The Cupcake Shoppe Raleigh - FAQs

Frequently Asked questions (FAQS)

Thanks for choosing The Cupcake Shoppe (Raleigh’s first and finest cupcake boutique)!

Throughout our two decades of service, we’ve learned a lot and have provided answers to some of your most asked questions here!

Our cakes, cupcakes, and pastries are made from scratch with real butter, eggs, vanilla, and premium whole ingredients. We bake fresh every morning and to order!

🎂How should I store my cake or cupcakes before serving?

Cupcakes should always remain at room temperature as the fridge will dry them out.

By design, our cake batters are intentionally richer and more structured than the airy, sponge cake commonly found in grocery stores, boxed mixes or mass-produced cakes. We prefer this scratch based approach because it gives our cakes a velvety texture and the structural integrity needed for detailed decoration or tiered designs. Paired with American buttercream or a traditional cream cheese frosting, these cakes are simply dreamy!

All cakes should be kept in a fridge until several hours prior to their serve time. We will discuss this timeline with you at the time of ordering, as well as at pick-up as it can vary based on the season.

Store the cake in its original box to prevent drying and to protect the finished decor. Avoid humidity, direct sunlight, and warm environments prior to your event! Never leave cakes in a hot, parked car.

If you are transporting your cake please ensure your vehicle is clean and cool! It is always best to place your items on a flat surface such as the floor board or back of an SUV as tilting the boxes on a slanted seat for a long ride can cause shifting and damage to your order.

We do not freeze items here at the bakery and cannot attest to the quality should you choose to do so given different freezers/environments/wrapping techniques.

Extra cake or cupcakes are best stored in an airtight container to maximize freshness for up to 2-3 days.

Our cakes must be fully brought to room temperature before serving. Generally speaking, 3-4 hours prior to slicing is best. Keep the cake boxed while it comes to room temperature.

Tempering the cake is essential. Our delicious American buttercream is made with real butter, which firms when chilled. If the cake is cut and served while cold, the buttercream can feel stiff and the cake may come across as dry. Once at room temp, the buttercream becomes silky and smooth, and the cake softens to its intended texture.

Do not attempt to speed this process up, it must happen naturally. Using a microwave, oven, stove, heater, etc. as a means to speed the process will result in major harm to the overall cake design.

We recommend slicing the cake with a long, sharp knife and wiping the blade clean between each cut for neat slices. 

When looking down onto your cake (like it’s a clock face), make the first cut at the 6 o’clock, then make parallel cuts to the right, moving towards the edge. Once you reach the edge, turn the cake board and repeat the motions. The slices will be tall and can be cut again in half to maximize the servings. We can walk you through this at pick-up as well!

We work on a first come, first served basis. Please note that some dates fill up more quickly than others. We will always do our best to accommodate last minute requests! 

Standard cupcakes can be purchased in-store, as we have an assortment of flavors available in the case daily. They can also be pre-ordered with as little as 1 day’s notice. 

Mini cupcakes must be pre-ordered with at least 1 day’s notice. We kindly request minis to be ordered in the same cake flavor per dozen, however the buttercreams on top can be assorted. 

Celebration Cakes (non-custom, seen here) require as little as 2-3 days notice.

Custom Cakes are preferably booked at least 2-4 weeks in advance. We recommend ordering as soon as you know your details! Once a week is fully booked, we’re unable to take additional orders. Last minute orders may be available if space allows.

By default, our cakes are round layer cakes. Other shapes (like square or heart) can be accommodated in some instances depending on cake size and design.

We do not offer sheet cakes or pull-apart cupcake cakes.

We’d love to discuss your order! Please call the Shoppe directly, stop by in-person, or fill out the inquiry form here. We can be reached by phone at 919-821-4223 or in-person at 104 Glenwood Ave.

Orders can be fully refunded with at least 48 hours notice in most cases. Orders canceled with less notice may only be eligible for a partial refund or potential store credit. We will discuss what refund options are available, depending on the notice provided. 

Wedding deposits are non-refundable.

Yes! We offer a limited number of DF/GF cupcakes, GF cookies, and GF brownies in the Shoppe daily. DF/GF cakes are available to pre-order in advance.

Please note that we are NOT an “allergen-free” facility. We have nuts, gluten, and dairy on the premises and while we take extensive measures to minimize cross-contamination we leave the decision to each individual customer. If your allergy is severe we advise against taking the risk. All specialty items are sanitized via a high-temp commercial grade dishwasher between uses to minimize cross contamination yet please note we cannot be responsible for allergies we are not aware of. It is the responsibility of each customer to inform us ahead of time of any and all dietary restrictions and allergies.