you are offering decorating services only and disclaiming responsibility for the cupcakes themselves. Of course the price to decorate their cupcakes would be the same as the price to bake your own and decorate them.
I would definitely do as Jason said if this isn't family or close friends. I have done this once before for my pastor's daughter. Her mom baked her favorite cupcake recipe and gave them to me the weekend before. As soon as I got home with them, I froze them and decorated them a week later, they turned out great.
There was one slight hitch up with them, this was August in Houston (HUMID) they had gotten taken in and out of a refrigerator I think 3 times before I got them, so the paper wrappers the were baked in were peeling off some. So I called her up and got some foil wrappers put a dab of icing in the bottom and pushed 'em in, worked great! The pic is in my albums. When we determined how many we would need we went for about 5 extra for every 30-40 RSVP-ed guests.
I would definitely do as Jason said if this isn't family or close friends. I have done this once before for my pastor's daughter. Her mom baked her favorite cupcake recipe and gave them to me the weekend before. As soon as I got home with them, I froze them and decorated them a week later, they turned out great.
There was one slight hitch up with them, this was August in Houston (HUMID) they had gotten taken in and out of a refrigerator I think 3 times before I got them, so the paper wrappers the were baked in were peeling off some. So I called her up and got some foil wrappers put a dab of icing in the bottom and pushed 'em in, worked great! The pic is in my albums. When we determined how many we would need we went for about 5 extra for every 30-40 RSVP-ed guests.
yes and no on the working with another's baking
(in and out the frig three times before she even got them--yikes!)
because we do have to jump through umpteen flaming hoops to be legal
it only stands to reason to guard yourself and guard your product
i mean collaborating is great but you cannot control things and your name is irrevocably attached
god forbid if something happened, the chances are certainly minute
but your name would def be in the mix
professionally i would not do it--i know none of the retail places i worked for would do it
for friends maybe
for family sure
and one per person is fine i think
it's expensive
it should be sufficiently decadent to stop most from getting another
my son, the former chef, taught me to leave them wanting more
not that they are still hungry or neglected but that it's so good
edited to 'splain better
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Original message sent by -K8memphis
my son, the former chef, taught me to leave them wanting more
This can be subjective depending on who you are selling to. In some cultures it would be a huge embarrassment for the host to even come close to running out of any dish.
sorry--i meant one per head so each person gets one
running out does suck
but in my world that is determined by how many the bride wants to pay for
not my decision
and also in fine dining, you don't usually send back to the kitchen for more
i'm kinda linking a fine dining concept to cakes--maybe not exactly a straight line there
but my particular servings are so decadent that you might want another but you're actually pretty full/satisfied from the first one
it's a chef mind game kinda thought
not an oliver 'can i have some more, sir' thought 
nothing written in stone--plenty of different ways to cut it
not to mention that's why it's such a painstaking decision to make
generally a bride does not want to over buy at all too costly
but sure they don't want to run out either usually
but some do intentionally run out because they don't wanna buy enough in the first place
they just want a cake for the pictures mostly
if it's the sloppy joes and you run out that's a problem
in catering you can still still get popped for extra servings served
for a cake it's all decided in advance and let the crumb$ fall where they may huh
there's cultured and un-cultured
I got a request for cupcakes for a wedding. They are expecting about 150 people and are baking regular sized cupcakes, I am just doing the decorating. I have heard different ideas as to how many cupcakes they should have per person, anywhere from 1, 1.5 or 2. Any suggestions and/or recommendations from experience would be greatly appreciated.
If you are just doing the decorating, just decorate however many cupcakes they bake. It's up to them to decide how many servings they wish to provide.
This can be subjective depending on who you are selling to. In some cultures it would be a huge embarrassment for the host to even come close to running out of any dish.
In my Italian family ,you best have more lmao !!!!
K8 - I agree it is up to the bride and what her budget is. I have worked with some of chefs and they do that mind game all the time, it makes you go home thinking of how badly you want to taste more and you usually end up with more customers because of that. Of course to me this was insane because I am Italian and we always cook for an army even if it is a dinner for 2 lol.
omg, iz
there's only two of us now
two
it's really an art form in itself to cook for one + one
i love quantity cooking almost as much as baking
I freeze a lot of portions
In my Italian family ,you best have more lmao !!!!
K8 - I agree it is up to the bride and what her budget is. I have worked with some of chefs and they do that mind game all the time, it makes you go home thinking of how badly you want to taste more and you usually end up with more customers because of that. Of course to me this was insane because I am Italian and we always cook for an army even if it is a dinner for 2 lol.
a chef is kind of the antithesis of a good boat captain
chefs plant icebergs that captains live to avoid
where on your plate all you see is this amazing small portion
that packs so much wallop deep down inside
you wake up in the morning looking pathetically for some in the frig
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sorry op i'm way off topic--please forgive me
over and out
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