I've been working on my flavor list for cakes, fillings, and frostings. Who do you all test these on to see if people like them? My family is tired of cake, and most gets wasetd if I make it for home. I have some weird neighbors that take advantage and only want free cakes, and most of my orders so far are for buttercream filling and basic cake flavors. I can send them to work with dh, but I don't really get any opinions back except it was good, and that's not what I'm really looking for! DH is a service manager at a heating and air company, so mostly men, and I think they just like having something sweet, and we all know that most men would eta about anything! Do you think I could send several flavors of cupcakes with fillings and a survey, or is that cheesy? Help! We are caked out here and I need to get my list down!

I send it to my kids school. The one I fixed for the teachers they loved and sent a message with my son that they wanted the recipe. I don't know what to do on that since I don't want to give it out. Why would they buy from me if they can do it themself.

I did this a lot when I was getting started. I took cupcakes with 3 or 4 flavor icings and they would just pick the one they likes the most.
It really helped to narrow down the MILLION choices for buttercream. I have 2 favorites now. One is sweet like most regular buttercream and one is not sweet but light and fluffy.

Is it possible to have a party and invite some family, friends, etc and kind of do a tasting? Maybe bake cupcakes with the flavors you want to try out and then get everyone's feedback...but do it anonymously.....make little forms and then have them rate or mark which ones they like?

of course,easier said than done because i just told you to bake all day, probably while taking care of your kids, clean your house, invite a bunch of people over, and then clean when you are done.

I'm no help...but it was a good idea in theory right?

I thought about having people over to do it, but also thought about the mess and trying to get everything done with my boys. Guess I could do it on a saturday. I'll think about it, lol.

You can find out if anyone you know is planning a holiday open house and ask to do cupcakes for part of the refreshments. My friend has an open house every year and everyone who has something they sell(jewelry, knitted items, candles, home decorating stuff, etc)sets up at her house. She invites friends and neighbors to stop by to shop for gifts and socialize. My friend does party food, but maybe you could do cupcakes and have people fill out a survey. It would be a good way to pick up some holiday orders and find out what recipes are liked at the same time -and not have to go to the trouble of having people at your house!