I need some advice!!!
I've been ask to make several different flavors of cupcakes for a bride-to-be. She has not placed an order with me, she only wants to do a taste testing first. She wants to sample the different flavors that I offer and wants different fillings too. This is the first time I've been asked to do this so I'm not sure how to charge for this??? How much would be fair to ask for each cupcake? Is this a common practice? I don't own a bakery so I don't have lots of orders to use the extra batter. Can you freeze batter? If you can, how long can it be frozen? Does the batter, once thawed, make as nice a cake as if it was made fresh? I don't want to waste all the left over batter that will surely be left!!!

Some decorators will offer a taste test for $25-30 - this will go towards their order if they decide to go ahead - so either way - no loss.
Offer only 3 types of small cake - ice them normally - and have only a few different flavors of filling on the side to taste.

If they only want to taste one flavor - I would tell them to just order 12 cupcakes..

Hi Sandy. Having a tasting with a bride is very common practice for me. In fact, I've only ever booked one wedding without! I let the couples try up to six flavors. I do not charge for my tastings, mainly because I have only had a few that haven't eventually booked with me.

When I do tastings for brides I allow her to pick 4 cupcakes, 4 fillings and 4 frostings/ganache...I make up mini cupcakes and have the icing and fillings there for her to try, she can mix and match however she pleases.

I charge $30 for this tasting.

Also, there is a thread on this forum somewhere about freezing batter. I have frozen batter and it is AWESOME! You can make tons of batters ahead of time and freeze them, then use how much you need, when you need. You don't even need to thaw the batter before using it...just add a couple minutes to your bake time and VIOLA! I can't sing enough praises for freezing batter.