Wedding Cakes & Food Forum

Makin' my own cupcakes

Do you think its unrealistic?  I am on a tight budget.  We will have around 120 guests ...to save money I plan on making my own wedding cupcakes (rather than with some help from family of course)  The week before my wedding I plan to just bust them out, very simple cupcakes (white cake with light blue frosting and an edible white seashell on each which I found online, and I bought a cupcake tree).  Some people have looked at me like I'm crazy when I told them but I don't think its that big of a deal ....has anyone else done this?

Re: Makin' my own cupcakes

  • edited December 2011
    If you said you were having 50 guests I would think you might be able to pull it off but a 120 is alot of cupcakes. Plus you will need more than that for those who always grab 2.

    And you need to think of how you are storing and transporting all those cupcakes on the wedidng day. And how many days in advance can you really make them without them tasting like they were made in advance? And has your family already volunteered or are you assuming they will help?

    I know I still have to squeeze in my hair and make up trial, waxing, airport runs, mani/pedi and some other little things the week of the wedding. And I am very well organized with everything else already done. I would not want to me baking that many cupcakes and I love to bake.

    I'm not trying to kill your hopes, just pointing out the things that you need to consider.
    I'm a Mrs & My Honeymoon Memory
    imageimage
    Wedding Items For Sale
  • yesnomaybeyesnomaybe member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My family had volunteered to help and there will only be enough for 1 cupcake a person (sorry if that's skimpy but it is what it is)  The only other thing I really need to do the week of is get a manicure and my eyebrows waxed...  at this point there is no other option there is NO money left to have a bakery do this.  Wish me luck I guess!
  • neongreenboxneongreenbox member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I know others have done it - just check with your caterer that you won't have to sign a waiver (since it won't be baked in a commercial kitchen they can't take the blame if anyone gets sick.)
  • kimberlyr22kimberlyr22 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    I think it's incredibly doable.
    I made 90 cupcakes for my fiance's birthday in August -- it took about seven hours total, but I also made 8 different cake and icing flavors from scratch, so 120 of the same thing should cut that time in half if not more.

    A couple quick tips I've learned...(you may already know these, but just in case)...

    You can make box cake taste amazing if you put it in the mixer for 6-8 minutes on medium. This incorporates a ton of air in the batter and makes the cake moist, fluffy, and helps them keep longer (3-4 days without tasting stale).

    One regular ice cream scoop full of batter makes the perfect cupcake size and ensures you get the servings stated on the recipe.

    Are you piping the icing or dipping or spreading the icing??
    Walmart sells Wilton white decorators icing in big tubs for $12. You can decorate a ton of cupcakes with that tub and it's easy to mix the icing and get a consistent color.

    Michaels sells the huge cake/cupcake boxes for a reasonable price -- use the 40% or 50% coupons and they're even cheaper. I get about 36 cupcakes in each of the big rectangle boxes, so four should be plenty.

    I wish I lived in Texas - I'd volunteer to come help!

    I love making cupcakes and never have enough reasons to!

    photo KimberlyWedding_zps9ece9155.jpg
  • kmmssgkmmssg mod
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011

    I do want to echo the pp who said to check with your caterer/venue.  3 of our 4 girls are married so I have talked to a lot of both.  Many were easy peasy about bringing in cake that was NOT made in licensed kitchen.  Many were also staunch in their restriction of this as outside food not only increases their liability for food poisoning,  but if they aren't very good it also makes the caterer look bad.


    You are probably fine, but please check so you get no surprises.  A few years back a bride here had g'ma make the wedding cake for her 300ish guests.  When g'ma went to bring the cake in the venue/caterer refused to let it in because it wasn't baked in a licensed facility.  She seriously had NO cake for her wedding because of this..it happens.

  • tldhtldh member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_makin-own-cupcakes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:d20e0935-6dfa-4998-8c69-b45aeae7879dPost:0de3a944-1963-4023-b2da-b4d790ccd943">Makin' my own cupcakes</a>:
    [QUOTE]Do you think its unrealistic?  I am on a tight budget.  We will have around 120 guests ...to save money I plan on making my own wedding cupcakes (rather than with some help from family of course)  <strong>The week before my wedding</strong> I plan to just bust them out, very simple cupcakes (white cake with light blue frosting and an edible white seashell on each which I found online, and I bought a cupcake tree).  Some people have looked at me like I'm crazy when I told them but I don't think its that big of a deal ....has anyone else done this?
    Posted by yesnomaybe[/QUOTE]

    A week is too long before.  They shouldn't me any more than one or two days old or they will be stale.  Also, I hope you are making the cake and icing from scratch.
    image
    AKA GoodLuckBear14
  • kimberlyr22kimberlyr22 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Why would she have to make them from scratch? I've had HORRIBLE made from scratch cakes from bakers -- my sister's $125 30th birthday cake was a crumbly, inedible mess; while even a 10-year old can make a good cake from a box.

    If she's on a budget and needs a time saver, I don't see any problem with using cake mix and good icing...you can even go to the grocery store and buy their bakery icing by the pound.  You know the cake and icing will be good.

    If she's not a baker, or doesn't make homemade cakes a lot, it's a much better bet. Good cake and icing from scratch isn't easy.
    photo KimberlyWedding_zps9ece9155.jpg
  • RebeccaB88RebeccaB88 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    Good cake and icing made from scratch is VERY easy, and tastes way better than a chemical-laden box mix.  Box cakes taste like they came from a box.  But that's not the point.

    NONE of the vendors I've talked to for my wedding will allow homemade food to be brought in, even with a signed waiver. So I think that's the first thing you need to check out.

    If you can do it, I think they need to be made no more than 24 hours in advance, to taste their best and be fresh.  Stale cupcakes are just bad. I do think you need to make more than just one per person, but not that many more.  Just enough so that some people can have two.  Maybe make 150 instead of 120. What if someone takes two up front, and then there's someone who doesn't get one at all, because the first person assumed you had extra?  You can't really tell people not to take more than one.
    So if all of this checks out and you think you can do it all the day before, then go for it.
  • edited December 2011
    Call me crazy, but I like cakes made from box mixes.  Scratch is good too, but there is nothing wrong with a little help from Betty Crocker. 

    yesnomaybe - I think that making the cupcakes is doable, but I suggest doing a trial run first so you know how much time it will take.  I also suggest making them at most 2 or 3 days in advance so they are fresh and yummy! 

    I did my own flowers and plenty of people thought I was nuts, but I made time for it, planned ahead, and did it. 

    I'd make a few extra cupcakes too.  Maybe 10-20 extra. 
    imageBaby Birthday Ticker Ticker Follow Me on Pinterest
  • soozy87soozy87 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I think it sounds doable. And I also think boxed mixes and pre-made frosting is fine. Weddings don't have to be fancy to be awesome!
    ~May 21,2011~
  • edited December 2011
    I use boxed cake mix all the time, and people always think it's from scratch.

    *I use a hand mixer to fluff the batter, like PP said (a stand mixer would be even better)
    *I add either a few drops of vanilla/almond extract, rum, or cocoa powder depending on what type of batter it is.  I've done the same for store-bought frosting before when I'm trying to save time.

    Seriously....nobody can tell the difference.  

    ETA: sorry, to your original question!  I think it could be doable if you don't have any other projects in the days leading up to the wedding.  If you have other last-minute DIY, I think it would be too much though. 

    Just try and see how long it takes you, budgeting for each person to have 2 cupcakes.  Maybe also experiment with freezing some of your test batch before a big event like a cookout or office party- wrap them VERY airtight, thaw them 2 days before the event, ice them the day before the event, and see how they come out.  I've frozen/thawed cake before with good results.  You just have to have lots of freezer space.  

    Good luck!
  • edited December 2011
    HEY! I'm doing my own cupcakes, but making the guests decorate them as a cupcake bar! Like I'll just bake them with like my bridal gals a few days out, have a fun night of it, then the day of set toppings, etc out for people to decorate their own. And our wedding 'cake' is going to be a big cupcake like with those molds they sell everywhere, it's going to be awesome! ;) I hope I don't eat them all is the problem!
  • tldhtldh member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_makin-own-cupcakes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:d20e0935-6dfa-4998-8c69-b45aeae7879dPost:910256c1-85b9-4c9c-a7aa-e5d5aa150954">Re: Makin' my own cupcakes</a>:
    [QUOTE]HEY! I'm doing my own cupcakes, but making the guests decorate them as a cupcake bar! Like I'll just bake them with like my bridal gals a few days out, have a fun night of it, then the day of set toppings, etc out for people to decorate their own. And our wedding 'cake' is going to be a big cupcake like with those molds they sell everywhere, it's going to be awesome! ;) I hope I don't eat them all is the problem!
    Posted by ButterflyChickadee[/QUOTE]

    This would be cute for a birthday party but I can't get on board for a wedding.  Honestly, it sounds like as much fun as giving The Melting Pot money to put raw ingredients in front of me and letting me cook my own dinner.
    image
    AKA GoodLuckBear14
  • edited December 2011
    You can do it!!! 

    I just made 72 cupcakes yesterday with the help of my sister in less than 4 hours! Just make sure to make up a giant batch of frosting ahead of time (it takes no time, maybe 30 mins tops) and make sure you have a place to put them all!!!


    That said we made tie dye cupcakes (which take forever!!!), strawberry and chocolate (from box, but from scratch doesn't take that much longer. Just a matter of measureing the ingredients)

    If your family is willing to help it is more than do-able the day before.

    Good luck, let us know how it works out for you :)

    Photobucket Us on our last visit to OBX :) Jessica
  • edited December 2011
    You can do it!!! 

    I just made 72 cupcakes yesterday with the help of my sister in less than 4 hours! Just make sure to make up a giant batch of frosting ahead of time (it takes no time, maybe 30 mins tops) and make sure you have a place to put them all!!!


    That said we made tie dye cupcakes (which take forever!!!), strawberry and chocolate (from box, but from scratch doesn't take that much longer. Just a matter of measureing the ingredients)

    If your family is willing to help it is more than do-able the day before.

    Good luck, let us know how it works out for you :)

    Photobucket Us on our last visit to OBX :) Jessica
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards