Shipping Something Sweet

A friend of mine in Philadelphia messaged me a few weeks ago wanting to use my cupcakes to send to clients of his as thank you gestures.  I was flattered, but didn't know the first thing about packaging such delicate perishables or shipping them in general.  After some hard thinking and a look at my supple I came up with a pretty solid plan of attack.  The cupcakes arrived from Chicago to Philadelphia in two days, intact, and delicious for a mere $16.00.

Shipping cupcakes
You will need:
A plastic cupcake container
Lollipop/cake pop sticks
1-2 ice packs
Aluminum foil
Bubble wrap
Shipping box
Sharpie or Fragile stickers
Tape


Step 1: After baking and frosting your cupcakes, place them in the plastic bakery container. Measure your lollipop/cake pop sticks to where the top and bottom will touch the floor and ceiling of the container.  Simply insert one stick into each cupcake and secure the lid.  You should be able to move the conainter around without any mess or movement.
Step 2: Freeze these babies overnight.
Step 3: On the shipment date, remove your cupcakes from the freezer.  Set out your aluminum foil, setting your ice pack in the center.  Place the bottom of the cupcake container on top of the ice pack and secure with rubber bands.  Wrap the entire bundle of ice pack and cupcake container in the aluminum foil, making sure all openings are "sealed".
Step 4: Lay bubble wrap in your box, allowing extra to lay over the edges and out of the box.  Carefully place your aluminum foil bundle into the box and nest the remaining bubble wrap aroung the package.  You should be able to close and seal the box without damaging the container and without a large bulge at either the top or bottom of the box.

TIPS:
1. Make sure your box is marked as FRAGILE!  Don't write the contents on the box or they may not reach their destination, as some postal workers get hungry and have been known to open boxes with baked goods and eat their contents.  Both of my parents worked for the postal service for more than 35 years.  Trust me, they know!
2. Take your items to the post office at the END of the day, about an hour before the post office closes.  This ensures your package will go out that night instead of sitting out all day had you taken it in in the morning.
3. Try to use flat rate, two day shipping.