Mini-Cupcake Transport

Baking By terrijproductions Updated 30 Oct 2016 , 7:13pm by Bechtel

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terrijproductions Posted 7 Feb 2010 , 5:03pm
post #1 of 20

I am making 300 mini cupcakes for a friend's wedding in April. I'm concerned about how I will transport them. Any tips on where to buy boxes for the most reasonable price and what size to buy? Also wondering about the cupcakes holders I've seen. Is it worth buying them or are the cupcakes okay just placed in the boxes?

Thanks for any advice you can provide. I don't normally make cupcakes - usually cakes - so this is all new to me!

19 replies
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Bluehue Posted 7 Feb 2010 , 5:33pm
post #2 of 20

Late last year i needed to transport 420 cupcakes for a wedding.

I went and spoke to my local bread bakery.
Was able to get 4 large bread crates.
Baker was more than happy to give them too me.
Bought them home - scrubbed them - hosed them down with the high pressure hose and let them dry.

Bought a few sheets of polystyrene foam and covered the bottoms of the crates.
Then placed the non skid matting on top of that.

As soon as every cupcake was completed i placed it a crate.
When order was done i laid net over the top to keep them clean.

Having the foam and the non skid matting worked a treat.
Not one cupcake moved during the hour drive to the reception.

Any chance you are able to obtain two crates - as i am thinking that is all you need for 300 mini cupcakes?

You might not have to buy the polstyrene foam if you do not do cupcakes on a regular basis - pehaps lay clean cardboard down as a bottom instead - the some non skid matting (which was cheap as chips)

Hope that gives you an idea.

Saves packing up dozen of boxes that could slide around in your car.

Bluehue.

ETA: forgot to mention - the bread crates are so easy to handle - as they are light and have the *built in* handle slots on the side.

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sugarjones Posted 7 Feb 2010 , 5:37pm
post #3 of 20

I had to do 300 minis for a banquet one time and I used pizza boxes to transport them. It worked out perfectly. The height of the box is perfect for a decorated mini and you can just fit them snuggly together and take the box apart when you get there without disturbing them. Hope this helps! icon_smile.gif

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gramofgwen Posted 7 Feb 2010 , 5:54pm
post #4 of 20

What about using egg cartons? that's what I use to transport chocolate-dipped strawberries.

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KHalstead Posted 7 Feb 2010 , 6:34pm
post #5 of 20

REgardless of the box you choose (love the pizza box idea), what I do is put a piece of foam core board or styrofoam in the bottom of the box and then poke toothpicks through each cupcake and into the board (you can stick the toothpicks into the board first and then skewere the cupcake bottom on the toothpick if you're worried about messing up decorations on top)

it keeps them from toppling over or sliding around. When you get to the venue just slide each toothpick up and off of the toothpick

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CakesGoneSweet Posted 7 Feb 2010 , 6:41pm
post #6 of 20

I use egg cartons. They fit perfectly in there. You can buy new egg cartons online pretty cheap.

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christiemc Posted 7 Feb 2010 , 6:50pm
post #7 of 20
Quote:
Quote:

KHalstead
  
PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:34 am Post subject:
REgardless of the box you choose (love the pizza box idea), what I do is put a piece of foam core board or styrofoam in the bottom of the box and then poke toothpicks through each cupcake and into the board (you can stick the toothpicks into the board first and then skewere the cupcake bottom on the toothpick if you're worried about messing up decorations on top)

it keeps them from toppling over or sliding around. When you get to the venue just slide each toothpick up and off of the toothpick




Great idea- I'm definitely going to try this next time! I hate when they slide around and the frosting gets "smushed" when the cc bump into each other. Probably a lot cheaper than buying disposable cupcake containers too.

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terrijproductions Posted 7 Feb 2010 , 10:11pm
post #8 of 20

Wow! Thank you all so much. What excellent ideas. I truly appreciate it! thumbs_up.gif

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denetteb Posted 14 Feb 2010 , 9:16pm
post #9 of 20

Love the styrofoam/toothpick idea. I made my first minis at Christmas with the santa hat on some and Christmas tree on the others. They were really tippy during transport and when passing them around. This will definitely help next time! Somewhere I saw posted where they took a cardboard and glued on upside down thumbtacks and then could re-use it. But I didn't really care for that idea cause you couldn't really clean it. This way, just stick in fresh picks each time. Great.

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wildwolves Posted 11 Jan 2011 , 8:09pm
post #10 of 20

You guys are just awesome! I have just spent ages searching for cheap mini cupcake boxes to transport 200 cupcakes... I should have known to check here first!! The toothpick idea is fantastic! Thankyou sooooo much you have saved me a fortune!One very happy decorator here icon_smile.gif

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wildwolves Posted 11 Jan 2011 , 8:19pm
post #11 of 20

You guys are just awesome! I have just spent ages searching for cheap mini cupcake boxes to transport 200 cupcakes... I should have known to check here first!! The toothpick idea is fantastic! Thankyou sooooo much you have saved me a fortune!One very happy decorator here icon_smile.gif

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leily Posted 11 Jan 2011 , 8:46pm
post #12 of 20

also check out www.brpboxshop.com they previously only sold in boxes of 100, but now offer all of their items in boxes of 10 for smaller projects.

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imagenthatnj Posted 11 Jan 2011 , 9:03pm
post #13 of 20

You can make your own aluminum foil cupcake holders using the back of your mini tray, so that they don't move around in any box/crate, etc. that you want to use.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/562995554IkWUef

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zoraya Posted 11 Jan 2011 , 9:30pm
post #14 of 20

love the ideas and now kicking myself that I didn't save all the packaging styro!

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dougsmom Posted 26 Jun 2011 , 9:39pm
post #15 of 20

Hi -- I read your post & tried to send you an email (I had to join to do it!), not sure it went thru. I was wondering if you could post a picture of what a "bread crate" looks like. I am in the U.S. (i see you are not) and I am wondering if there is such a thing here, just called something different. thanks

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluehue

Late last year i needed to transport 420 cupcakes for a wedding.

I went and spoke to my local bread bakery.
Was able to get 4 large bread crates.
Baker was more than happy to give them too me.
Bought them home - scrubbed them - hosed them down with the high pressure hose and let them dry.

Bought a few sheets of polystyrene foam and covered the bottoms of the crates.
Then placed the non skid matting on top of that.

As soon as every cupcake was completed i placed it a crate.
When order was done i laid net over the top to keep them clean.

Having the foam and the non skid matting worked a treat.
Not one cupcake moved during the hour drive to the reception.

Any chance you are able to obtain two crates - as i am thinking that is all you need for 300 mini cupcakes?

You might not have to buy the polstyrene foam if you do not do cupcakes on a regular basis - pehaps lay clean cardboard down as a bottom instead - the some non skid matting (which was cheap as chips)

Hope that gives you an idea.

Saves packing up dozen of boxes that could slide around in your car.

Bluehue.

ETA: forgot to mention - the bread crates are so easy to handle - as they are light and have the *built in* handle slots on the side.


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Bechtel Posted 30 Oct 2016 , 2:14am
post #16 of 20

If you go to a grocery store, the bread is in wide shallow plastic crates before it is placed on the shelves.  It is a lot like a regular plastic milk crate except it is much wider and shallower.

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gscout73 Posted 30 Oct 2016 , 12:31pm
post #17 of 20

We do have them in the US

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imagenthatnj Posted 30 Oct 2016 , 2:47pm
post #18 of 20

This post is from 2011. Although, it will probably be helpful to someone with the same problem one day, if nothing new has been invented to carry lots of mini cupcakes  

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PattyT Posted 30 Oct 2016 , 4:15pm
post #19 of 20

Like @imagenthatnj I thought it might help to update the thread as info for others. 

I use pizza boxes a LOT for transporting miniature treats - usually cheesecake bites, tartlets and cookies.  They are easy to transport and the corrugated ones are sturdy and stack well.  However, I do find if that they are sometimes not tall enough for decorated mini-cupcakes. 

There is a company called Plastic Container City that I've purchased from for years.  They have a wide variety of cupcake containers... standard and mini sizes that hold 6, 12, and even 24 (minis).  They are reasonably priced and allow you to buy in small quantities which is nice for hobby bakers like me.  Depending on the size I'm using, I stack them inside those reusable shopping bags you used to get at Sam's Club both insulated and the square non-insulated kind.  They protect and hold the cupcakes upright without tipping.  It saves time  and doesn't cost that much more than making your own method of transport.

Here's a link to the 24-mini container.  https://plasticcontainercity.com/24-mini-cupcake-8789.htm





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Bechtel Posted 30 Oct 2016 , 7:13pm
post #20 of 20

At Walmart, I purchased 2 Sterlite containers that have a colored latch that flips open and looks like the outside of a half- rectangle.  I think they were $3.78 or $4.78 each.  It looks like this and the ones I have feature teal-colored latches.  Each holds about 46 or 48 mini cupcakes.     It is about 14 inches x 11.5 inches x 3 inches.

 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-6.2-Qt-Modular-Latching-Box-Bamboo/31955089


I saw this storage box  at Menards for $4.95 and I think it is better because the bottom is more flat.  The other storage box I mentioned has a wider trench around the edge of the box.  The latch on this box also seems a little more substantial than the box i got  at Walmart.  I think I will get some of these with the flatter bottom.  It has square corners.  It should hold about 50 mini cupcakes since it is a little bigger than the other box since it does not have rounded corners.   14 x 11 x 3.2514" L x 11" W x 3 1/4" H

http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProduct.html?id=474&picture=1&tab=Specifications&ProductCategory=250§ion=0


Good luck!



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