"are You Sitting Down?", Starts The Phone Call...

Baking By Parable Updated 20 Oct 2009 , 1:42am by cylstrial

Parable Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Parable Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 5:17pm
post #1 of 33

"Yes, is it good news or bad?"

Let me explain. A few months ago I was asked to help out with our church's preschool fundraiser dinner and silent auction. (The preschool director is familiar with my "hobby".) They were shooting for 150 presold tickets for a spaghetti dinner. I said sure. I would make cupcakes and/or cakes for the dessert. Then a couple of weeks ago she called and said that they were up to 94 after the first week's sale of tickets. OK, everything is fine. I can do that! Then last night, I got the call that started off "Are you sitting down?"

As of this Friday night (last day of sales, "thank God"), the # of tickets sold was {drum roll} 405!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT? Now what do we do? I confirmed to her that there is no way I can do that much and she was understanding. She is in the process of getting other volunteers to suppliment with cookies and brownies.

So here is my question. Am I being too over zealous in thinking I can make 288 cupcakes? Here is my thought process. 48 cupcakes bake in about 20 minutes x 3 ( 1 hour) = 72 cupcakes x 4 hours = 288. If I have pans ready to go into the oven as soon as the previous set is baked, would this work? I am planning on just decorating with a big swirl on top with a 1M tip.

On another note, I am trying to figure out how to set-up the dessert table as well... Oh and did I mention I am donating all this out of my pocket?

Any helpful suggestions (and well wishes) will be deeply appreciated.

32 replies
jammjenks Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
jammjenks Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 5:21pm
post #2 of 33

I think it is absolutely doable going by your timeline. Once batch#3 goes in, batch #1 should definately be cool enough to ice. Make up your bc ahead and you can do it. We're cheering for you!

Also, way to go on the fundraiser. Sounds like your church's preschool will surely benefit from this one!

tatorchip Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
tatorchip Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 5:25pm
post #3 of 33

sure you can, but you could have back-up plan also, let some of the people in you life know that it is so much larger than planned and mayby some one could help with the baking and then you decorate. This is a good cause so people will help, lot of best wished and have fun. You will get so much out of it for helping the church. You are doing a good thing. God bless you.

newmansmom2004 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
newmansmom2004 Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 5:30pm
post #4 of 33

YOU CAN DO IT!!! I did 150 cupcakes for a quince in July and it was way easier than I thought. When you do a minimum of 24 cupcakes at a time (I assume this is your home kitchen oven, right?) it's really amazing how quickly it goes. And if you can bake 48 at a time using both of your oven racks and rotating your cupcake pans, you'll do even better. And by doing a big swirly top you'll whip through those puppies in no time!

Good luck - you're doing a very nice thing!! thumbs_up.gif

UpAt2am Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
UpAt2am Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 5:33pm
post #5 of 33

definitely doable...i just did 200 cupcakes and it took me one night to do it. like the others said, have all of your batter made and ready to go and have all of your buttercream made. then it's just getting the pans in the oven and while some are cooling, others are baking, and some are getting frosted. it will take hours, but it can be done. my hardest part was finding room for everything...i took up the kitchen table, the island and some countertops. luckily i have a second fridge for all my creations! oh, and one more thing, have whatever you are transporting all of the cupcakes in ready to go. if you're going to put them in boxes, have them assembled, so literally once they're cool, you can put them all in the box, uniced. then ice all of them at once and shut the box...ready to go!!!!!!

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 5:35pm
post #6 of 33

Does the orgz have a larger kitchen you can use that might speed up the process? If not, 4 hours is not a big hunk of time and it's very doable. It's pretty great that the community is being this supportive of the fundraiser! I bet they heard you were making dessert! thumbs_up.gif

Tee-Y Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Tee-Y Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 5:51pm
post #7 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by UpAt2am

definitely doable... oh, and one more thing, have whatever you are transporting all of the cupcakes in ready to go. if you're going to put them in boxes, have them assembled, so literally once they're cool, you can put them all in the box, uniced. then ice all of them at once and shut the box...ready to go!!!!!!




Great idea! thumbs_up.gif And it would be nice to have help, like can you ask over about 2 of your church members or teenagers to help speed things along- if you feel overwhelmed??

janelwaters Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
janelwaters Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 6:13pm
post #8 of 33

I have so much faith in you!!!! you can do it!! When is the fundraiser - let me know if you need help - I will gladly come over and help you out.

on another note - I picked out the gumpaste figures for our November meeting - a penguin and a santa - they are too cute - I will try to scan the picture and forward it to you.

Seriously - let me know if you want help.

Janel

Parable Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Parable Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 6:17pm
post #9 of 33

Oh you CCers are the greatest! Thanks so much for the boost in confidence. Both my college-age daughters (still living at home while going to school) are willing and very able to help out. One even knows my least favorite part of baking and decorating is the clean-up and so she always just jumps in and starts washing, without even being asked. Such an angel and I know I am blessed.

Any suggestions on the set-up and display table? I don't have cupcake towers so I was thinking about building a tower out of (decorated) foamcore boards with maybe tall glasses as separators (hot glued) to the boards. Probably wouldn't want it any taller than three tiers. What do you think?

JGMB Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JGMB Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 6:23pm
post #10 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by Parable

Both my college-age daughters (still living at home while going to school) are willing and very able to help out. One even knows my least favorite part of baking and decorating is the clean-up and so she always just jumps in and starts washing, without even being asked. Such an angel and I know I am blessed.




I just wanted to point out that they get their angelic ways from their mom!!! It's SO, SO nice of you to donate all of your time and the ingredients for 288 cupcakes. Your church is very lucky to have a family like yours in the fold!

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 6:24pm
post #11 of 33

This is probably a bigger set up than you're looking for but on my home page is a dessert stand I build for a bride: http://cateritsimple.com/

It's made with mirrors and glass blocks (and the whole set up cost me $300), but I got the idea from another caterer site that used upside down wine glasses and sheets of glass to build a similar stand.

Just to get your idea-side of your brain kicked into gear!

catlharper Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
catlharper Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 6:38pm
post #12 of 33

I just did 100 for CubScouts so I know you can do it! The secret for me was baking and freezing. Then the day of the event I took them out of the freezer, put them in the bakery boxes and THEN frosted them IN the box! It made it SO much easier! So spread your baking out for a few days and fill up your freezer and maybe someone elses! (I think I could fit 200 in mine but not close to 300) Then give yourself some time to frost each sheet cake box full. Good luck!

love,
Cat

and yes, mine was out of my pocket too....the good WILL come back to you..I have gotten three orders from there already!

Tee-Y Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Tee-Y Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 6:40pm
post #13 of 33

You can also check through the template gallery here on CC, you'll find quite a number of cupcake stand ideas to choose from that won't cost you much.

theparsons Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
theparsons Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 6:43pm
post #14 of 33

Maybe you could give the recipe to some of the volunteers from the church to do the baking....then you just have to do the decorating? I can see some potential problems with having 288 cupcakes for 405 people, especially if a lot of those people are preschoolers. The wailing about not getting a cupcake could get pretty loud, and that's just from the parents!

janelwaters Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
janelwaters Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 6:45pm
post #15 of 33

I saw somewhere where someone used decorated foam core with old fashioned ice cream cups glued in as seperators - and I saw the ice cream glasses/cups at Walmart the other day.

I spent most of the morning trying to figure out some way to make a nice looking (cheap) reusable cupcake tower - I didn't really find what I wanted.

If you use the ice cream cups you could maybe buy extra (I think they were only a $1 or 2) and fill them with some colorful cheap candies - (m&m's, skittles etc.....) as extra decorations.

I also have a bunch of serving platters/pieces that work really well for individual desserts - cupcakes/cookies/brownies ... etc... let me know if you want to borrow them.

Kay_NL Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Kay_NL Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 7:04pm
post #16 of 33

You can do it, it is so great that you have children who love to help!! icon_smile.gif

Just a thought, at our schools dinner and silent auction, they auctioned off the desserts at the end (1 per table). It brought in a lot of extra money as the desserts were all donated! Our table bid $100 and the highest table was $300 (about 30 a person as there were 10 per table). The highest bidder got first choice!

Parable Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Parable Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 9:15pm
post #17 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by janelwaters

I saw somewhere where someone used decorated foam core with old fashioned ice cream cups glued in as seperators - and I saw the ice cream glasses/cups at Walmart the other day.

If you use the ice cream cups you could maybe buy extra (I think they were only a $1 or 2) and fill them with some colorful cheap candies - (m&m's, skittles etc.....) as extra decorations.




Oh Janel this is exactly what I was thinking too! I am headed to Walmart to pick-up a bunch of supplies I will need so I will look for the glasses. I will let you know if we will need serving trays. Thanks for the idea and the offer.

Indy, I have loved that display of yours. Maybe one day I will have the opportunity to use it.

janelwaters Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
janelwaters Posted 3 Oct 2009 , 9:36pm
post #18 of 33

Let me know what you find - If you don't find them at yours I can look here in St Augustine.

You definately have to take pics of the whole table scape - I have always wanted to set up a dessert table!!

alvarezmom Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
alvarezmom Posted 6 Oct 2009 , 5:55pm
post #19 of 33

You can do this and the game plan you outlined above is TOTALLY do-able. Just have it all ready before you begin!

susanscakecreations Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
susanscakecreations Posted 6 Oct 2009 , 6:18pm
post #20 of 33

You can TOTALLY do this, and I think it is the sweetest thing ever that janel offered her help!!!!! That's why I love CC!!!!!!!!
I'm glad you have daughters that are willing and able to help!!!
I know everything will go off splendidly!!!!

Best of luck!!!!
Susan

prterrell Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
prterrell Posted 6 Oct 2009 , 6:21pm
post #21 of 33

Save your receipts for ingredients/cupcake liners/boxes! You can use them on your 2010 tax return as a donation credit!

sadsmile Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sadsmile Posted 6 Oct 2009 , 6:31pm
post #22 of 33

If you can get enough pans you could get 48 cupcakes in your oven at once and then bake 9 times.

Golly I would say NO cupcakes. And I think even Lurvely would agree that it's sheet cake time!!!

cylstrial Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cylstrial Posted 7 Oct 2009 , 9:10pm
post #23 of 33

Wow! That's a bunch of people - and so nice of you!! As everyone else said, you can do it! I always quote Tim Gunn - "Make it work!"
P.S. I love Project Runway. LOL.

Parable Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Parable Posted 17 Oct 2009 , 6:39pm
post #24 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by janelwaters

Let me know what you find - If you don't find them at yours I can look here in St Augustine.

You definately have to take pics of the whole table scape - I have always wanted to set up a dessert table!!




Well here it is:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1491497

The fundraiser was a total success! The cupcake table was set-up in a room all by itself and when you walked in the aroma was {no pun intended} breathtaking. People kept saying, "Hey have you gone to THE CUPCAKE ROOM yet?" Wow, my cupcakes had a room named for them! icon_biggrin.gif

cownsj Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cownsj Posted 17 Oct 2009 , 7:05pm
post #25 of 33

FANTASTIC, and Congratulations. I can hear the excitement in your post. I'm so happy it went so great for you.

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 17 Oct 2009 , 8:51pm
post #26 of 33

I wanna see what you were hanging from to get that overhead shot! icon_lol.gif

Parable Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Parable Posted 17 Oct 2009 , 9:11pm
post #27 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

I wanna see what you were hanging from to get that overhead shot! icon_lol.gif




deb,
Actually my daughter stood on a chair and she is only 5'1". She took several photography classes when she was in high school and was very proud of the pic. It is a great shot, isnt it! I think part of it was the camera I bought her for her birthday. It is like 1000% better than my own.

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 17 Oct 2009 , 9:25pm
post #28 of 33

it IS a great shot! I have an aspiring photography kid, too!

janelwaters Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
janelwaters Posted 17 Oct 2009 , 9:27pm
post #29 of 33

that is AMAZING!!! great job!! I can't believe that you made all those different flavors!

Looked great!!

sadsmile Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sadsmile Posted 17 Oct 2009 , 9:30pm
post #30 of 33

That's a lot of cupcakes!!! thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif Impressive flavor assortment to.

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%