Cupcakes are the perfect gift to show affection and an awesome way to celebrate achievements, for they bring joy to birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, baby showers, weddings and a host of other occasions.
They also make simple, satisfying desserts, which are good for self-indulgence. The best cupcakes may not always be within reach, so you need to figure out ways to make them come to your location.
Online shopping for delicious baked goods is becoming popular because we now have fast and efficient nationwide shipping, and the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to adopt contactless transactions. You save a lot of time by ordering in advance, giving the baker ample time to prepare your favorite flavors.
Keep reading for our best online cupcake ordering service reviews, complete with how to order scrumptious cupcakes for yourself and your loved ones. We will also break down their ordering and delivery processes and compare costs.
The Best Online Cupcake Ordering Services
| Online Cupcake Company | Price Per Cupcake | Time to Delivery | Unique Identifier | Shelf Life (unfrozen) | Shelf Life (Frozen) |
| Cupcake by Design | $3.25 to $3.75 | Next Day | Edible Toppers | 4 Days | 2 Weeks |
| Wicked Good Cupcakes | $4.50 to $8.50 | 1 to 3 days | Cupcakes in Jars | 10 Days | 6 Months |
| Baked by Melissa | $1.50 to $3.50 | 2Hrs | Mini Cupcakes | Days | 2 Weeks |
#1 Cupcake by Design (Best Overall)
We declared Cupcake by Design the best online cupcake ordering service due to its simple but reliable structures. They offer convenience on top of bomb cupcakes.
Cupcake by Design Pricing
The standard-sized cupcakes go for $39 per dozen without cupcake toppers and $43 per dozen with toppers. The full-size Strawberry Bliss Flowers, which they offer at $45 per dozen, are their most expensive cupcakes. Their edible cupcake toppers, an optional addition, are offered at four dollars per dozen.
How Do You Order from Cupcake by Design?
Ordering is a simple process that involves selecting your preferred cupcakes and/ or toppers from the Cupcake by Design website, adding them to your cart and placing the order. They are only sold in dozens, and you can opt to have the same theme or flavor in your set of twelve cupcakes or mix them up. That’s one of our main reasons for considering them for one of the best online cupcake ordering services.
You can choose between two different toppers per dozen from this online cupcake company if you order them separately or pick a theme that has toppers in the first place because it costs the same.
Cupcake by Design Delivery
One of the main reasons we rank them as the top bakery for cupcake delivery nationwide is because they will bring the sweet experience right to your doorstep as long as it is within the Continental United States.
Cupcake by Design offers a number of options to get your sweet delivery. The cupcakes can be shipped to your desired location, you can pick them up yourself from the nearest shop, or they can be hand-delivered to certain locations within reasonable distances from their shops. A map with Cupcake by Design locations on their website can be used to find your local stores.
If you make it early enough, in-store pickup and hand delivery can be done the same day as your order. All Cupcake by Design shipping is done via Next Day Air to ensure they get to their destination while still fresh.
You can select your delivery date up to eight weeks in advance. Shipping is billed at $30 across America. We recommend you opt for hand delivery or pick them up if you are close to a store.
The Packaging
The delicious cupcakes come in packs of twelve, enclosed in a tough box filled with ice. They will arrive chilled or frozen. The colorful cupcake toppers come in plastic bags.
The Cupcake Flavors
We chose the assorted package to sample all the flavors for a wholesome Cupcake by Design review. Our pack had six flavors that we feel are a sufficient representation of the Cupcake by Design baking prowess. Here is our unanimous take on the sweet treats.
- Vanilla Cloud
The fluffy vanilla cake base is crowned with a generous amount of white buttercream icing and is contained in a sky-blue liner to complete the minimalist sky theme. The vanilla essence adds a kick to the sweetness we loved, especially because the folks at Cupcake by Design assured us it was flavored with real vanilla extract.
- Triple Chocolate
This is a special treat for the chocolate lover as it comes with three rich layers of chocolate. Even the smooth buttercream and chocolate topping is finished off with a chocolate drizzle. Biting into the moist chocolate base was particularly rewarding.
- Birthday Sprinkles
This is truly a birthday cupcake as it has all the markings of festivity; the funfetti vanilla cake base is baked with its own sprinkles, so they cover it with a clear liner to let them pop. The buttercream icing topping is a bright blue and topped with rainbow sprinkles. It tastes like the vanilla cloud cupcake but will lighten the room at a birthday party.
- Lemon Dream
The slightly tart taste of citrus all over this cupcake gives it a unique yummy flavor that makes it stand out. It is a fluffy lemon cake topped with cream cheese buttercream frosting.
- Salted Dulce de Leche
The smooth caramel flavor of the perfectly baked dulce de leche base blends well with its buttercream topping. It had more flavor drizzled on the topping with sprinkles of coarse salt, which perfectly balanced the taste, so it wasn’t too sweet.
- Strawberry Bliss
The blissful pink strawberry-flavored cream cheese buttercream frosting on a fluffy cake base draws your attention to this cupcake. It was unapologetically sweet and savory, thanks to the infusion of some citrus notes in the frosting.
- Other Flavors
Our package did not have the Red Velvet Rush, which we estimate will be as sweet tasting as the strawberry bliss because the base is a red velvet cake. Chocolate lovers will also be in for a treat because the frosting is infused with chocolate notes.
Cupcake by Design Toppers
They are all made of sugar and are fully edible. They ensure the cake pops and come in handy when you want custom cupcakes for a special occasion. They gave us four options: baby, to celebrate a newborn, birthday, cheerful hearts and magic. Besides the flavors, these ornaments set the cupcakes apart from each other.
Cupcake by Design Shelf Life
The system ensures that you will get the cupcakes on the same day they are baked or the following day at the latest. This is applicable even when you place your order way before your desired delivery date—they accept orders up to eight weeks before the delivery date—they will be baked a day before shipping. Because they are packed with ice, they will arrive fresh.
Cupcake by Design recommends that you only keep them at room temperature for a maximum of four days, in the fridge for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to two weeks. They should be eaten within 24 hours of thawing. Their toppers can be stored in their plastic bags for the entire duration without being frozen. You should wait for the cupcakes to thaw before adding the toppers, so they don’t become all soggy.
We ate ours on the third day after storing them in the fridge for two days, and they were still as moist and fluffy as they arrived.
#2 Wicked Good Cupcakes (Runner-Up)
The people at Wicked Good Cupcakes, online cupcake services, are considered pioneers when it comes to cupcakes in jars. The solution was conjured up by Tracey Noonan and her daughter Dani Vilagie to solve the logistical challenge of delivering cupcakes in good form to friends and relatives across the nation. This resulted from photos and videos they had posted online showing them applying their newly acquired baking skills.
It was 2011, and they had just taken a cake decorating class together. They made it a business and started packing cupcakes in mason jars for delivery.
Wicked Good Cupcakes Prices
They typically sell in packs of two jars and above. There are special offers where the price is discounted according to the number of jars you order; the more you order, the cheaper it becomes.
The price ranges between $11 and $15 per jar but can go as low as $9 for big cake orders of 32 cupcakes and above. Considering each jar has the equivalent of two cupcakes, we can estimate the price per cupcake at between $5 and $8 for comparison purposes.
These discounts make sense when a cupcake order is for a special event like an office party where many are needed. They are not worth it if you cannot clear them before their expiry date. You also need to factor in shipping costs to your location if you have them shipped for the comparison to be wholesome.
Wicked Good Cupcakes customizes your jar labels with your company logo for corporate gifts or information about your special event at only $0.50. You can opt to include a gift card in the package instead and give the same information for the same price.
How to Order From Wicked Good Cupcakes
They primarily take online orders for their cupcakes, but they can also be found in select Hickory Farms stores distributed across the country (They joined the Hickory Farms family of gourmet food gifts in 2021).
You can do your online cupcake ordering up to 30 days before your expected delivery date. The earlier you order, the easier it is to get a discount on the shipping rate and the lower the chances that the day will be fully booked.
Because they only deliver freshly baked cupcakes, they have a limit on the number of cupcake orders they can accept in a day. You will find that you cannot book cupcakes on certain days during high-volume periods.
Wicked Good Cupcakes Delivery
Ground shipping is the cheapest delivery mode and is given priority so long as it is estimated that the order can be delivered in under three days. They need to factor in UPS holidays in their estimation because UPS provides the service. They charge a flat rate of five dollars, but they usually offer free ground shipping if you buy packs of six jars and above for added value.
The alternative is direct shipping which is considered if the cupcakes can’t get to your location within three days or the window between the date of the order and the expected delivery date is too small for ground delivery. The delivery cost for direct shipping varies depending on whether it is a Next Day Air, 2nd Day Air, or 3 Day Select.
Wicked Good Cupcake Packaging
The cupcakes come in reusable eight-ounce jars containing the equivalent of two standard-size cupcakes and are sealed tight.
Wicked Good Cupcake Flavors
The flavors are all Tracey and Dani’s own recipes and unique to Wicked Good Cupcakes. There were too many specific flavors to fit in one article, so we had to choose a sample to base our review on. We ordered the Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcake two-pack.
A typical jar will contain two moist cupcakes and layers of fillings. It is then topped up with their generous frosting. Our package arrived on the second day after the cupcake order. It had their Chocolate Ganache cupcake jar and Vanilla Sprinkle jar. We waited for two days before indulging without storing them in the refrigerator.
- Wicked Good Cupcakes’ Chocolate Ganache Cupcake
The base is made of chocolate cake, and a generous layer of chocolate ganache separates the two. A generous amount of chocolate buttercream finishes off the assembly. The fatty chocolate taste was dangerously inviting, especially because the wonderful cake was still fluffy and soft. It will make a great dessert.
- Wicked Good Cupcakes’ Classic Vanilla Sprinkle
This cupcake jar was aptly paired with the chocolate jar, as it adds color to an otherwise dull presentation. The base is a light and airy vanilla cake topped with Madagascar bourbon vanilla buttercream frosting and a colorful sprinkle. While it was shouting on the outside, the taste was a mellow creamy sweetness.
Wicked Good Cupcake Shelf Life
The jars can keep for up to ten days without refrigeration, but you should eat them within a week. When frozen, they can stay good for up to six months. For the best experience after freezing, you should let them get to room temperature before digging in. They should be frozen immediately after the package arrives if you plan to freeze them.
We don’t have proof of the six-month longevity, but our cupcake jars were fresh and moist for the two days we took to finish them off.
#3 Baked by Melissa (Best Low-Calorie Option)
Baked by Melissa is a New York-based bakery that specializes in mini cupcakes. They make delicious cupcakes that can satisfy your sugar cravings without piling on the calories. All their bite-sized treats pack less than 50 calories, some are even as low as 38 cal. Definitely one of the most delicious low-carb sweet snacks you want to try!
Baked by Melissa Cupcake Pricing
They are sold in packs of 25, 50 and 100. Special occasions and special diet cupcakes cost more than regular cupcakes. The larger the pack, the more affordable it becomes. The price per cupcake ranges from $1.50 to $3. It may seem lower than our previous two brands, but you have to factor in that these are tiny cupcakes, and you can pop a few in one sitting.
How to Order Baked by Melissa Cupcakes
You can walk directly to any of their 14 locations and make your order if you are in the New York and New Jersey vicinity where the stores are. You can also call their Customer Happiness Team through contacts on their website. Additionally, cupcake delivery online is easy as you can order directly from their website by selecting what you want and adding it to your cart for checkout.
Baked by Melissa has an option for checking out to multiple addresses if your gifts are going to different people in separate locations.
Baked by Melissa Cupcake Delivery Process
If you are in the general New York or New Jersey area, you can walk into one of their outlets and pick up your mini cupcake order. Alternatively, you can wait for them to be delivered or shipped to the address you will fill out in your order.
You don’t have to order in advance, but it is advisable if you need the 25 pack and upwards so that you can find them ready for collection as they are freshly baked—order at least one hour before your anticipated pickup time.
For in-store pickup orders, you get a call from their dispatcher 30 minutes after you place your order informing you it is ready for pickup.
If you are within the New York and New Jersey area, you are also eligible for local delivery, which local couriers do. They deliver between 9 AM and 7 PM, broken down into two-hour delivery windows—9 AM to 11 AM, 11 AM to 1 PM and so on. You should make your order before your desired delivery window starts to get it within that window. There is a delivery fee of $9.95 per location.
You can arrange for delivery directly from the Baked by Melissa website or through third-party courier apps like UberEATS, DoorDash and Grubhub.
Shipping is done across America for a cupcake delivery online. Orders for Next Day Arrival must be finalized before 2 PM Eastern Time the previous day. Shipping fees start at approximately $15; the minimum order you can ship is $32.
Packaging
They come in clear plastic containers that keep them fresh. The pack gives each cupcake its own bubble so that the decorations aren’t tampered with and don’t get smashed while in transit. The packaging is tough and stackable and won’t occupy too much space.
We got their special tie and dye gift box because we ordered the 100-pack. They also have happy birthday gift boxes and congratulations boxes that you can include in your order.
Baked by Melissa Cupcake Flavors
As one of the best online cupcake ordering services, Baked by Melissa is always coming up with new flavors. You will get anything from combinations of reliable classic flavors that have been tried and tasted to bold new flavors that are unique and refreshing. The mini cupcakes are all handcrafted and delivered or sold freshly baked. They have special categories like gluten-free, kosher and vegan cakes to be all-inclusive.
We have tested all seven of their classic flavors, as the 100-pack had an assortment of them. The flavors came out exactly as presented, if not better. We really appreciated the icing on the cake. They definitely know how to combine flavors. Below is a description of what we sampled, covering a huge chunk of their catalog.
- Tie-Dye Cupcake
A colorful tie-dye vanilla cake base crowned with vanilla icing and topped with rainbow sugar crystal sprinkles
- Cookies and Cream Cupcake
Chocolate cake base stuffed with cookies and cream filling crowned with vanilla icing and chocolate cookie topping.
- Triple Chocolate Fudge Cupcake
Chocolate cake base stuffed with fudge, crowned with chocolate icing, and topped with mini chocolate chips.
- Red Velvet Cupcake
Red velvet cake base topped with cream cheese icing and red sugar crystal sprinkles
- Cookie Dough Cupcake
Cookie dough stuffed yellow cake base crowned with chocolate icing and cookie dough topping
- Chocolate Chip Pancake Cupcake
Yellow pancake cake base crowned with maple syrup icing and topped with mini chocolate chips
- Mint Cookie Cupcake
Fudge stuffed mint cake base crowned with mint cookies and cream icing and topped with mint cookie butter and green drizzle.
Baked by Melissa Cupcake Shelf Life
They can stay frozen for up to two weeks and up to four days at room temperature. If you plan to store them, you should put them in the freezer when they arrive. We did not test this as we gobbled up the tiny treats in one sitting.
Identifying the Best Online Cupcake Ordering Services
The most important consideration when choosing the best online cupcake ordering service is the quality of the actual cupcakes. They should be baked well using high-quality ingredients and finished in a presentable manner. The flavors should be delectable to keep you yearning for more.
The delivery process is also very important as they are both delicate and perishable. You need them to arrive as fresh and beautiful as they were baked, so the cupcake company should guarantee speedy and efficient delivery.
The packaging also affects the state where the cupcakes will arrive, so you should pay close attention to it. It should be airtight, durable and cushioned to ensure the cupcakes stay snugly in place and are protected during transportation.
You should also consider the value for the money. Factor in the price of the cupcakes and how much it will cost to ship them, and weigh this against the impact the cakes will have on you and your loved ones.
Overall, we found Cupcake by Design ranked the highest in all categories and we highly recommend you give them a try when you get your next sweet tooth or need delicious treats for an upcoming event.