Cupcakes are designed to travel: most are handheld desserts that are already portioned out. To carry cupcakes to a friend, a party, or around the corner, pack them in a single layer in a sturdy box or plastic container.
The best cupcakes for shipping are ones that don’t have soft frosting or fillings and that are normally kept at room temperature. Some good shippers here are Chocolate Chip Cupcakes, Orange Chiffon Cupcakes, Top-to-Bottom Crumb Cupcakes, Apple Streusel Cinnamon Swirl Cupcakes, Vanilla Cheesecake Crunch-Top Cupcakes, and Butter Almond Tea Cakes. After wrapping each cupcake in plastic wrap and sealing them in a container as described above, wrap packing material around the container and pack it in a larger carton with lots of packing material to cushion it. This protects it inside the carton and keeps it from being tossed around. Ship early in the week and send by a method that has the cupcakes arriving within 2 days, so they won’t sit in a warehouse over the weekend.