Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Taking cupcakes?

Someone's 2nd birthday is fast upon me. Let's hope I can do better than last year's Pepperidge Farm fiasco.

Is there a trick to transporting cupcakes? I don't have one of those fancy little holders.

56 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't have a holder either. If you have the right icing, you can use a little bit as glue. I just cover cardboard box with tin foil and then glue the bottom of the cupcake to the foil with a bit of icing. But it has to be the kind of icing that hardens as it dries... yup... uh-huh!

Tubo Family said...

I used a Tupperware container that is about 10 x 14 and about 2 1/2" deep with crumpled up paper in between the cupcakes to keep them from sliding too much.

walkmom said...

I have an unfancy little holder that I bought at Walmart for way under $10, as I recall. Of course, that was a couple years ago.....

Hélène said...

If you have liners on them, you can just put them back in the muffin tin. When you get to where you are going, take them back out and put them on a plate or tray. It might work without liners, but they probably would be harder to take back out of the pan.

Aimee said...

I think a muffin tin could work well, depending on how big the cupcakes are and how they are iced. I have done this before and it works great, keeping them all separate and secure.

Anne Marie@Married to the Empire said...

Depending on how high your icing is, you can usually carry them in a 9x13 pan with a lid or foil to cover them. I've done that a few times. Also, I have some Rubbermaid food containers that are large enough to hold a few (usually 8-9 fit).

Becky said...

A lady in our church makes cupcakes in ice-cream cones and swirls them in a thick icing to look sort of ice-cream-conish. Then, she transports them in in a box that she's cut x's in with a large knife (just large enough to hold the base of the cone snug), and folded down the cardboard corners.

There are some vertical, rotating spice racks, that when emptied of their spices, could work to hold the base of such cupcakes for a very cute display...

Amy said...

I have always used a cookie sheet with a lip on the sides. Covering with plastic wrap can be tricky. When I choose to cover them, I will put toothpicks in a few of the cupcakes so the plastic doesn't stick.

I would like to say how much I enjoy reading your blog. I really appreciate your ideas on saving money.

Michelle said...

A friend of mine always bakes cupcakes in ice cream cones so that they will stand up in the box for easy transporting and the children all love to eat the cone.

Michelle

NeedANap2 said...

I have a 9x13 cake pan with lid that I've used for cupcakes. I usually bake muffins and cupcakes with 2 liners (don't ask me why but it does seem to work better). After I've taken off the 2nd liner I crumple it and put beside the cupcakes to keep them still during transport.

I like to spell-out Happy Birthday, etc. on top of the cupcakes and line them up in the pan so it looks pretty for pictures.

Anonymous said...

put them very close together.... maybe even go as far as to do the whole connecting the icing to make them look like a cake thing. if you have them packed tightly together, they wont move around and dont have space to wiggle loose and flip over to make a mess, and they usually bounce right back in shape from the slight squishing they might get.

mom23 said...

Hi

I have a great container I got at walmart for $3. I have used it for the past 3 years. It's in their home section and it works really well. Also I have seen one recently at Target. It's on their endcaps near the kitchen/baking supplies. It's worth the cost because it allows you to carry the cupcakes without sliding and squishing.
I've used it for birthdays, school fundraisers ect...
Good luck, and congrats on the baby boy. I have two boys and a girl. Boys are so much simpler to raise. Of course, simple is not the same as easy. But they are a joy. Have you noticed that boys tend to be more tenderhearted than girls. Maybe it's just me but I think boys feel just as much if not more than girls. They care so so much about taking care of those they love. Good luck. I wish the most wonderful things for you.

Kacie said...

Can you set them in a muffin pan and then place that inside a 9x13 or larger transporter?

Or, just a large rectangular box?

Liz said...

Put them in the cupcake pan and cover them - put the cupcake pan in a box and pop a lid on.

gclyne said...

Depending on where you're going (say, grandma's house), perhaps you can ice and decorate them after you arrive. Plain cupcakes might travel better than iced ones.
Grace

An Adventurer in the World said...

i transport cupcakes 2 ways:

small batches: the same tupperware cake carrier Tubo family describes (upside down, using the floor as the lid, no crumpled paper)

a tower of takeout containers from a restaurant we rent for business seminars. These are 4" deep heavy black plastic plates with clear lids. I can fit about 10 cupcakes in each, they stack,interlock and happily fit in a large basket for transport.

what fiasco? Elise's impromptu cake was lovely : )

deb meyers

Christian - Modobject@Home said...

I just put mine on a serving tray, uncovered, and go.

Amy said...

I got that same $3 container that someone else referred to, from the good old Wal-Mart. I will probably get another one just because we put so many miles on it taking stuff back and forth to school and it doesn't have enough room to hold more than a dozen treats.

Good luck!!

Anonymous said...

I would ask Tracey at Notes From A Cottage Industry. She is the cupcake queen! Also, with 3 kids, I would think it worth the investment to own a cupcake carrier. I see lots of cupcakes in your future! Is Elise having a "real" birthday cake in addition to the cupcakes? I hope she has a delightful birthday wherever and however it is celebrated!

Bethany said...

Arranging them into a shape on a cookie sheet or serving tray, perhaps a big flower or butterfly, and then frosting them all together is a pretty popular way to serve cupcakes. They're still individual and don't need knives or serving pieces and the kids like to pull them apart. If you do try this, make sure to put them very close together. Last time I did it, there were spaces and my icing fell through.
Will you be choosing colors for her party? I love that trick of yours, to stick to a color theme for just about everything. It really makes pictures look very special.

Anonymous said...

1) i loved last years cake, I don't think it was a fiasco....

2) i love the tin idea...and we know you have a basket somewhere that would camouflage a tin....

3) on wfmw last year someone mentioned she does a cute icing swirl in the middle of the top of the cupcake so the icing doesnt smoosh all around during transport it was quite cute...

4) the place where you get your deli trays for box lunches...how much would they sell you the muffin holders/carriers...

5) ask your girlfriends, i'd lend you mine in a second, i'm sure most would do the same....


celina in canada

sherri said...

I use "disposable" plastic carriers you can get at bakeries. We reuse them again and again, they only hold 6 at a time (perfect sizing IMO), and if you're nice to the bakery at your local grocery or mega store they will give them to you for free.

Loved E's cake last year, btw.

Jenn @ Frugal Upstate said...

One year I snagged a couple of the cardboard flats that Aldi's sells their yogurt in-the little circular holes that keep the yogurt in place were the same size to keep cupcakes in place. But Aldi's is the only place I've seen that puts the yogurt directly in the fridge case still in the cardboard. . .

Lee said...

Ditto the $3 container from Walmart. I have used that thing so many times I just can't count. It has helped lug many a cassarole, pie, cupcake and cookie.

Nancy said...

What about a box lid or "flat" from the grocery store? You could cover it with wrapping paper, foil or whatever you have on hand to dress it up a bit.

Joy said...

Most craft stores will have the card-board bakery boxes in the cake decorating aisle. They are very inexpensive- and you could keep them to re-use or toss when you are finished.

anya* said...

i also just place the iced cupcakes in a 11x14 or 9x13 pan, cover with foil and go. it always works out pretty well.
happy baking!

Tamara said...

Meredith, depending on the size & shape of your muffin pan, you might be able to invert the pan and wedge cupcakes between the muffin tins. Also, the grocer should have pressed cardboard divider sheets that come in between layers of apples when they are shipped. They have divots for each apple. Something like that might work. I also agree with blueraindrop, that icing them all together like a cake would be a simple solution. Here are some examples: http://bp3.blogger.com/_Hp3i-2WIo-g/SBSZaaJ4FUI/AAAAAAAAEuc/XelI70iDIKw/s1600-h/Picture+759-1.jpg

Sarah M said...

I don't have any cupcake tricks because they never seem to last long enough for me to take them somewhere! BUT I just wanted to say that I thought her p.farm cake was SO cute, how resourceful!

Jane said...

Couple of ideas from class moms over the years...

BJS warehouse sells cupcakes in a great box with holes. Several moms have saved and reused those boxes. If you have a BJ's they might give you the empty box. Worth asking...

Also, I have seen moms make a holder out of the lid of a photocopy box. Cut holes in top. Cover with foil and float cupcakes in holes. Hold the lid right side up so the bottoms have room to hang down. You would need to practice with scrap cardboard to get the holes sized right. This works great with those ice cream cone cupcakes.

Now that I have read the comments it seems that this cone thing is pretty popular!

Megan said...

I got one of those cupcake carriers for Christmas last year. I know, it looks like an unnecessary kitchen space taker, but can I just tell you how much I love that thing? With four kids and so many holidays and showers and what not, I use it a lot and it has been borrrowed by friends too.

Not the answer you were looking for, but I LOVE my cupcake carrier!! :)

Anonymous said...

take it from a now grandmother. use the muffin tin pan you baked them in. the tops can be protected using well placed toothpicks which will hold the covering up and not noticeably disturb the icing. fancy carriers are just one more thing as far as i'm concerned. having read and looked at all your pictures i know you have muffin tins for the faculty breakfasts. anita

Daiquiri said...

I've always just lined them up in my baking pans (9x13 or whatever size you have). They typically fit nicely inside, with little moving around. If there's wiggle room, I'll use some crumpled up aluminum foil to help them stay in place.

I don't know what you have in mind...but one year I was doing a "Dora" party for Clara. I grabbed some Dora cartoons off the web, and sandwiched them with some colorful paper and a toothpick...then stuck them in the the top of the cupcakes. Clara loved it! Gotta love glue sticks...:)

Anonymous said...

I bought several walmart versions of the holders (which also came with a deviled egg insert and you could take the cupcake holder part out (so triple duty) for under $5 each and that was three weeks ago so.... they are probably still there. They hold twelve each. ( I bought three as I will use them A LOT!)

Michelle Smiles said...

I'm not good with presentation so I tend to take them in the muffin tins I bake them in (I remove them to frost/decorate and clean up the tin and then put them back in). But probably wouldn't work well if you had a lot to take.

Lora @ my blessed life said...

I haven't read all of the above so someone may have mentioned this. The deeper sized "shirt" gift boxes work really well though. I've done this several times with great results!
Hve fun!

Anonymous said...

I know it's too late for today, but I got my fancy Wilton holder (12 regular or 18 mini cupcakes with handle on top) at Bed Bath & Beyond for about $12 with one of their frequent 20% off coupons, and I think it was also on sale. Without, I'd get a beverage flat from a grocery and fit it with dividers, either cut from boxes or shaped from foil. Happy Birthday Elise!

Anonymous said...

I made 5 dozen mini-cupcakes at Valentine's Day. Those are REALLY hard to transport. I found my secret by going to the Safeway bakery and getting 3 of their pretty pink donut boxes. Worked fabulously!

Kirsten Hill said...

I have a pan that's twice the size of a 9x13 (I think it's a half-sheet cake pan) and two dozen cupcakes fit perfectly in it. I just cover the pan with foil and have someone hold it in the car to make sure it stays flat.

Kimmie said...

You could put them in a container, then put toothpicks on the corner cupcakes and maybe one or two in the center...cover with foil and drive slowly!

Remove all those toothpicks, as they ruin the texture of the cupcake ;-)

Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted

Anonymous said...

Walmart - $5 bucks - a fantastic investment, Meredith! Have you grabbed yer keys yet?
Let's GO! :)

Working mama in NW
(Latrice)

Michelle said...

I've found the vintage Tupperware holders purchased from yard sales work best. They are round and hold almost two dozen cupcakes.

Kacey said...

Check with your local grocery store bakery. They may give or sell you inexpensively some of the cupcake containers that they use to sell theirs in.

I have some plastic food storage containers that can hold quite a few un-iced cupcakes. You could always put your icing in ziploc bags and when you get to your destination, cut a tip off and squeeze the icing on. That wouldn't take too long and you could do it right as you set the cupcakes out.

Let us know what you decide!

Anonymous said...

I always frost them when I arrive at the destination.

I frost with a pastry bag and a large tip with a 1/2 inch opening.
It just takes a couple of minutes to sweirl the icing on at the destination. I transport them in a 9x13 pan and transfer them to a plate or tiered stand as I frost each one.

Load the pastry bag up at home. I use the largest Wilton pastry bag.
I take the remaining buttercream frosting in a container and a spatula in case I need to refill the pastry bag.

I actually have a Wilton cupcake holder designed for transporting and I still do it this other way because I'm usually taking more cupcakes than the holder will hold.

AnnMarie said...

I carry cupcakes in the lid of a paper box. (The ones that hold 24 reams of paper.)

Anonymous said...

I just looked at the cake you had last year. I think the cake was pretty but thought it was too small to serve much more than your immediate family of 4. I don't see how guests could have gotten more than a sliver each if it were served to more than 6 people, including Elise. Pepperidge Farm cakes are good but are not very large. I was also surprised that she didn't have her own little cake to dive into for her lst birthday. Maybe that is just a local tradition, however. Cupcakes will be fun and one cupcake per person is usually adequate and it is easy to figure out how many you need. So have fun decorating the cupcakes for the 2-year-old Wow! 2already and a baby brother on the way! We can't wait to see the pictures of the celebration.

Anonymous said...

OOOooo! So many ideas! Thank you. :):):)

Meredith said...

I am always surprised by how much people are speculating about my family. So a Pepperidge Farm cake doesn't serve a lot--you know what, very few of the 6 people around the table even eat cake.

Anonymous said...

Meredith,

I am the anti-kitchen gadget person. A gadget or appliance has to earn a spot in my cabinets. So I usually don't fall victim to any of the stuff that is seen on tv...but then...I saw the cupcake transporter thing on Home Shopping Network. I ordered it. My kids are 18 and 15 and we are almost out of the cupcake stage but my 15 yo has taken up baking as a hobby and makes cupcakes for all of her friends and takes them to school. I am the coolest mom ever because we have this cool cupcake holder that holds 36 cupcakes. If I had children the same age as yours....I would not even hesitate to invest in a cupcake transport system! And I keep it in the orginal box on a shelp in the garage because it is so big I can't fit it anywhere in my kitchen. But it is still worth it! Get yourself one!!!

Mary

Elise said...

I get the plastic cupcake holders from my Kroger's bakery. Sometimes they sell them for a dollar, sometimes they just give them to me. Don't bother to try to get them from Wal-Mart though, its against the law.
Elise

Anonymous said...

I have a tupperware container that is designed for pies, I think. It is a good 12-14 inches round and fits cupcakes perfectly. Mine is the vintage red (that I see is coming back this season), so I think it's from the mid 80s.

Renee said...

I can not believe I bypassed this cake post. What is so beautiful is the special touch with her letter, and the flowers-Wow!

Who knew a frozen cake(which I will admit my fav is the coconut when once in a blue moon rolls around) can look so gorgeous after a little sprucing.

You probably could make the most unworthy, and most unlikeable food look it's best, and make people try it when they wouldn't in the first place in it's natural state! lol

Well things happen... kids get sick, we get sick which I did all day yesterday btw and yet we somehow get above at one point even if it is at the end of the week, or the next.

Take care~ Renee
Mama to four

Anonymous said...

How about going to your local Kroger or Wal-mart and getting one of the collapsable boxes they put cakes or donuts in? Maybe they will give it to you?
S

Sheree said...

I put the cupcakes in clean muffin tins to transport them and put the muffin tins in a large baking pan or basket (whatever you have on hand).

Amy said...

I realize I'm too late, but for future reference: I recently transported cupcakes baked within ice cream cones to my DD's preschool class. The trick was to put a tiny dot of icing on the bottom, so that they held onto the waxed paper- lined box I transported them in. :)

Anonymous said...

I use the handi foil boxes w/ lids I buy at the grocery store. The square cake pan 8x8 will hold 9 cupcakes, the roster/baker pan will hold a dozen nicely. The lids are tall, so no worry about smuching your icing.