There is a local pumpkin festival comming up that I will have a booth at to promote my new business. I'm thinking about selling cupcake samples. DO you think I can get 1.00 a cupcake at a street festival??? I need a lot of "votes" please. My husband does not think there is a chance in He** that I can sell a cup cake for a buck. I think I won't be able to make enough.
Should I do more custom flavors? What about topping them with something more than just plain icing?

I figure I can bake 3,456 cup cakes in about 8 hours and I can bake for two days. That would be a lot of cup cakes to sell.

I know some of you have done events with pies and apples etc but I only do cake. What do you all think?
Thanks for the help.
Korkyo

I would definitely pay 1.00 for a cupcake. That is easy - plus most people will have singles on them so less need to hassle with change, etc. Good luck with everything - and remember to post your pictures!

The amount of oney you can charge may depend on what people are used to paying....

I would think selling to 10% would be realistic...maybe make 120 - 150 cupcakes. Would think they will buy them more on impulse of what they look like at first glance rather than the ingredients.

If I were at a fair and saw some interesting cupcakes....I'd likely pay 75cents might buy 6 for a discount?!?!

Maybe making fewer cupcakes might be a good idea - you could then sell out and people would be really interested in finding out more about these cupcakes that were going like hotcakes!

Everything is more expensive at festivals and people know this. I think $1.00 is a reasonable price. I too think they should look great as well as tasting great to attract people. People eat with their eyes first.
One idea could be to make business card plaques (ct, fbct, or fondant) to put on top of the cupcakes. You could print them out on edible paper and apply to the plaque. Or..... you could make something to go with the theme like a chocolate pumpkin with pretty vines on top of each one.

HTH, and good luck...but more importantly have fun!

Is it the Morton Pumpkin Festival by any chance?
I have been to that one and I would think you could definitely sell them for $1. I would do a pumpkin spice with orange buttercream and I think they will fly out of your booth. You might want to do one other flavor for people who may be pumpkined out (is that possible?) but no more than two flavors. Your sales will probably be slow in the morning while the pumpkin doghnuts are out but will pick up in the afternoon. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out!

I think you could easily sell a cupcake for a dollar. When I do tastings for clients. I make what I call Cake Bites. I bake bake a 7" angel food pan cake, cut it into 2" wide slices and cut each slice into 3. I have people call after their tasting to buy the bites and I sell them 3 for a dollar. A cupcake is bigger than those small pieces of cake. I would go for it. I don't think you will be able to stay in stock. Besides who going to be in charge of hauling around a bunch of change to give when everyone gives you a dollar?? Good Luck!!

omg ANYTHING for $1 at a fair? I've never heard of such a thing! I think you will do more than well with them and will probably sell out of however many you can make.

My little one would want 2 or 3.

No offense to your DH, but $1.00 is a steal for a cupcake at a fair/festival. You'll make a killing! I definitely wouldn't charge more than that though. As someone already mentioned, singles are easiest and you don't have to deal with the change factor.

Rule of thumb is to make about 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of the number of people expected to attend. Don't stress about making 12,000. It is unrealistic to think that you need to make one for every person who has a ticket to attend.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

what other kinds of booths will be there? I go to one every year and there are a lot of churches that put up bake sale tents .... and they are selling things for $0.25-$0.50. So $1.00 a cupcake may seem high in this kind of environment.

I would also go with fewer. You're not doing this to make money as much as you are to get your name out to get the big bookings down the road. So don't worry about what you'll make that day. Selling out is a GOOD thing! Also, if people see you have a LOT of inventory, they will get the idea "Oh, I'll pick one up later!" and then they never do. If it looks like you are low, they'll pick one up now, before you run out.

if you were selling cupcakes at any festival is south fl for a $1- youd totally sell out.
Here its normal to pay $4-6 for funnel cake
and $2-$8 for kettle corn

I say go for it but definitely dont do 3000 cupcakes

i agree...$1.00 is way to cheap. prices are always high at fairs. i wouldn't charge less than a buck. don't make so much, but limit yourself to maybe three to 400...and make several different flavors, but do make the basics, like choc/vanilla etc. good-luck!!

if you were selling cupcakes at any festival is south fl for a $1- youd totally sell out.
Here its normal to pay $4-6 for funnel cake
and $2-$8 for kettle corn

I say go for it but definitely dont do 3000 cupcakes

wow,you guys must go to really ritzy fairs and festivals .... I've never seen a cupcake for $1.

At local bake sales around here... they sell one large cookie for $1.00 and that's not even a decorated cookie it's a large chocolate chip cookie maybe the size of two regular cookies put together lol. They sell brownies for $1.50-$2.50 per piece... they are about the same size as the cookie, maybe 2x2 or 3x3.

I can say I don't think you'll need that many cupcakes... maybe make 200 cupcakes, a few sheet cakes cut into pieces and put on paper plates with a plastic fork, wrapped with suran wrap. Also offer bottled water... you don't want to just offer ONE item incase someone is allergic or can't have something...

I'd also make them stand out some... instead of just "plain icing" do something to make the cupcake actually look like a pumpkin... orange icing with a little green stem of icing... looks sell before "let me tell you about this cupcake" talk

Yeah, I would pay $1 for a cupcake...(it keeps the kids quiet, and that is worth a lot )

But I wouldnt make so many either. How many other booths will there be with food or similar food items? I'd go with a coupld of hundred maybe. If it is successful, then you will know for next year. I think I would rather run out of cupcakes than have to figure out what to do with 2000 cupcakes that didnt sell.

you could do little ball pan pumpkins for say 1.50-2.00 a cc and maybe mini loafs or cut cup sheet cake for customers too. I would deff go with offering water also.
The mini cakes and kids cup cakes always seem to sell first around here.

I wouldnt do chocolate or nuts in anything due to allergies and easy cross contamination reasons.

What about offering some mini cupcakes too? 3 for a $1.00? That would be cute with the orange icing and green stem like OhMyGoodies suggested...

I have a plan for doing a bake sale or booth at the farmer's market and have my prices already set up, $1.00 for cupcakes, $1.50 for filled cupcakes, $.50 for mini cupcakes, $2.00 for a slice of cake, $1.75 for frosted brownies, and $1.00 for a bottle of water. I've asked a lot of people in my area and they all think it's a great idea. You could also have your portfolio on hand and some business cards on display, and you could have a few flyers informing them you do birthday cakes wedding cakes etc... whatever you offer You might also think about offering a discount to any orders placed from purchases at the fair booth. I'll be offering a coupon with every purchase over $5.00 for 5% off their first order (which here is just tax but it does go along way if it's a high order)

Thanks everyone for all the sugestions. I'm going to go for broke and make the 3,456 cupcakes or more if I can and try to sell them all. If I don't I can take them to church on sunday and give them out as treats. Still more word of mouth.

My sister is going to help me the whole time so instead of paying her she will sell the water and keep her own profits.
I'll post pictures and let everyone know how it goes.

Anyother comments are still appreciated if you ahve done this before.
Thanks,
Korkyo

That's a LOT of cake! Are you baking all of these from your home oven? Do you have a place to keep them all while they're cooling, after they're iced, etc? How are you going to get that many cupcakes to the festival? I think setting up at a festival is a great way to get your name out there, and $1 at a festival for anything to eat is a steal, but I really don't think you'll need that many!

Those were my thoughts exactly. Plus if you dont end up doing as well as you hope, I would hate to see you lose money. You will spend quite a bit on ingredients I imagine.

I do get carried away with things like this. The woman runing the festival thinks 1,000 would be plenty. I have two ovens and two regular bakery racks so space is not a problem. I can pack them in 1/2 boxes with the cardboard dividers so that is covered and I have a large van. I just can't decide.

I'm planning on a nice large display of 3 wedding cakes, and a variety of 6-8 different BD, holiday etc ideas to show. I'm thinking the large display will draw more people over.

I guess I'll just bake what I can bake and see how it goes. I could freeze them and use them as samples to pass out the following week to local businesses.

I agree I don't think you'll end up selling that many cupcakes... even half the people that show probably won't buy one... I'd estimate maybe a 1/3 of everyone that shows would buy one....

Agreed. 3000+ cupcakes is a bit much. I even think 1000 is too many but if you have the space and can get them all there, go for the 1000 cupcakes. I would LOVE to see a picture of all those cupcakes!

Didn't her original post say there whould be 12,000 people there? Then 1/3 if 4000 cupcakes. Lady, I say go for it. Bake as many as you can and just stop when you can't see any more (I don't think you'll get to 3000 before that unless you are wonder woman ) and sell what you can sell. Sounds like you're ok with having leftovers if that turns out to be the case so no problem!!

Yes that is 4000 but what I meant was 1/3 of what she was planning on doing... she had mentioned doing 3,456 cupcakes and 1/3 of that would be 1,152. Which I think would be a perfect amount (1200) rather then having 12,000 cupcakes or even 3000 cupcakes sitting in the back of her vehicle waiting to be sold... and plus come the end of the day who wants a cupcake that's been sitting in the back of her vehicle melting all day?

When I go to our local festivals, I love to bring home treats.

I suggest having some of them boxed in groups of six or even 12 for folks to bring home. I also agree that you should decorate them somehow to make them stand out from others at the festival. I imagine pumpkin cake will be everywhere and folks will have many booths to choose from. You have to entice them to come to you. Think about what would make me choose yours if there is another cupcake booth next to you. Good luck and have fun!!!

Let me say this being from Circleville where our Pumpkin Show is usually 25,000 people just on Sat. alone, if you make pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese icing you will sell out at $1 no matter how many you have. Trust me people are there to get there hands on ANYTHING pumpkin flavored! Even if its a pumpkin burger!

Chele