This is so hard to say, but I have had my first disaster. And, worse yet, on my biggest order. It was for a baby shower today across the state. I baked the cupcakes (all 8 dozen) on Tuesday, placed them in sealed plastic containers until Thursday.  On that day I did my filling, frosting and decorating of them.  They were boxed up on that day and placed in a cool room. Friday morning I delivered them to the gal in town who then drove them across state. The shower was this Saturday morning. She sent me a text this afternoon to tell me they were dry and crumbling. And she was not happy, as I can understand.

Now I have baked for many here in town and not had this happen. I almost always bake on Tuesday, wrap them as stated above, and finish up on Thursday.  Only difference is that most deliver on that Thursday or Friday.  I have never had this happen.

I am looking for input and advice from all of you out there.  I don't ever want this to happen again!

Baking on a Tuesday is way too early for a cake due on Saturday unless you plan on freezing the un-iced cakes.  What I would have done is bake on Thursday, freeze overnight, ice on Friday and deliver.  You could conceivably bake and freeze them on Tuesday and then ice, etc. on Friday.  If I was your customer I would be expecting fresh cupcakes - and most customers expect you (wrongly, but still) to bake them and decorate them the day they are picking them up.  So, to tell your customer the cupcakes were three days old by the time she got them, and then 4 days old by the party is unacceptable.  I would be unhappy as well.

This is true,  I must say I am guilty of baking too early as well, thinking I needed the time.  Freezing after baking is the way to go if you are delivering several days later.  Don't get too upset, just remember for next time.  

So sorry to hear about your order.  I have never had success freezing cupcakes and then frosting them.  Seems the paper cups want to come loose from the cake due to moisture. Not sure what to suggest for the future for you.  Hopefully, someone else may have a suggestion.

AYeah, sorry, but you just cant bake and hold cupcakes. You can bake, freeze then finish or complete them and freeze them.

Poor customer. 

There are many threads here on freezing cupcakes. You should check them out.

I bake cupcakes and cookies from scratch.

It is still 'from scratch' if you freeze after baking.  I would do a test run if I were you - bake and freeze some cupcakes and the bake and hold them your normal way.  Then eat them and see what tastes better and fresher - it is going to be the ones you froze.

You definitely want to freeze them next time. If I don't freeze cupcakes, I make them the day before and no sooner than that. Tuesday to Saturday would definitely mean a crumbly and old cupcake. Freezing cupcakes is very easy. I've done it a few times and had no problems. I don't freeze them decorated.

A

Yes, me too.

how were they boxed though?

the boxes should be wrapped like a mummy encased in plastic for the most protection possible but of course with baking/freezing properly in the first place

and this is a case in time when if the icing isn't covering the whole top you really risk them staling out

just some ideas for next time ;)

I agree with scrumdiddlycakes (I like that name).  Cupcakes don't require too much time.  I once baked 250 cupcakes on a Friday evening then frosted the next morning.  What I do to save time is mix my dry ingredients ahead of time and put the mix in a ziplock bag (one batch in each bag).  I also pre-crack the eggs and put them in plastic containers.  So when baking time comes, the batter comes together quickly.  I also have 6 cupcake pans, so while one set of two is in the oven, another set is cooling and another set is getting filled with batter.  Once I get in the groove, it all goes rather quickly.  If I remember correctly it took about 4.5 hrs.

Thank you for this info.  I certainly have learned a lot from posting here and am so glad I did.

Honestly, you owe your client a full refund.  Baking on Tuesday for a Saturday baby shower and not freezing the cupcakes at all...will leave you with very dry, very old tasting cupcakes.

Cupcakes are quick and easy,  I always bake my cupcakes the night before.

This same thing happened to me...I gave the customer a full refund for 5 dozen cupcakes! Lesson learned the hard way; however the customer was satisfied with the solution and didn't post negative comments on my Social Media site.  I now do as others said...cupcakes are baked the day before they are picked up. 
 

Yep if you have a lot of pans you can really crank out some cupcakes.  My friend and I did 500 for a charity event.  It took us about 3 hours in her home oven.  I always use my freezer when I bake, and that goes for scratch or box cakes and cupcakes.  As long as they are wrapped well you shouldn't have a problem.

I have heard the problem with cupcakes is that they are not sealed in like most cakes and that is why to loose their moisture very quickly. I usually do my cupcakes 1 day before due and refrigerate. I have been in business for 3 years and haven't had a complaint yet (fingers crossed, lol). I also have seen this theory proved in another in town business that I vistied. Their display cases were not refrigerated and therefore the cupcakes that I was sampling from them were indeed very dry.

www.ashleascakes.com