Wedding Cake With Pumpkins ... And Some Venting.
Decorating By SweetObsession Updated 21 Jun 2007 , 10:47am by angeldream1179
Hello everybody. I'm new here, from Ohio, and have no formal training.
I've been asked to create a tier cake to serve approximately 110 for a November reception, but the bride wants pumpkins on the cake.
This is for the daughter of one of my sister's coworkers. I've never met either, but from the information my sister is relaying, they're planning to buy tablecloths with pumpkins, etc. (kind of sounds like Halloween leftovers to me) and want the cake to match the theme.
Also, they claim to have a very small budget, as is the case with most people who come to me -- apparently I just scream 'pushover'. To be blunt, I'm sick of working for nothing for family and friends and definitely don't want to do it for people I don't even know. Of course I AM a bit of a pushover (and not a professional) so I'm considering charging from $125-$150 for the cake.
I was hoping there would be some elegant way to accomplish this while still working within my limited abilities and their limited budget. Any ideas?
Um, you're still undercharging by a LOT. My base prices is $2 per serving. So, for 110 serving cake the min would be $220. Then I would charge for each pumpkin. I would make the pumpkins from fondant or marzipan and I would charge $5.00 each for little ones and $9.00 each for med, $12.00 each for large.
HTH!
Thanks, Prterrell.
Since I don't have any formal training and basic wedding cakes go for $1.75 a slice in my area, I'm a little nervous about charging more. Plus anything is an improvement over past cakes ... I was lucky to get back what I put in! LOL
I've never worked with fondant before, but would love to try. I was thinking maybe curling pumpkin vines, too, either from gum paste or fondant. I'll have to do some research on both. I just don't want it to end up looking tacky. Actually, I'd love to do it in all white or muted colors, but I doubt the bride would go for anything but bright orange.
Thanks, Prterrell.
Since I don't have any formal training and basic wedding cakes go for $1.75 a slice in my area, I'm a little nervous about charging more. Plus anything is an improvement over past cakes ... I was lucky to get back what I put in! LOL
I've never worked with fondant before, but would love to try. I was thinking maybe curling pumpkin vines, too, either from gum paste or fondant. I'll have to do some research on both. I just don't want it to end up looking tacky. Actually, I'd love to do it in all white or muted colors, but I doubt the bride would go for anything but bright orange.
Oh, I think an all white cake with white pumpkins and white vines and tendrils would be so elegant.
I also wanted to add, since you are looking to make it simple for yourself, I suggest finding different size molds, either candy, cake or candle molds. Wilton has a pumpkin mold (with ghosts) for halloween. Williams Sonoma has a cake mold for various size pumpkins. Here is a good looking candle molds. Just press the fondant in, pop it out, wet the sides if you make halves and stick them together. Be sure to allow time to dry.
http://jagsmolds-candles.bizhosting.com/pumpkin_5_pie_topper.html
Look up halloween cakes, but also fall, autumn cakes.
You could really easily create something with a pumpkin theme that won't be too expensive. I have a pumpkin cake in my photos that I have made many, many times, and it's very easy, all buttercream. You could put something like that on a 12 or 14" round, and even place that on a sheet cake or somthing, and make the round and sheet cake the greenery around the pumpkin.
I do agree with Monica ~ a white on white cake with white pumpkin decorations would be very elegant, but it doesn't sound like the bride-to-be wants elegance, just leftover Halloween...
Sorry about the multiple posts.
Heres a cake that might give some inspiration. If you see a cake or technique you like don't be afraid to private message the person and ask how they did it. Most of us are more than willing to help. Also to help in your searches...Go to the advanced search. There are some glitches in our system that prevent you from looking at more photos from a basic search.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=5255
I had a fall wedding, and had small pumpkins on the tables. The cake was totally traditional, but I could see how a cake with pumpkins could be really neat. What about using something that's not edible, something you wouldn't have to make. Craft stores around my area have small pumpkins in the fall time, I think they are made from paper mache or something. They are small, only about an inch high or so, but they would be adorable on a cake, and would be far less work for you. The ones I have here are from Joanns and are Autumn Accents, raffia pumpkins. Not everything on a cake HAS to be edible. Just a thought. Now that you've done this thread, it makes me want to try some fall cake with these pumpkins.
Some more inspiration from the gallery:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=67415
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=75714
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=76317
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=78898
To save your expense in it, you can make your own fondant, either use the MMF recipes on here or I like this one--very simple, very fast and very easy.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/Fondant.htm
This may not be near to what you've got in mind, but I thought I'd show it to you because it's so great. I came across this site as I surfed cakes on the web. It was for a wedding, but they really did the whole halloween thing all the way. The little pumpkins are so cute!! Maybe it will give you some ideas!
Teresa
http://www.frostingwithflair.com/html/cakes/html/multi/html/eternal_love.html
When you mentioned wedding and pumpkins I thought of Cinderella. I wonder if this cake by siblingsweets could be modified to fit your needs.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=49516
First, all of these cakes that are posted in this thread are ALL incredible! You've been given some great ideas!
So to balance it a little, allow me to add the sarcastic suggestion!
If she's looking for leftover Halloween, you could always use those little pumpkin candies! You'll find them next to the candy corns!
You guys are all so great! I can't thank you enough. Thank you for all the great links, Monica. I can't wait to check them out (I wanted to send this thank you first).
It's funny how many ideas we all have in common ... pumpkins from craft stores, an all white cake, images of Cinderella, even the humor of pumpkin shaped candy corn! And Starkie -- great cake that the bride might think is perfect for her reception.
I'll have to check into the techniques used for all the designs. Up until now it's been the basic roses & snow white buttercream for me.
Here is a good looking candle molds. Just press the fondant in, pop it out, wet the sides if you make halves and stick them together. Be sure to allow time to dry.
http://jagsmolds-candles.bizhosting.com/pumpkin_5_pie_topper.html
these molds are fabulous - you could do these in white chocolate or colored (or white) candy melts EASY
Also to keep your cost down...if you decide to try fondant..I highly reccomend....making the marshmallow fondant..you can find the recipe here....as it is economical...you might even want to make a little batch and experiment with it. I agree that you could easily make it truly elegant. Maybe even make it all white the top tier a pumpkin shaped cake covered in white fondant? It would be lovely!
Welcome to CC by the way and I hope you find some helpful ideas here...I am sure you will. Please let us know how it turns out! We love pics!
Since it is a fall wedding I think that pumpkins are ideal. Everyone is talking about pumpkins as halloween leftovers. Thanksgiving is in November and I know most of you probably think of turkeys for Thanksgiving, but I am born on Thanksgiving and have been called a little turkey one too many times, so when I think of Thanksgiving I think of pumpkins. Not to mention, a pumpkin is much more elegent than a turkey. I would suggest the white pumpkins and vines on a white cake. You could make the pumpkins out of white chocolate or fondant. I agree that getting a mold would make it much easier. If she doesn't want white, you could maybe use some petal dust or luster dust.
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