Making own cupcakes... Am I underestimating this?

Saundra92 · February 2013

We are still early in the planning process but have discussed the idea of doing a candy buffet and mini cupcakes instead of a traditional cake. I have been looking at options for cupcakes and am considering making my own (and have had family and friends say they will be more than willing to help if I decide that's what I want to do).

Has anyone on here done something like this or know someone that has? Any advice or suggestions? Not sure if I am underestimating how difficult this would be

AddieCake · February 2013

I was the busiest the few days before the wedding. Everyone is different, but for me, this is not a task I would want to take on the week of the wedding!

kmmssg · February 2013

Make sure you check with your venue and/or caterer to make sure this is ok. There are many venues that will only accept food from licensed kitchens so start there.

Several years ago we had a knottie whose g'ma made ALL the family wedding cakes. The knottie didn't check with her venue first and when g'ma went to set up the cake they wouldn't allow it because it was made in g'ma's kitchen and not a licensed facility. 300 guests didn't have wedding cake and they had all that cake leftover!

I'm a 3 time MOB and have interviewed caterers who would "overlook" the license part, and others who were adamant about it. Good luck!

Saundra92 · February 2013

I hadn't even considered the venue not being okay with it, thank you very much for mentioning it! I will have to check with them.

MrsGandthebeag · February 2013

I had a friend who did this for her own wedding and said that was her only regret. She was up to her ears in baking. I wouldn't put this kind of pressure on yourself.

Maggie0829 · February 2013

I was a DIY bride but I would never try and bake 100+ cupcakes (and even more if you are doing minis) just 2 days prior to my wedding.

QueerFemme · February 2013

I think you are underestimating it. I baked cookies and brownies for my wedding to have on our dessert buffet, and while I can't say that I regret it, it was a LOT of work. And, I probably did 10 dozen of the cookies 3 or 4 weeks before the wedding and froze them. I spent the Thursday & Friday before the wedding finishing the baking. I am glad I did it, but around 4pm or 4:30pm, after I has finished my last batch of brownies and wrapped up the rest of the cookies, I burst into tears. I was EXHAUSTED and I still hadn't gotten my nails done. I had to run to the manicurest and didn't end up getting to the hotel the night before the wedding until about 9pm. (we had our rehearsal the weekend before the wedding, so if you have a rehearsal to fit in here, that is even more work)

Oh, and I had help. I had two friends from out of town and one of my local best friends that were staying with me the week of the wedding. So, they were at the house helping me wrap and package things and we also sliced a ton of cheese for the cheese & crackers and veggies for cocktail hour (or caterer was doing mexican food apps, but we did the cheese & crackers & veggie trays).

So, the point is... it can be done, and again, I don't regret doing it. But, there is so much running around to do in the days before the wedding.... just be really aware of how much you are taking on.

Sue-n-Kevin · February 2013

I think the real life example above is an excellent post and worth thinking about.

I have baked for over 30 years, and to be honest, I would never consider doing this for such an important event. I made cake pops last summer for my daughter's graduation party, and even though they were easier than cupcakes, for only 50 people, I hated that I'd promised to do this about 1/2 way through the process.

Regular sized cupcakes, some people will eat 2-3; mini cupcakes, maybe 5-7 since this sounds like the only dessert you are considering.

If you are doing this to save money, maybe have a small cake for you and your husband to cut, and (if the venue allows outside cakes), buy some sheetcakes at Costco. They can be cut in the back of your venue, no one will know. They are $17 each, serve 48 people per cake, and are absolutely delicious. You can get them in white cake, with white frosting & elaborate flowers, vanilla mousse or other flavors inside. I get these for all special events where I have to supply a cake to feed a lot of people.

Another alternative is an ice cream sundae bar. They usually go over really big at weddings, and won't require any work on your part.

reppunzel · February 2013

I'll echo the suggestion in PP to consider sheet cakes (or purchasing the cupcakes). In a lot of ways cupcakes are more labor intensive than even a stacked cake (which is why they aren't usually a cost savings, except for a cutting fee) -- the batter for each one has to be spooned or squirted into the little cups, they have to be frosted individually, and can be challenging to transport and set up without getting your fingers into the frosting. Even more so for mini cupcakes.

I love to bake, and did mini brownie cupcakes for a baby shower of about 30 people (used Ghiradelli brownie mixes and did three different flavors of chocolate ganache on top). They weren't even our only dessert, each one only took a dab of ganache and a quick sprinkle of garnish, and I was ready to be done with them about a third of the way through ... and that was without all the other duties and stresses that go with the week before a wedding.

MuppetOverlord · March 2013

I think it's ambitious but possible if you have help.

For my friend's wedding in December, she was having a light Mario Bros theme. She made cupcakes the night before the wedding and I had made her toppers for the individual cupcakes out of gumpaste in adance.

I made over 200 of the toppers and it took me over 20 hours to do it all during that week and I did it all by hand.

She didn't think making the cupcakes was too bad, her mother helped.

Each figure on the topper represented a different flavor .

They came out really cute: https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/64833_10151562996789796_1833332474_n.jpg

They had a store bought cake at the very top for them to cut.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/576237_10151562996544796_588172584_n.jpg

cdimmick · April 2013

In Response to Making own cupcakes... Am I underestimating this?:

For my wedding, we had a small cake and a dessert bar, which I made all the desserts for the bar. A few people did help me, but I was so stressed the few days before because of this. Luckily, I had a friend to take a shift for me at work because I don't think I would have finished if not! And our wedding was about 100 guests invited. Maybe about 50-60 showed up, so we were not having a very large wedding. But I literally finished the night before the wedding. Don't regret it for one minute though because it came out beautifully and everyone loved the desserts!

AmyS2645 · June 2013

I feel uniquely suited to answer this question because I am a pastry chef myself and planning on doing the desserts for my own wedding. Here's what you need to think about:

1. Your schedule - I've never been married, and while I am planning my own wedding at the moment, I don't know what it's like as the guests of honor at such a big event right before. However, I do know that there's a lot to do (dinners, bachelorette party, etc.) so keep that in mind. Also, you probably have a day job, so you'll be doing this after hours. That's going to be tiring.

2. The menu & equipment - You need to know what cake flavors you are making, what filling flavors, what frosting flavors, etc. You need to know where you are getting the cupcake pans, cupcake liners, ingredients, etc. Assuming you don't have a professional kitchen space in which to do this, you'll need to think logistics of mixing, baking and cooling cupcakes, all while frosting cupcakes.

3. The team - It sounds like there are people willing to help, but how many know anything about baking? If you gave them a recipe and have them follow it without you there, will you get the same results?

All that considered, if you move forward, here's what I would do...

1. Decide on your cupcake menu...early!

2. Test out all of the recipes that you are planning to use. Take good notes on everything from the mixing process to the baking time and temperature. Compile these for your friends/family that are going to help.

3. Determine who is helping and what gear they have.

4. Determine what you need to buy at the store (ingredients/gear you don't own).

5. Determine which things are going to take the longest (hint: these things go first when determining how to go about this)! Determine if everything is going to be fresh or if you're willing to freeze, and make a schedule of how long (remember, those note from recipe testing?!) it will take to complete each cupcake flavor. Determine who is doing what.

7. Start baking cupcakes. Cupcake freeze particularly well, and if they're well wrapped and protected from freezer burn when they thaw, you'll have cake that tastes exactly the same. Consider freezing your work, so to speak.

8. Fill/frost cupcakes, preferably day-of the wedding. (this is where the team comes in handy)

9. Transport cupcakes to wedding venue. Set up cupcakes (determine who is doing this beforehand and where you are getting the display stuff) and other display items (signs, etc.)

I would determine the skill level of each person who is working with me on the project and "assign" people things to make ahead of time, and if someone is terrible at baking but wants to help, ask them to help on the back-end of setting up the display at the wedding.

hyechica81 · June 2013

to much work i did the cupcakes for my brothers rehersal dinner baked 3 dozen cupcakes and had to assemble all the cupcake boxes and do the ribbons around them.. i ended up getting my boxes from oriental trading company they had the pinks and purples i needed and a good price but the boxes were super flimsy after cutting up 30 ribbon of each color assembling each box baking and frosting each cupcake i had to make 2 batches of buttercreams because i was doing a rose swirl on the cupcakes more buttercream decorate the cupcakes by the time it was over i was feeling sick had been on my feet for hours. had to lie down and woke up like minnutes before rehersal dinner which was across town got there and realized everyone else was runing late..

i would find someone to do it but make sure they allow outside food

bitney17 · June 2013

I think it depends on if you are "used" to baking. I will probably do my own desserts as well (I am thinking probably cupcakes, cookies,brownies, and mini berry tarts). But I bake from scratch all of the time. I sometimes get hungry for a brownie at 9pm, go in the kitchen, and make some. Or I can bake dozens of muffins, cookies, etc. for get togethers at work or with family and actually enjoy it. If baking is a chore to you or if you don't do it often, I can see getting overwhelmed. I am also planning on taking the week of my wedding off (or at least 2-3 days), so I don't have to worry so much about last-minute appointments or running out of time. My biggest dilemma right now is being able to transport everything safely.

KerisaHarman21 · June 2013

I wouldn't take this task on yourself let alone asking friends and family to help on top of how much they are normally helping I guarentee you will be super busy and too exhausted the week before your wedding to do the cupcakes, you could always make them a couple weeks early and freeze them but still how are you going to find time to decorate them, I have to say this is an outside job, you could always contact your local Safeway or grocery store and speak to the bakery dept about making special cupcakes for you. guarenteed they would be cheaper and less stressful for you!

Making own cupcakes... Am I underestimating this?

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