I have a client that wants to pick up cupcakes on Wednesday afternoon and serve them on Saturday night. She lives an hour away and is also picking up a cake for Thursday. Wouldn't the cupcakes get stale? How can I keep them fresh? She said she doesn't care what flavor so what do you think would stay fresh the longest? I thought maybe red velvet since they are loaded with oil but she wants golf-themed cupcakes and I'm having a hard time visualizing the red with golf.

Wow! Other than advising your client to freeze them when she gets them, I'd be panicking. Cupcakes stay fresh for such a small amount of time, and if they were even a little over-baked, they are even more so doomed. I always bake cupcakes the day they are due (if the decorations are minimal) or the day before if they have more elaborate decorations.

As to what stays freshest, I'd say sour cream chocolate. You can always brush them with simple syrup to seal the tops. I do that on a regular basis.

It also might help to have them in the tightest sealing container you can possibly find. Taping the side flaps of the box might help to keep air from zapping the freshness from your product.

Best of luck!
edited for typo

I would think that Chocolate Mud Cupcakes would stay fresh the longest.
For they are a moist dense cake -
As long as covered with fondant/satin ice/ what ever medium you use - to help seal them.

However, i would not suggest you keep them in an air tight container once covered - as this can cause sweating which can then make the *medium* go somewhat sticky/tacky.

The only onther thing i would suggest is that you make them - freeze them - and have little decorations ready for her to place on them - after she has thawed them the night before.

Just place the decoration into a cardboard box lined with tissue paper or baking paper - to keep them safe and still able to *breath*

She could always bring a chilly bin/ Esky/ Cooler bag (i don't know what you acll it) and some frozen blocks with her to your home - and you could pack the already frozen cupcakes into that - they would stay frozen for one hour or more whlst she travels back home.

It can be done - as long as you advise her that once she takes reciept of them - their condition is out of your control.


Bluehue

Thanks for your help!

Since I know the clients are not really chocolate people (even though she said they cupcakes could be any flavor) I was thinking of making the Best Vanilla Cupcake recipe from Creative Confectionery blog since it has oil and sour cream. Can they be brushed with simple syrup & topped with buttercream and then frozen? I was also thinking of giving her the decorations separately but will she be able to put a flat fondant "green" on top of the buttercream after it has been frozen, i.e. does it "crust" in the freezing process? I've never frozen cakes so I'm really torn.

Thanks again!

Personally i have never frozen any of my cupcakes with BC already on top of them.
Reason being - what they would look like once they have defrosted.

I have frozen some with a chocolate Ganache on them - wrapped in bake paper and then in cling film (saran wrap)

They were fine - once thawed.
I know this comes back to *chocolate* again - but would a Milk Choclate Ganache be suitable for them ?
Perhaps you could add a flavoured oil (just a drop or two) to the Ganache -so as not to taste so rich in chocolate.

That way the texture would still be fine for her to place a flat green fondant top on them once she has thawed them.

Remember to tell her to thaw them still wrapped - that way they will stay fresher longer - without drying out.

Bluehue