Freezing Cupcakes

After my post about my daughter's Minnie Mouse birthday party, I had a few requests for a tutorial on freezing cupcakes.  It's nothing crazy exciting, but it can be a great time saver so I am happy to share my experience with you!

To get started, I am going to confess a little secret to you.  It's my shortcut cake recipe, and truth be told, I love it.

I know what you're thinking...it's generous to call this a recipe.  But, it is a great time saver, and who doesn't want to save a little time?!

Step 1: Pour boxed cake mix into mixing bowl.
Step 2: Pour one can of soda over cake mix (I usually use plain club soda to avoid excess calories.  I think you can use almost anything, but I recommend sticking with clear sodas for light colored cakes.)

Please note the tiny hands helping me with this project.  My toddler is a big fan of whisking.  

Step 3: Mix the soda and cake mix together.  It will be a fluffy consistency, different than the texture you would get if you followed the directions on the box.
Step 4: Spoon mix into cupcake tin -- paper liners work best with this recipe.  You will get less cupcakes out of this recipe, closer to 15-17 cupcakes instead of 24.
Step 5: Bake at 350 for approximately 17 minutes.  All ovens vary, so take a peek around 15 minutes to see how they look.
Step 6: Remove from oven and cool COMPLETELY!  (The cool completely part is important for freezing.)

Now on to freezing your cupcakes:

After your cupcakes have cooled completely, grab two airtight containers, such as Tupperware-style containers or Ziplock-style bags.  Put cupcakes in the container or bag so that they are flat, not stacked on top of each other.

Seal the container or bag, and carry them flat to the freezer.  Make sure you have a space for them to store flat in your freezer, without anything on top of them.  I've stored them for up to a month, but I think you could do even longer!  When you're ready to use them, let them defrost for about two hours, add frosting and ENJOY!

Our daughter is allergic to eggs, so I love having a batch of shortcut cupcakes on hand so that I can grab one for her to take to a birthday party or event where she isn't able to eat the dessert they provide.  And, like I mentioned in the birthday party post, it is a great way to plan ahead for events and save your time and energy for the things that have to be done day-of.  I hope you find it as handy as I do!

Price breakdown:

Boxed cake mix: $1.50 on sale at the grocery store
Frosting (not pictured, but you'll need it eventually): $1.50 on sale at the grocery store

Total for 15 cupcakes: $3