Cupcake Factory

 For Goodness Cakes was cranking out mini cupcakes all week for my annual Valentine's Day mini cupcake box promotion.  We ended up selling close to 250 boxes, mostly small boxes of 10 different assorted flavors (and the rest where larger boxes of 16 chocolate and vanilla cupcakes).  It required a lot of preparation and organization, but everything went smoothly and I have to say, as exhausting as it all was, it was also really fun!  I usually work alone, but this week I had lots of helpers, including my trusty baking assistant, Jen, my future sister-in-law once removed (or something like that), Lindsay, and a very helpful CPCC intern.  Listening to good tunes, and having the company of some very cool chics around me kept me sane during a crazy week.

 

Making chocolate cake usually results in brown splatters all over the bakement, and this time it ended up in my eyes and nostrils!  It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it.

 After a long day of baking around 2,000 cupcakes, we (well I should really say I) look a little worse for wear.  I was happy to be reunited with the kiddos. 

Filling boxes and topping the cupcakes is a big bulk of the work.

 My Tuesday team.

 I love how I'm seen here next to my UNC bachelor's degree dimploma...not sure that major in psychology really helped me with my cupcake skills!?

 10 different cupcakes and 10 different icings in each box.  A true labor of love.

 Old fashioned caramel cake, chocolate decadence with raspberry buttercream, carrot cake, red velvet cake, chocolate salted caramel, mocha chocolate chip, orange and grand marnier, chocolate hazelnut, almond "wedding cake," strawberry with white chocolate whipped cream.  That's right, if you didn't get a box you definitely missed out on some serious deliciousness!

I had a great time visiting with customers and friends who came to pick up boxes Wednesday and Thursday.  Around 85 people came to the bakement, amazingly at a steady flow, so no traffic problems on Bertonley!  It was totally worth all the hard work.  But I'm glad I don't have to do them again for another year:)