In a few weeks, instead of resting up from the jet-lag I will incur from coming home from our honeymoon, I will be planning on baking a ton of cupcakes. My mother-in-law is having a "Ladies Day Out" the weekend after we get home and has asked me to bake some cupcakes to sell. I just recently started baking and have no idea what to actually do.

Here's where I need some advice:
How many cupcakes should I bake?
What should I sell my cupcakes for? My MIL bought me a bunch of boxes to sell my cupcakes in, with the inserts I can fit 4 in the box and not sure how many without the inserts.
How on earth do you transport so many cupcakes?!
Should I do themed cupcakes? I mean it will be the weekend before Halloween, I feel I should be somewhat festive.

I'll take any advice you throw at me
Thanks!

no matter what you end of doing, someone suggested decorating them after you place in the box. Great advice!!

First off, good for you for getting this project

Second off, after you read this, go make all your icing NOW. You don't need to color it now, just have it made and stick it in the fridge. Get that out of the way, you will thank me later when you are too tired to know what day it is.

if you are going to put little doodads on your cupcakes (fondant or plastic), make them NOW as well.

This will depend on how many people are expected, and what other food is available. Are you going to have the exclusive on desserts? Will you be on a street with 10 coffee shops?

I'm limited to what my mom and I can carry to a site. It also depends on if we are doing a full bake table with other goodies.

the classical formula is your ingredients x3 to account for labor, electricity, etc., divided by the number of cupcakes you got, and we round to the nearest quarter. And if you are feeling generous, sell 12 cupcakes for the price of 10.

OK I'm impressed, I want a MIL now because cupcake boxes are darn expensive here! Add the price of the boxes (what you would have paid) to your calculations above.

This is my method for when Mom and I do craft shows and whatnot. Keep in mind that we travel by public transit:

We have large plastic boxes (think fake Tupperware) that ~8 lbs of margarine once came in. I can fit 15-18 cupcakes in one; the boxes are rainproof, snowproof. I can stack 2 comfortably, I worry if I have 3 because I like to do tall swirls and they tend to hit the top. A third one on the bottom may have cookies or something else totally flat.

Three of these boxes fit in an extra-large reusable grocery bag. I'm a trade show junkie so I have crazy advertising for yogurt on my favorite bags. I have to be able to pick it up but I CANNOT put it on my shoulder or things will tilt for sure. if your boxes don't fit in a bag, try a garbage bag. Our theoretical limit would be 4 bags, however we usually bring other stuff besides cupcakes. Need room for the tablecloth, cupcake stand, money box etc.

Plastic domes used for catering are very good too, nice and tall. I used two large ones and a recycled plastic container to take 10 dozen mini cupcakes to work on Friday.

Yes definitely go for Halloween / Autumn theme: pumpkins, witches, cats, ghosts, colored leaves. make them cute! Something pink and feminine also, some fall flowers. Make each flavor visually different to pick them out easily.

Good luck and let us know how it turned out!

You can also bake you cupcakes in advance and freeze them. You can also freeze your buttercream. It doesn't hurt it at all.

I just whipped up some cupcakes for a get-together. I dyed my icing orange, used the 2D tip to make a pumpkinish dollop on top, stuck a small reese cup on top, used a 21 tip to put a small dollop on the reese cup, and then topped it with a small candy pumpkin. They turned out cute and got rave reviews. The cupcakes were made from excess batter from cakes I made that weekend and the icing was extra as well.

Thanks everyone, I wish I had more time to make the icing and stuff ahead of time but this week was crazy with final wedding preparations and the wedding on Sat (10-13). I think we decided on 500 cupcakes for a trial. I'll just have to bust my butt when we get back on the 22nd.
Wish me luck!

I know this is a little late but I wanted to let you know how it went. We made a little more than even, I kept notes to see which ones sold and I think we had them priced a little high so we cup the prices later on in the day. We didn't sell all, but between my husband and I's parents we managed to get rid of most cupcakes after the show to send to work with them! I definitely know what I am going to do for the next show! Definitely making the frosting a head of time! We were up until 2am baking and frosting! It was a nightmare! So for the next show, I am still gonna make 4 types of cupcakes but we are gonna do 48 variety boxes (4 to a box), those babies sold the most! It was definitely a lesson learner and I think we did okay! Lots of people took my cards and asked if I had a storefront (I wish). This small little town needs one!

May I ask what you charged for your cupcakes?  We are getting ready to do an event, and I would like to keep them priced well. We'll be selling them individually and also in 6 and 12 packs. 

hi

instead of doing a halloween theme i think you should something classy and girly for your mother in-laws 'ladies day out'

i think a pretty pink frosting with some fondant or modelling chocolate roses would be perfect maybe a bit like these?

 also theses are quite pretty :)

this one is a bit more simple :)

i agree with rwarren make your icing and fondant decorations NOW! i would suggest a white chocolate frosting (NOT GANACHE! GANACHE IS TO RUNNY!!) because it tastes amazing and because it is white you can add colouring to make it whatever color you wan't :)

you sell them for your the cost of your ingrediants times 3 divide it by how many cupcakes you make :)

depending on how many people come, is how many you make. some people might have one and some people might eat two. if 100 people came i would make 120 cupcake's probs :)

i really hoped i helped. i would also suggest cake boss it helps you manage your money!

good luck! :D

I would like to suggest you on how you can transport your cupcakes safely. I think you may carry a cupcake carrier box or simply cupcake boxes. Make sure they have stencils or some base to hold the cupcakes otherwise they may get smudged on the move.