I'm new here and had a couple questions please. I have an order for 300 cupcakes for this weekend. My questions are where can i find a great recipe for vanilla and chocolate cupcakes that hold up and taste great? Also how far in advance can I make them? One last question , what would be the best frosting for them? Thanks so much for your help:)

Denise

Whoa. 300? I hope you're a morning person. Cupcakes only stay fresh for a day or so. They really need to be baked and frosted the day of the event. The day before at the very earliest, but I wouldn't. It's why I don't do big cupcake orders.

Welcome to CC... I agree with Elcee. Cupcakes have a very short shelf life. You could freeze them and frost the morning of, but it's best to bake and frost that morning. 

She wants them first thing Saturday morning. I was going to do them all day Friday. That is why I'm trying to find a recipe that will hold up. This is my first order ever!!!! I really want to make a good impression. I'm a single mom of 3 teenagers and in trying to get my business off the ground to help with bringing money in. Thanks fir your input:)

Surely you've made cupcakes before if you're taking orders for them?

Yes I have made them before. This order is for a friend. I have a recipe, but I was going to try a couple other ones the first of the week to see if they held up better than mine

Baking for friends and family without payment is different from taking business orders. Your friends and family have different expectations than a paying customer. Even a friend who pays has expectations.

If you're not happy with your own recipes because of shelf life issues, I suggest you try new one(s) today and see how they hold up. Otherwise, use your own recipes and just get started early because of the big order. Good luck.

I have made my own chocolate cake recipe, through trial and error, but for most of my orders I use box unless the customer asks for homemade.

It is going to very expensive to make 300 cupcakes homemade! I have an order of 200 I have to make for a July wedding and they want box cake used because it'll be cheaper. I use butter instead of oil and I use an extra egg or two which makes the cupcake more moist. I think when you use box cake mix to make cupcakes they hold up well. They hold up at least two days, or three, and if you make them a few days in advance and frost them the day of event it should be fine. 

For my order I will be baking the day before and frosting the day of the event.

Good luck!