I had a guy ask me today to make a sheet cake for his wife next week for her b-day.. I asked him what he wanted on it and he said,"Surprise ME"...she will be 28, and I have no clue as to what colors she likes or what she likes for that matter. I want to stay away from anything that may look like it came from a local grocery though.

Any help!!!! If you have pics I would greatly appreciate them!!

TIA
Jennifer

I would call the customer back and get a few basics. If customers don't know what they want then I am always sure to ask them questions to get some sort of an idea.

Make sure you at least get some idea of what flavor of cake they want. I have some family members that would tell me do whatever you want, but I do know what Some of them can and can't have! He may not be thinking of this unless you ask him specifically.

Favorite color?
Favorite Flower?
Hobbies? (travel, books, gardening....)
Do they collect anything?

I don't think I really helped with any ideas. However I wouldn't want to do a cake with roses on it and then she doesnt' like roses. Or you do a blue cake and she hates blue.

Ah yes, the old "Do what you think is best, you're the expert" line....argh!

You could do something with a RI or chocolate 28 and a bouquet of flowers. That could be a simple but elegant statement.

It's so hard to know! Good luck!

Sarah

I am 28 myself.....and I think some of my favorite cakes are iced in buttercream, and then covered in ganache.....maybe with a few roses on top....super easy, fast and YUMMY (of course it works better with a round or square cake but I suppose you could do a sheet cake with it).... I also like geometric things like stripes, cirles (or those super cool purse cakes that are out there---again not a sheet cake though).........

I hate it when someone does this to me. I had one last week and she said "Oh, do something round and put something on top, as long as it's a white cake." It was for her 3 yr old granddaughter. I finally called and asked if Sesame Street was okay. Said she didn't care.

Most of the time if you ask the husband he doesn't have a clue as to what her favorite color or cake might be.

Diane

Alot of time I think they ask for a sheet cake because that's all they really see in grocery store bakeries. No kidding I just did a cake last weekend (stacked oval) and this customer had never seen an oval cake!!!


I have had to go on "fishing missions" and try to pry info from people. This is mostly because the guys are asking for the cakes for thier wives or girlfriends but they don't really know what they want on it. If I know the girl then I'll start small talk with them and ask different questions. Sometimes I have to make things up as I go. In general I hate the "do what you think is best"....because I like very "girly" cakes and that might not be what they have in mind.

The only suggestion that I could really offer you is take a look at the photo galleries and get some ideas for there. I can spend hours looking at them!!

Best of Luck to you!!

Chrissy

I'm 28 myself, and I like anything with flowers, stripes or even circles. I think anything would really work. I had to make a cake for a friend of mine who turned 28 and she just wanted a sheet cake and I found LisaMS, a cc member, had some really great sheet cakes with flowers and used hers as my inspiration. But I think most of my friends like the brown and pink combo and anything pretty or even a little funky Your cakes are wondeful, I'm sure whatever you do, she'll be pleased!

sheet cake made up to look like a fancy cell phone????
(a must have for anyone it seems)

screen: I just called to say Happy Birthday!

Well the problem is with calling him is that he is on vacation for the next 2 weeks and she is a stay at home mom, so she will be there with him if I call..She knows me a little, but I don't want the, "why is she calling you??" and him lie to her because he wanted to surprise her. Today is the first time I have ever seen him without her, so I guess that is why he asked me.

Maybe I will go with some funky colors and maybe daisies of the same colors!! I dunno!!

My future SIL is 28 (well, Im 25 so not far off) also and I agree with the previous cc poster about the pink and brown, polka dots, stripes, that all seems to be poplular right now. Im doing her wedding cake white with black and pink decor. I'd like to see what you come up with!!!