Yesterday we had a graduation party to celebrate the graduations of our three children (from high school, college and grad school!) with about 100 guests. The party was held outdoors in a nearby park, and we were blessed with the first truly picture perfect day of the summer in the Northeast. Hot but not unbearable.
I had decided to make cupcakes instead of a cake, as each of our children wanted a different cake flavor. (And I often find that guests don't eat the cake if it isn't a flavor they like.) We had been to several parties at which the regulation "cake with graduation cap and 2009" was served, and we wanted something different. Logistics--transporting to a park-- were another concern.
Because of the countless hours spent on CC, I learned all about cupcake towers, successful freezing of cake, and the popularity of cupcakes. I decided to make cupcakes, after consulting with the guests of honor.
About a month before the party, I started to make a cupcake tower. I used plywood and flower pots and a threaded rod. I made a smaller tower that I intended to use for cookies but wound up using for cupcakes, too.
About a week before the party, I started baking and freezing cupcakes in doubled zipper bags. I baked 12 flavors, for a total of about 330 cupcakes. Then I made a variety of frostings. The night before the party, our oldest daughter helped me frost the cupcakes for HOURS. (Kudos to all you cupcake bakers out there. It's exhausting, messy, time-consuming work!) By the time we were finished, we were giddy and covered in frosting. Each flavor of cupcake was distinguished by a something on top of it--rainbow or chocolate sprinkles, coconut, raisins, candies, etc. Then we made a Cupcake Menu which we displayed in a stand-up picture frame at the party.
I did not bring the desserts to the party until the food was served. My sister and I discreetly left the party to pick up the cupcakes (and brownies, blondies and cookies I had also made). I originally wanted to unveil a spectacular cupcake tower, but it was logistically impossible. It had to be done in front of all the guests, so I decided to make the best of it. My husband placed the towers on the dessert table, and we parked nearby. My sisters and cousins helped unload the car, and we quickly began to arrange the cupcakes on the towers. Everyone gathered around to watch. Many took pictures, which I have yet to see. They were all commenting on the variety, the quantity, the presentation, the labor involved. They tried to guess the number of cupcakes. They were so impressed, and I was so happy it was well-received. They were awed! I really wasn't sure how the adults would respond to cupcakes. One guest in particular raved about it! She said it was so fun to pick out your favorite flavor, and to watch the process. She declared it was so much better than regular cake! Many agreed with her. I kiddingly said there was a three cupcake minimum, and that everyone had to eat at least three cupcakes before they could leave. Many guests complied, and some exceeded the requirement. I think the record was held by a cousin who ate 9, eliminating the three flavors he really disliked. We offered cupcakes to take home as people left the party, and many accepted.
It was a huge success, and I was thrilled!
I really didn't want to set-up in front of everyone, but it turned out to be a great thing. And I'm so glad I rolled with it.
I have never posted pictures here before, but I will try. I'm not even sure what pictures are in my camera.

I've been trying all afternoon to post photos to this forum, but I just can't figure it out. I was able to load them into My Photos, but not here. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I keep re-sizing, and I get error messages that say the photos need to be smaller than 800 x 800 and bigger than 400 x 400, even when I make the pictures the correct size. Is there any way to get pictures from My Photos to a forum post? I'm ready to give up. How do you guys do it?

I was able to post photos of the two towers in My Photos, FINALLY. Unfortuntely, they're not great pictures. Even worse than that, I accidentally deleted all the photos from our son's graduation ceremony.

I'm getting a complex. If this was a game of kickball, would I be the last kid chosen?

I feel like Tom Hanks in Castaway...with no one to talk to but myself. Wish I had a volleyball.

WOW!! That's alot of cupcakes. I can't imagine frosting 330 cupcakes in one night. What flavors did you make?

Oh, those stands look great! I especially like the lucite one. Do you know how expensive lucite blocks are? And you got them at the dollar store? I'm so freakin' jealous!

I'm asking, too, what flavors did you make?

Theresa

Mjoy and deej,
Thanks for acknowledging me! I was beginning to feel like Susan Lucci!
The cupcakes were Reese's peanut butter cup with peanut butter frosting; vanilla with chocolate frosting; chocolate with chocolate frosting; pistachio with almond frosting; root beer float with root beer frosting; red velvet with cream cheese frosting; carrot with cream cheese frosting; lemon with lemon frosting; orange with orange coconut frosting; Oreo/chocolate with Oreo frosting; Andes mint/chocolate with mint chocolate frosting; and strawberry with orange frosting.
And as I said earlier, each cupcake was identified by something on top of it, and we had a menu describing each flavor.

playingwithsugar,
I accidentally stumbled onto those Lucite blocks at the dollar store. I don't even know what they are supposed to be. They were with the candle cups and bric-a-brac. They have sea creatures etched in them, but the designs are so subtle that you can't see them unless you look closely.

oh, and just an FYI - when I clicked on your post earlier, I was getting messages that the topic did not exist. It wasn't until I saw it on the homepage again, right before I posted my comment, that it would work for me.
Maybe others had that problem, too.

And thanks for the list of flavors. Sounds like a menu!

Theresa

playingwithsugar,
My original post was duplicated, as so many others were this past week or so. I deleted as many as I could, so maybe you clicked on one of those. Thanks for letting me know.