Experience Making LOTS of Cupcakes

Toni79 · August 2013

Has anyone made LOTS of cupcakes (like 60-75 cupcakes)? And can you offer any suggestions for baking, storing, freezing, icing, etc?

DD's party is on Saturday. I'm making her an owl smash cake (inspiration picture below) - I've already done a practice run of the owl cake a few weeks ago and it turned out pretty well. Then I'm going to have cupcakes for everyone else. We've got about 25 adults and 10 kids ... so I'm planning on making 60-75 cupcakes. I'm being somewhat lazy and using boxed cake and canned icing!

I'm off Friday, so I planned on baking them all during the day. And then storing them (un-iced) in freezer bags overnight (on the counter). Then I'll ice them in the morning, and put on my "dessert table".

I'm worried that they'll sweat too much in the bags and get soggy! Wondering if they are nice and cool though if they'll be ok?

Also, someone suggested that I freeze them because they will be easier to put the icing on? Not sure I have room in my freezer to put that many cupcakes! Plus, I'm not sure how thawed cupcakes will taste? When I made her practice owl cake it flaked ALOT when I was icing it! Debating putting that cake in the frezer overnight to make icing it the morning easier? But then I'm afraid that it will be rock solid come smash time! How long would it take to thaw?

Can anyone share some lessons learned?

Toni79 · August 2013

Hummm ... why didn't my picture post? Let's try that again ...

Toni79 · August 2013

Linzlu214 said:

I've made them the day before and stored them on the counter un iced and they didn't sweat and were fine.

Did you put them in ziplock bags? Or were they just sitting out on the counter? I don't want them to get soggy ... or dry out! LOL!

Toni79 · August 2013

Maybe I'll make a single batch tonight and see how they look in the morning!

So much to do ... so little time! LOL!

rp-chicago-mom · August 2013

If you make them the day before, cover them well after they cool and leave them unfrosted. I find it best to frost them the day of. If you're worried about them drying out, you could brush them all with a little simple syrup. That helps keep them moist.

I think a pastry bag is the best and fastest way to frost cupcakes. I could probably do 60 cupcakes in about three minutes with a pastry bag whereas a spatula or icing knife would take much longer. I prefer plastic disposable with a large star tip. If you go from the inside out in concentric circles, they look like rosettes. If you go outside in, they look more like ice cream cones. Either way is very pretty. If you look at e how, it will help you.

CoUnTryBB1 · August 2013

I think it is best to cover them once they have cooled. I use to grab the box tops from our copy paper and cover them in plastic wrap, that way you can move them around easily. I agree with piping the icing. You probably can get some disposbale one time use bags at your grocery. I use a large freezer bag and cut a slit at the bottom corner for a piping bag. Granted it won't be as pretty but they still really nice. It is much less messy and quicker with a bag.

chefnicole22 · August 2013

Baker_Bride said:

If you make them the day before, cover them well after they cool and leave them unfrosted. I find it best to frost them the day of. If you're worried about them drying out, you could brush them all with a little simple syrup. That helps keep them moist.

I think a pastry bag is the best and fastest way to frost cupcakes. I could probably do 60 cupcakes in about three minutes with a pastry bag whereas a spatula or icing knife would take much longer. I prefer plastic disposable with a large star tip. If you go from the inside out in concentric circles, they look like rosettes. If you go outside in, they look more like ice cream cones. Either way is very pretty. If you look at e how, it will help you.

All of this! Also, if you simple syrup the tops, all you have to do to keep them moist is cluster them together on the counter and put foil over them.

For the cake, I wouldn't freeze it, because it could cause your icing to crack or bubble. Do a very thin layer of icing first. It doesn't matter what it looks like, because it's the crumb layer. After you have the thin layer on, put it in the fridge/freezer for a few minutes until the icing is kind of hard, then you can decorate it how you would normally.

britvahok · August 2013

This post makes me want cupcakes for dinner!!! Lots of them!!!

Toni79 · August 2013

Thanks for all the advice ladies! I suddenly have A LOT more confidence than I did a few hours ago!

Toni79 · August 2013

ninah1506 said:

I have made countless cupcakes for friends parties and here's what I would do. Bake them the day before, take them out of the baking pan, put them on a wire rack and let them cool off for a couple of hours. I usually just put them back in the baking pan once they are cool, because I have a double cupcake carrier with lid, but ziplock bags will be fine. They won't sweat and become soggy, but I would definitely cover them so they don't dry out. Then the next day, just pipe some icing on them, done. I don't know what else you are offering food wise, but 60-70 cupcakes for that amount of people sounds way too much for my experience. I would do two boxes of cake mix (makes 48 cupcakes). Portion them out with an ice cream scoop, easy and fast. Good luck!

As far as what's on the menu. The party is from 12-3 ... so we're doing a lunch. I ordered pinwheels (deli meat rolled in a wrap and cut up). And I'm making pasta salad with shrimp, meatballs in the crockpot, and a small pot of vegitatian chili for the vegitarians. I'll also have veggies with dip and fruit salad.

Initally I wasn't planning on the chili, but I guess I need a vegitarian main dish. Maybe I can find vegitarian meatballs and then I don't have to worry about the chilli (plus I'd have to get paper bowls for the chili).

For dessert ... I was just going to do the cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies. I wasn't planning on doing icecream ... mostly becasue I don't want to have to deal with dishing it out. That was also the reason I decided to do cupcakes versus a sheet cake. That way people can grab what they want and I can relax and not have to worry about cutting cake and handing it out, etc.

rp-chicago-mom · August 2013

chefnicole22 said:

Baker_Bride said:

If you make them the day before, cover them well after they cool and leave them unfrosted. I find it best to frost them the day of. If you're worried about them drying out, you could brush them all with a little simple syrup. That helps keep them moist.

I think a pastry bag is the best and fastest way to frost cupcakes. I could probably do 60 cupcakes in about three minutes with a pastry bag whereas a spatula or icing knife would take much longer. I prefer plastic disposable with a large star tip. If you go from the inside out in concentric circles, they look like rosettes. If you go outside in, they look more like ice cream cones. Either way is very pretty. If you look at e how, it will help you.

All of this! Also, if you simple syrup the tops, all you have to do to keep them moist is cluster them together on the counter and put foil over them.

For the cake, I wouldn't freeze it, because it could cause your icing to crack or bubble. Do a very thin layer of icing first. It doesn't matter what it looks like, because it's the crumb layer. After you have the thin layer on, put it in the fridge/freezer for a few minutes until the icing is kind of hard, then you can decorate it how you would normally.

I don't crumb coat when piping on the buttercream. Do you? I sometimes dip the tops in ganache before piping buttercream because...swoon...but i never have crumb coated a cupcake. I never spread frosting on though.

Toni79 · August 2013

Baker_Bride said:

Baker_Bride said:

If you make them the day before, cover them well after they cool and leave them unfrosted. I find it best to frost them the day of. If you're worried about them drying out, you could brush them all with a little simple syrup. That helps keep them moist.

I think a pastry bag is the best and fastest way to frost cupcakes. I could probably do 60 cupcakes in about three minutes with a pastry bag whereas a spatula or icing knife would take much longer. I prefer plastic disposable with a large star tip. If you go from the inside out in concentric circles, they look like rosettes. If you go outside in, they look more like ice cream cones. Either way is very pretty. If you look at e how, it will help you.
All of this! Also, if you simple syrup the tops, all you have to do to keep them moist is cluster them together on the counter and put foil over them.

For the cake, I wouldn't freeze it, because it could cause your icing to crack or bubble. Do a very thin layer of icing first. It doesn't matter what it looks like, because it's the crumb layer. After you have the thin layer on, put it in the fridge/freezer for a few minutes until the icing is kind of hard, then you can decorate it how you would normally.
I don't crumb coat when piping on the buttercream. Do you? I sometimes dip the tops in ganache before piping buttercream because...swoon...but i never have crumb coated a cupcake. I never spread frosting on though.

I think I need some terms defined! LOL!

Crumb coat - is that just a thin layer of icing on the cupcake to cover the crumbs. Then once its set you can pipe on the pretty coat of icing?

Simple Syrup - ???

chefnicole22 · August 2013

Baker_Bride said:

Baker_Bride said:

If you make them the day before, cover them well after they cool and leave them unfrosted. I find it best to frost them the day of. If you're worried about them drying out, you could brush them all with a little simple syrup. That helps keep them moist.

I think a pastry bag is the best and fastest way to frost cupcakes. I could probably do 60 cupcakes in about three minutes with a pastry bag whereas a spatula or icing knife would take much longer. I prefer plastic disposable with a large star tip. If you go from the inside out in concentric circles, they look like rosettes. If you go outside in, they look more like ice cream cones. Either way is very pretty. If you look at e how, it will help you.

All of this! Also, if you simple syrup the tops, all you have to do to keep them moist is cluster them together on the counter and put foil over them.

For the cake, I wouldn't freeze it, because it could cause your icing to crack or bubble. Do a very thin layer of icing first. It doesn't matter what it looks like, because it's the crumb layer. After you have the thin layer on, put it in the fridge/freezer for a few minutes until the icing is kind of hard, then you can decorate it how you would normally.
I don't crumb coat when piping on the buttercream. Do you? I sometimes dip the tops in ganache before piping buttercream because...swoon...but i never have crumb coated a cupcake. I never spread frosting on though.

No, I wouldn't crumb coat a cupcake. I was talking about the owl cake. She said she had problems decorating it when she did a practice one. I should have specified better!

rp-chicago-mom · August 2013

Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water heated in a sauce pan until the sugar dissolves. Not necessary if you're making box cake.

Crumb coat= thin under layer of buttercream to help crumbs adhere and make decorating easier.

rp-chicago-mom · August 2013

Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water heated in a sauce pan until the sugar dissolves. Not necessary if you're making box cake.

Crumb coat= thin under layer of buttercream to help crumbs adhere and make decorating easier.

Toni79 · August 2013

Baker_Bride said:

Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water heated in a sauce pan until the sugar dissolves. Not necessary if you're making box cake. Crumb coat= thin under layer of buttercream to help crumbs adhere and make decorating easier.

THANKS!

SJandVA · August 2013

Everyone gave the same answer as me. If you don't have a pastry bag you can also use a large ziplock bag and cut a corner off then pipe the icing on.

Also, I'm making the same smash cake as that picture!!! Great minds!

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