Can you use the paper nut cups instead of the paper liners. Easier/faster to fill and you can buy in super-bulk.
I'd help too, if I didn't live in SF. 
Go for it - and make us all proud on CC!! You will represent us all very well!! Plus as earlier posted - you will quickly become the 'THE PLACE' for all of the college residents!!
I too wish I were closer - I would love to belly up to your counter and scoop cake batter!!
Be a team leader and organize your staff and all of these wonderful NC volunteers and their equipment - plus their homes or business too -- and get the cupcakes rolling!!
You could have a section for measuring out a new batch of batter - plus be on sink washing; a section to mix the batter, a section to scoop the batter, a section to prepare pans and watch the oven, and another section to remove the cupcakes - plus help on the sink washing. If you don't have extra bowls for your mixer get those ahead of time.
Good luck - and YES we want to see the pictures!!
I would love to help out, and I'm close, But my 2 daughters are having their birthday party on the 18th and I have other cakes due next week - so no time to help. But if you need any help on the 19th let me know and I'll be there. I have a minivan so I can help with transporting the cupcakes.
I say go for it!!! One suggestion... get those ice cream scoops that have the trigger slider on it... get your bowl of batter and a flat spatula, scoop your batter scrape the top with the spatula and use the trigger slider to empty it into the cupcake liners/tin. Makes it go alot quicker and keeps them all uniform in size and height!
I would also suggest using the spatula method for icing them instead of using a tip... uses less icing and would allow a flat surface for a decoration
i used to work in the kitchen at the elementary school and thats how they always did their muffins. we'd do about 400 at a time not 3000 but still alot considering everything else they made too.
Where can you buy the nut cups in bulk at????
um try costco? or here theres a place called URM where you can buy food service stuff in bulk example those trays the veggies come in and cakes etc..
wow i would totally go for if i were you. if i was closer i would offer to help but since i am in tx i cant. good luck!!!!!!
I have a place here in town that I can buy packaging in bulk from, 2 weeks ago I purchased a pack of 50 or 100 plastic hinged containers for a single slice of cake or a few brownies to fit in... only cost like $8.00 I think it was for 100 of them. I'm going to go there and see what she can do for me she orders from CK since she has the tax id and all that and told me I can look at her books and she can order me anything I need so I'll check with her and see if she can get them for me I'd like to have cupcake carriers too... putting a dozen cupcakes into a box is hard work transporting them lol
Buy them from Sam's Club baked only. I once needed 500 for a banquet, Sam's took my special order with only a week's notice and the price was really reasonable. Just a thought.
Heather
I disagree. Wouldn't that be deceptive don't you think? I think if the University wanted cupcakes from Sam's they would order from Sam's. This is txcat biggest opportunity to go in and make a big first and lasting impression. I'm sure she is an excellent baker and can produce a more spectacular cupcake than Sam's club.
One thing I would NOT do is freeze ahead of time. When you bring the cupcakes back to room temp (esp. in this heat wave we're having), the liners will pull away from the cupcakes....now that would be tragic!
I agree please do not freeze the cupcakes. Make sure they are as fresh as possible. First impression is the last impression. Does the University have a kitchen? I'm assuming they do...you might want to look into using their facility for the cupcake production and give them a reduced rate in exchange for use of their kitchen or just flat out rent it.
I was thinking the same thing... she wants to make a GREAT first impression, but that's pretty difficult with ONE week notice (like she could have been making little decorations for the tops for MONTHS if she had KNOWN) and hwo to make them as fresh and as great looking when it's a PRODUCTION LINE, not a custom bakery... I think, if I COULDN'T give it my all and felt the quality would suffer, I would turn it down. Kids WILL find a bakery that's just down the street when they are ready to find it.. Honestly, I really, really doubt they are going to be paying too much attention to who made the cupcakes on this day. Right then they are thinking about school and new friends and a new dorm and how to decorate it and where to play ball and stuff like that.
Plus, if this is a big university, they will not order from the bakery because I'm sure they have contractual agreements with the universities food service (probably Chartwell's/Marriott). They are used to mass producing.
I KNOW everyone is excited for this opportunity, but I would be a little hesitant... they won't remember an "OK" cupcake... they will remember a bad one and will say, "No let's not go there, remember that dry cupcake from orientation?"
I've been in the rez biz for a decade... btw... and in charge of food services before.
Melissa
Congrats either way you decide to go. Make the decision that you feel is the best for you. If you are as close as it sounds, the kids will find you. If you think that your quality will not be as good as it usually will be, I wouldn't do it. Sounds like you have a few neighbors who are willing to help. Sit down with a piece of parer & pen. Write your pros & cons, then make a list like the one on here. Delegate the work. See if you think it can be done. 
Plus, if this is a big university, they will not order from the bakery because I'm sure they have contractual agreements with the universities food service (probably Chartwell's/Marriott). They are used to mass producing.
Melissa
I disagree. Institutions whether large or small can order from specialized vendors without breaking any contractual agreements that are in place with purveyors. Her bakery is not taking the place of the food service purveyor but is simply providing a product that the school might not want to get from a mass producing food service provider which is more than likely frozen. If I recall correctly she did mention the initials UNC which I'm assuming is the University of North Carolina which IS a large state institution. I don't think the kids are the only ones that will be tasting these cupcakes this is a great opportunity for her business because in addition to the students (who do have birthdays might I add) I'm sure the staff may take a cupcake or too.
I have no idea what I would do. I agree witht he post that said you should plan on doing it well or not at all ("remember that dry cupcake from orientation . . .")
You would have to be highly organized to pull this off. You absolutley will have to calculate in a way that is tedious and in a way you probably haven't needed to before. I would measure out all my dry ingredients ahead of time. so that when it is time to make the cupcakes you have little ziplock baggies that would be the equivalent of what you do for boxed cake mix- pour and mix with wet ingredients.
And whatever you do you absolutely have to take advantage of all those helping hands cause you are going to need an assembly line!
Congratulations and good luck!
You are so lucky to have such a wonderful opportunity. You should definitely go for it, and accept the help. If I lived closer I would be right there helping out too.
I agree you should ask UNC if you can use their ovens, since it is such a large order. Maybe you'll be lucky and they'll have the big ovens you can just put the rolling racks into and bake several trays of cupcakes at once.
Not to mention the huge tables you could put them on for decorating.
If you can't use their kitchen and ovens, I would at least see about renting some of the rolling racks, and pans, to store the cupcakes on while they cool and such.
Just a few ideas, of course.
I'm very excited for you. I wish you the very best of luck, and be sure to take a picture of you standing in the middle of all those cupcakes. 
Good Luck!!!!
Holly
i can do 10 dozen at a time in my oven, and i would not do it.
do you realize what your shoulder will go thru poring that many cupcakes?
seriously you could do some damage.
i've done alot before...not nearly that many....it's rough let me tell you, and i'm used to doing alot of orders.
i can do 10 dozen at a time in my oven, and i would not do it.
do you realize what your shoulder will go thru poring that many cupcakes?
seriously you could do some damage.
i've done alot before...not nearly that many....it's rough let me tell you, and i'm used to doing alot of orders.
In order to grow in a business such as this sometimes you have to accept the challange that large orders will bring. I don't think it is productive to "pour" cupcake batters. Most specialize bakeries that I've had the pleasure of visiting use an ice cream scoop to scoop the batter which made things go very quickly. I don't see how that would damage ones shoulder...hands may get tired but I don't think damaged. I sure bakieries like Sprinkles and Cupcakes handle 3,000 plus cupcakes a day.
I was telling hubby last night about this & my 6 year old was like "mom you go help and I'll taste test!"
I'd be there to help minus the 6 year old (the baby would HAVE to come because she's too darn cute & a mommy's girl) but I live to far away. 
I think a contraption like this http://www.kitchenemporium.com/cgi-bin/kitchen/prod/18np3171.html would help with the dispensing of nice uniform cupcakes. I still say that if I had help and acces to a big kitchen with big ovens.. I'd do it. Not at home though.. where on EARTH would you keep 3000 cupcakes?? 
That 250 dozen cupcakes!! 
I'm with the others and so go for it!!! I, however, also don't always do the most logical thing, but I think it would be great advertising!!!
As far as packaging, for hundreds of cupcakes, I have always used 19 x 14 cake boxes with drawer liner in the bottom, but for this many I think I would go ahead and possibly purchase the plastic cupcake containers. There was recently a thread on an inexpensive source for those.
How are you planning to decorate them?
DH and I come to Chapel Hill often -- basketball, baseball (lots of baseball 
), and quite often to take my grandma to Mama Dipps!!! I can't wait until you are open and we can stop by your place!!
Are you or a friend a member of a church with a really nice kitchen and commercial ovens? You might be able to work something out. Or do you have a friend that owns a different restaurant -- maybe someone you have done cake/desserts for in the past?
I so wish I could come to help!!
txkat...is this a paid order or donation?
I was wondering the same thing -- did they order 3000 cupcakes?? Or is it a situation of "do cupcakes for 3000 students and you can participate in our dining card program?"
I didn't have a chance to read all the comments so, this might be a repeat suggestion...
wouldn't the campus have a commercial oven? Could you use that in exchange for some of the cupcakes being free? Or if they aren't paying you for them...possibly they would be happy to let you use their kitchen.
Just an idea...good luck!
I just made cupcakes last night with a brand new ice cream scoop I bought... it has the push lever button thingie that slides the stuff out....
I worked perfectly!!!!! One scoop filled my cupcake liners to the top or just under the rim of the top... they cooked in under 12 minutes and were fine. And my daughter tells me that they were delicious lol. I think it works great it got the job done quicker and ALOT! less messy! then just pouring it into the cups like I used to. I've also tried using a measuring cup and a measuring scoop (dry and liquid) and neither of them did it without making a huge mess this makes hardly if any mess at all!!!
I say go for it. That's one opportunity that won't present itself often!!! Think of all of the new kids who know NOTHING about the area that they're going to be living in... it would be a "comfort" type food that they would probably come back for again and again! I'm in NY otherwise I'd come help you also!
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