This is what she wants for her wedding cupcakes:

Chocolate cupcakes with boston cream filling and chocolate bc
Vanilla cupcakes with key lime filling and bc
Vanilla cupcakes with strawberry filling and bc

So, the dilemma....I can do the cakes and both buttercreams, but I am not sure of the best route to go on the fillings. I have never done specialty fillings on anything as my customers normally just want bc between layers. I have also never filled cupcakes. The wedding is 9/6, so I have a little time to play around and my co-workers are the best taste-testers around. Would you try to use scratch fillings for these or would you buy sleeved fillings? What is the difference in vanilla custard-type fillings and Bavarian creams? I absolutely HATE pricing questions, because I know they vary so just humor me here. What do you all normally charge for such? She needs 3 doz in each of the flavors = 9 doz total.

The cupcake thread probably has all this info, but I don't have the time or desire to read all 5500 posts.

Thanks for all your help!

Why are you selling fillings that are not on your menu that you have no idea how to make???

Hey,
Personally, I'd do scratch just because I have the recipes.
Here's a great link to filling cupcakes:

http://bakingbites.com/2007/09/how-to-make-filled-cupcakes-step-by-step/

Charging: $2-$3/per cupcakes, at least IMHO. Depends on where you live. You could probably charge more. Remember, that's a LOT of painstaking work.

Bavarian Cream:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-bavarian-cream.htm

They are easy enough fillings to make. If you need any recipes shoot me an email. I like the vanilla custard for the boston cream pie.

HTH,
Melanie Mc.

there is always a place to accommodate special requests!

As far as the boston cream filling - it depends on who you talk to! I make mine lighter by folding in whipping cream (a bavarian cream). She probably wants the thick sugary stuff in mass produced donuts. Since these are cupcakes and will come to room temp very quickly I would recommend purchasing the filling. They come in sleeves or I have even seen it canned at the grocery store (never tried the canned stuff though). I would worry about food safety otherwise.

For the key lime filling - I have one that was developed in the Carribean and made to stand up to the heat. Please PM if you would like it.

Strawberry - you can definately find many excellent recipes on this site.

When I worked in a grocery store we filled muffins with a pastry bag and large tip so thats what I do, I have also seen threads on here where people cut out a little plug, fill and then replace. You will have to experiment to see how your cupcakes will stand up to being filled, will it crumble or get soggy?

Melanie and Erin -

Thank you for all the info. You have been very helpful. I'll start with what you gave me and probably PM you once I get to try out your suggestions. I plan to do a little experimenting this weekend.

First, I have to say that anyone in the huge cupcake forum would be happy to help you they are great people. Here is a link to every recipe that has been posted in that thread: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dtxcrsv_94f2877ghh - all of the fillings you have asked about have been talked about and documented in this file. I absolutely loved Paula Dean's recipe (it's in that file too) for Boston Cream cc's so did everyone that ate them

Secondly, I would recommend not doing the plug method for filling, WAY too time consuming, just use your 10 or 12 tip and insert it at an angle just of center and squeeze until you see the top of the cc rise, then STOP because if you keep squeezing you'll have a blow out.

Lastly, HAVE FUN! I think it is great that you are willing to try new things to please a customer, you have pleanty of time to get things just the way you like them so why not.

If you don't have time to create or experiment with scratch recipes, use the sleeve fillings. I've used the bavarian cream, the bavarian chocolate cream, the strawberry and lots more .... brides luv 'em, they have a long shelf life and are super easy to work with.

a tip #230 is for filling cupcakes and pastries it will make things simpler

http://www.cakecentral.com/article42-Decorating-Tip-Numbers.html

here is a awesome website i got from CC on fillings,hope it helps

http://www.ladycakes.com/Recipes/Fillings/fillings.htm

You have a lot of good info here & hopefully the cupcake filling directions link works for you - I thought I would "chime in" & advise that I charge $2.50/ea for any cupcake, un-filled/plain... and the price goes up from there... wedding cupcakes with filling & detailed decoration on top are normally about $4.50/ea... and I know they can even go up if you increase sizing &/or details. Good luck making your decision - make sure you can make the fillings prior to selling them though, hopefully you will have time to test them prior to your due date - did you tell her you would try & will let her know if you cannot fulfill her request? That's what I normally say when I am asked to try something new........... also, those ingredients cost more, so charge more! Good luck!

Hi, the bakers kitchen sells key lime filling but it's comes in a big amount.

Update -

The bride's family hosted a wedding shower two weeks ago and asked me to make about 40 cupcakes in the three types for the shower so that everyone could taste and tweak as necessary. They LOVED them. I used the key lime filling from dinas27 in WVSC (white vanilla sour cream) cupcakes with bc icing, Strawberry jam-type filling in WVSC cupcakes with bc icing, and a bavarian cream recipe I found on CC (except I added a little instant vanilla pudding mix to make it thicker) in devil's food (straight from th box mix) cupcakes with chocolate bc. The wedding planner called me back to tell me the bride and groom LOVED them and didn't want me to change a single thing.

This could be a huge opportunity for me because the planner/bride's uncle/caterer (yes all the same person) told me that they have stopped using the "cake lady" they've used for years. I'm hoping that all will go so well that they'll want to use me as their new "cake lady".

Thanks to everyone for your tips and recipes. I knew I could count on you!