Hi all! I got my first big wedding order today for October 1st... very exciting! They want 200 pair of my bride/groom buckeye candies for favors. I know what I need to do for the timing on those... about four days out should be fine.
But they also ordered 200 cupcakes in 5 different flavors! VERY excited about that, since it's my first order for those and I'm really trying to break into the cupcake biz. I've read on here that you can bake and freeze them ahead of time as long as they're individually wrapped. How far ahead of time? A couple of weeks? And when you freeze them, will the liner come off? That's what I'm really afraid of. What is the best way to defrost them so they come out fresh and not soggy?
The wedding and reception are outside, and hopefully it won't be hot and humid in October... but you never know with Ohio weather! I was planning on transporting the cupcakes without frosting on them to make it easier, and so the icing on top will be fresher. Each cupcake will be with indydebi's buttercream, chocolate buttercream, and cream cheese frosting with a fondant monogram plaque on top. Will the cream cheese frosting hold up outside for several hours? I will frost them at the reception site... do you think this is okay for an outdoor wedding? I'm estimating that it will take me at least 2-3 hours to frost and set up on the cupcake stand, plus the little bit of time I'll need to put the buckeye favors at each place setting.
Thanks in advance for your help... I know I can always find awesome advice here! What works for you seasoned pros?
Thanks! Maria

congrats on the big order! first, you don't have to individually wrap each cupcake before you freeze! lord that would take too much time. just bake, let them cool and put them in a cardboard box, put saran wrap over that layer, pressing around the outer sides. i then put wax paper on top of that and do the next layers of cupcakes on top of them. repeat. i usually only go two layers high and close op the box. you could then wrap the box in saran wrap to prevent any air from getting in. do this til you get 200. when it's time to ice them, let them defrost completely and put them single layer in however many boxes it will take you to get all of them in. frost the cupcakes while they're in the box to prevent you from having to move them twice. then decorate the same way. i wouldn't wait to ice/decorate once you get there. do it at home and give yourself plenty of time. once you get to the reception, it's time to set up...and again give yourself plenty of time!!!

in saying this, if i were you...i'd have all of my batter/icing/decorations made ahead of time. then i'd bake all in one day (have lots of pans and liners ready to go). while batches are cooling, you're refilling pans, etc. once cool, ice and decorate.

Great packing tip PP. I also love the "underbed" or "wrapping paper" plastic storage boxes (long, not deep rectangles). They have fitted lids, are strong enough to transport well, and seal up. At about $10 each, there are well worth it! There should store well in there.

I have also used them "one layer" deep- fully iced. For very close transport, I even divided them, and did one layer in the box, and one layer in the lid- all done before I arrive. Don't forget a rubber mat underneath them in the car so they do not slide.

thanks!
re: the rubber mat, does it go in the box (underbed or regular cake box) or under the box on the floor of the car? What other things do you guys do to make sure things don't slide in the back of your car/van?
I have a number of plastic cupcake carriers with "wells" that are not very deep so you can get the cupcakes out easily. They've worked well for me for the most part. Last weekend for my brother/SIL's anniversary party, a number of them fell over in the carriers fully iced and they messed up. But some of them had Cricut wrappers on them and maybe the cuppies weren't as fully in the wells as they should have been. Lesson learned!
Anyway, I'm still thinking about the best way to transport these since I don't have enough carriers for 200!
Maria

You can buy large boxes with inserts for cupcakes. Just do a google search.

Someone posted an idea about making your own cupcake holders. Turn your cupcake pan upside down and form a large piece tin foil around each space. I find it usually takes two pieces of foil - I just over lap the edges. Then turn the foil up and place in a cake box. Then place your cupcakes in the foil "pockets" and ice them while they are in the box.

I did 250 cupcakes plus a large cake for a wedding. I wouldn't attempt to ice cupcakes on the premises. Takes too much time and can be messy.

okay. no icing at the site... I see why now! thank you!
I might have to try the aluminum foil thing. I've tried the boxes with the inserts and the plastic throw away carriers, and with both of them, it was way too hard to get the cupcake out without getting icing all over the place and messing it up. But I know that alot of people use these, so maybe it's just me?!

My packing is on a rubber "drawer liner" type thin roll out thing. Available at the dollar store, or even at Walmart. Non-skid, is the key. Line the "underbed" plastic container with the non-skid drawer liner and pack cuppies fairly full in the box. THEN, also put a non-skid rubber liner in the van, UNDER the box, so it won't skid when braking. This way, you may have a very slight "touching" of cupcakes, but not much.

At delivery, you CAREFULLY pull out the first 2 or 3 (they go to the back of the display) cuppies, as they may smudge ever so slightly. Then you have room to work and pull out each cuppie.

Again, you can bake and store in the container, two high with wax paper divider. Morning of delivery (OK, or evening prior), NOT on site, remove the top layer and place them in the inverted LID of the box. Now you have two layers- one in box, one in lid. Ice and decorate while in place. Voila! Ready for delivery! Depending on the box, I have packed 70-90 in one lid/ box combo. So use your carriers, and buy an extra box or two as needed.