At ArtsQuest's Cupcake Bowl in 2012, Kym's Creations Bakery had so many extra cupcakes it sent attendees home with cupcake goody bags.

This year, the Upper Macungie Township bakery ran out of cupcakes within a half hour of the main event starting despite bringing the same amount of sweets, owner Kim Brittenburg said.

Both events had about the same number of attendees – the difference was the 2012 event had more than twice the number of cupcake vendors. The shortage caused Kym's Creations and other several other vendors to run out very early in the event.

"We were kind of afraid it made us look bad because we didn't have enough," said Laura McConnell, owner of Pirate Cupcake Baking Co., another vendor that ran out. "We made what they told us to bring, and even more."

Several attendees lodged complaints on ArtsQuest's Facebook page and elsewhere following the Saturday event at the ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem. Repeat attendees said the 2012 and 2013 featured plenty of cupcakes but that this year's event was disappointing.

ArtsQuest Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Sponsorships Curt Mosel said the problem with this year's event was a vendor shortage. Only 10 vendors were signed this year – compared to 16 last year – and three dropped out the week before, he said.

"It's one of those things that because there were a few less vendors, the cupcakes went quicker and people probably got multiples at stations," Mosel said. "It's a glitch, but we'll certainly get back to where we need to be."

Both the Pirate Cupcake Baking Co. and Kym's Creations Bakery are pledging to make it up to attendees. Pirate's McConnell said attendees can ask for a free cupcake if they see her truck at 2015 events and Kym's Brittenburg said attendees can contact her at kymscreationscakes@yahoo.com for free cupcakes.

"It was a bad situation, but we want to end it on the best note possible," Brittenburg said. "We feel horrible we ran out."

About 425 tickets were sold for the event, Mosel said. McConnell said she brought 550 full-size cupcakes while Brittenburg brought 800 mini cupcakes. A VIP hour started at 11:30 a.m. followed by a general session from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.; both vendors said they ran out of cupcakes by 1 p.m.

Another annual ArtsQuest food event – the Souper Bowl – is scheduled for Jan. 25. The experience with this year's Cupcake Bowl will lead to greater oversight to ensure there's enough soup, Mosel said.

"This will make sure we're sensitive to having enough," he said.

The Souper Bowl is sold out; both events raise money for ArtsQuest's Arts Education Programming Fund, which provides arts and education programs for area students.

Lynn Olanoff can be reached at lolanoff@express-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @LynnOlanoff. Find Bethlehem news on Facebook.