Cupcake Questions?

I would frost with a buttercream frosting and frost before you leave. I would transport them in coke case boxes - cut open - and use 1/2 of box for each set of cupcakes.

I'm not an expert but:

1) Michael's has reall good "decorator frosting" that my mom uses (she goes to ongoing baking and cake decorating classes). It is about $17 in a large tub (use your 40% off coupon!). It comes in white and you can dye it.
2) My girlfriend works at a cupcake bakery; The Sweet Toothfairy. She helped me make cupcakes for work and just told me to keep them in the refrigerator overnight.
3) good luck! Your box idea sounds good to me!

I don't see the need for refrigeration and would use a buttercream frosting. You have a lot of good ideas. For travel, though, have you seen those disposable foil pans you can bake cupcakes in? They come with a plastic lid. I'd get those for transporting. If you bake them in there too, I'd make sure to at least loosen them before frosting so you can get them out later.

buttercream icing
refrigerate them
steal some donut boxes from your local grocer-
our king soopers keeps them back in the "serve yourself"
bakery section where the donuts are.

best wishes

Frost them the day before for sure - the frosting will help seal in the freshness of the cake. Getting boxes from the grocery store is a great idea - you can buy cupcake boxes at the craft store but they're pretty expensive.

I've never had an issue with basic buttercream. If temperature isn't an issue (if it's not going to be outside and hot) then you can use a 100% buttercream recipe. The best recipes have a bit of salt in them to cut the sweetness. Here is my absolute favorite. It's delicious and holds up well:

http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/03/buttercream-frosting/

If heat is a concern, then use a recipe that is half butter and half Crisco. Wilton has a good recipe.

If you want to try something different, Swiss Meringue Buttercream is delicious and tastes more like whipped cream than buttercream. This is the frosting that I use for really special cakes, like a 90th birthday or shower. It also holds its shape. Here is the recipe that I like:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/project-wedding-cake-sw...

All of the recipes above are fine at room temperature, hold their shape and are easy to work with. Even if you frost them the day before, don't refrigerate them - it dries out the cake and can cause condensation on the frosting, which can look a little messy. Even with a small amount of milk in the frosting the amount of sugar acts as a preservative so you don't need to refrigerate the frosted cupcakes, and butter is fine at room temperature anyway. Even the Wilton website mentions that frosted cakes are fine at room temp for 2-3 days. Really, don't refrigerate.

The easiest way to frost a lot of cupcakes is to get a giant pastry bag (18") and an oversize tip like Wilton 2110. You'll have gorgeous cupcakes in no time!

I make several dozen cupcakes at a time many times a year and:

~ Buy a full sheet cake box at my cake supply store, and also get the board to go underneath them for support, a life saver when transporting.
~ Bake the day before, store in the fridge in the box unfrosted.
~ Use buttercream frosting.
~ Frost at my destination : )

I would probably arrive early and frost them there. It would be easier to transport, just put the cupcakes in air tight containers in the fridge the night before. If bringing them frosted, they do sell cupcake tupperware for that. Or you can get a large box and set them in gently... you may even be able to get just the cake box from a local bakery. I know some craft/hobby stores sell baking supplies.

some great tips here, (in the comments section too);
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/good-questions/tips-fo...

Buttercream icing works great! I'd frost them the day before and either put them in the fridge or the freezer. We put leftover cupcakes in our freezer and just took them out before dinner and had them for dessert. They were yummy! I love the idea of the doughnut boxes. I never would have thought of that. Perfect!

You can make a good "no-butter" butter cream icing that will stay firm and not droop. Regular store bought or whipped icing falls really easily. I would probably transport them in pastry boxes you can pick up at the store or in 9x13 foil pans with lids. Definitely consider frosting them when you get there. If it were closer I would frost before I left but 2 hours is a long way to go and to make sure they still looked good. Wilton's website has the icing recipe

http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icing

Use the one for stiff consistency where you substitue shortening for the butter. This will also keep overnight at room temperature but I still refrigerate it.

My daughter does alot of cutesy cupcakes and we have one of these 3 tier cupcake carriers. Its fantastic!

http://www.amazon.com/Cupcake-Courier-36-Cupcake-Containe...

We also have another that is 2 tiers for smaller cupcakes (less tall) that is a baking pan, plus a plastic insert for another dozen.

http://www.amazon.com/Oneida-24-Count-Cupcake-Carrying-Ca...

We just store them out of the way in the garage cabinet or under the crawl space when not being used. The first one (3 tier) can also be used for a 9 X 13 flat cake (you take out the cupcake inserts and its a flat bottom). We love it!

Have fun!