I just started making cakes a few months ago, but already I am starting to notice that for any family or friend get-together, it's "Can you bring a cake?".

I just finished such a cake and the ingredients and supplies alone cost me $50, not to mention my time (over 5 hours to bake, decorate and clean up). Taking a salad would be so much easier!

Salad in a bag - $5.00
Tomato - $1.50
Salad dressing - $3.50
5 free hours to myself - priceless!

yes.

no.


can't I just bring a salad....YES

can you bring a cake....NO!!!!!! (in flashing neon lights if need be)

----

until you stand up for yourself and say NO!!!

then -- you'll be bringing cake and not salad.

You must bake from scratch. I cannot believe the ingredients cost you so much.
But yes, I know what you mean....get used to it. Maybe down size your offering.

It's expensive...

Hummingbird cake..
flour
sugar
PECANS (these must be made of gold)
pineapple
banana's (getting to gold prices)
eggs
cinnamon

etc. etc.

If I don't have these I have to buy all of them (and believe me I go through about 2 jars of cinnamon a month on my kids eating cinnamon toast like its going out of style)

yep... expensive..

do ya hafta? Nope...

Say no say no SAY NO

I'm the designated dessert bringer for the most part as well.

But they also know by now that they're not getting a cake that's been labored over for hours every time - they'll get what I am in the mood to bake or experiment with at the time.

If I'm short on time, I may just throw together a pound cake baked in a NordicWare bundt pan (I have several of the fancy ones) with a simple glaze drizzled on it, or bake a pan of brownies and bring ice cream and chocolate ganache.

And you know what? Scaling it down is just fine too - the humble but homemade pound cake is still 10 times better than grocery store cake.

Question? Are you the only one bringing something? If so, then I would adopt my rule... If you ask, you pay. If I offer, it's free.

If it really is a group affair where everyone is bringing something, then I would definatly scale back your cakes, and spend about what everyone else would. You don't have to make beautiful hand crafted gumpaste creations for every "Can you bring cake".

Of course you can always make something nice here and there (only if they really appreciate it), but there is also nothing wrong with doing cupcakes or a more simple style of cake.

And there is nothing wrong with saying, "I'd love to make a cake, but you know I already have ingredients for such and such on hand, how about I make that?"

LOL I'm just not that diplomatic....I'll flat out tell folks that I'm really busy, and I can only do something simple.

lol..wouldnt it be funny to arrive with a walmart cake!
Edna

i make things for my family member for free mainly because i like make cakes as much as i can so i can 1. practice 2. take pics for my portfolio the only condition i have is that they can't tell me the design.it's a gift from me, you take what i give. i don't want to do a simple boring cake because it's nothing to add to my portfolio.my SIL just asked me to make 2 cakes for her kids shared parties and she say just make two rounds and i'll stick toys on them, ummm no! if she wants that go to the grocery store.

I'm the cake-maker in my family. My ingredients aren't expensive, and everyone accepts a cake instead of a purchased birthday gift (except my kids, of course). So I actually save money, and I get to do fun things at the same time.

I don't offer to bring cake to events usually and people know better than to ask me, because if I didn't volunteer, that means I can't do it.

for me.. family gettin together and need cake... I usually go with a simple bundt cake or pound cake... They know it's not gunna be a lavish cake for "just because". Mean mommy (my cake decorating alter ego) isn't worth "just because".
LOL

Gosh, I have the opposite "problem" (but I am really complimented by it, so this isn't a complaint!).

At hubby's family Christmas, my traditional dishes that I bring are my (made from scratch) beef-n-noodles and my green-beans-with-bacon-n-onion. I just luv the attn these dishes get and especially enjoy the "oh good I'm SO glad you brought those ... I've been looking forward to it all week!" comments!

I luv my in-laws!

But I will also agree with the above posts ... just because you are asked to bring a cake ... doesn't mean you have to bring "A CAKE!!!"

make cupcakes. I love putting my extra batter in the large cupcake pans, I cover and freeze and when I have enough I bake.

Mystery cupcakes, gotta love them. tee hee.

If you don't want to take cake, tell them no. Just practice a few times. You'll do it naturally & without thought. Just ask my kids.
If you don't... everyone will expect it.

I am laughing reading this only because that is exactly what I said to myself just over a year ago. My daughter was graduating from preschool...they usually bought the cake for the graduation, but instead of just writing something in on the sign up sheet, I offered to do the cake...(little did I know that they were feeding 200 people) They allowed everyone and their brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins come to the preschool graduation....Four teirs and 12 hours later...I said, "next time I will just write in for a pasta salad" And oh...dessert is always my turf for family functions though....that is a given...
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=826083

I have to say...I can get annoyed too sometimes. I didn't respond to the last family sign up e-mail quickly to see if others would do their share of the extra dishes that are brought. The bachelor wrote, Jennifer always brings dessert so I'll bring the buns ($2, 10 min in the store) so she can bring dessert again. They love my homemade ice cream cake with from scratch ice cream. The eggs alone are almost $2.

IT'S TIME TO EDUCATE!

JUST SAY NO! LOL!

NOT a cheapy cake to make

And when I could eat cake that was my fav YUM

How about going to the grocery store and picking up a cake that is already baked. If they have a problem with it so what. Tell them this is your contribution and if they want a nicer/better tasting cake pay you for it. BC/DH OR PB from the box with any doctoring is just fine. I am always the cake girl. This gets old fast especially when the others contribute far less than most with money and time spent cooking. If you bring enough

to the celebrations they will stop expecting you to be the main supplier.

I had the same problem at work, except it was for the birthdays. I did one, it's kinda what got me on the whole kick of wanting to do this full time and make a business out of it. I love to do it, even with late hours or sleepless nights and frustration I love it. Love to stand back when I'm done and look at what I've accomplished.

So anyways not a big office but 15 or so cakes over a couple of months. No one pitched in a couple bucks, nope. So ok I was getting tired of doing them for free for the co workers anyways, but what finalized it for me is when they starting becoming demanding. I make a carrot cake that is to die for, everyone loves it. So they started saying, next time you bring a cake in make it a carrot. Uh hello, I'm doing this for free and you'll get what I bring in.

So ok fast forward a little bit, made it through the year, did everyone's bday cake so no one felt left out or had hurt feelings. No I REFUSE to bring in a cake. After some of my tastings I have uniced cake left. So I cut it up put it on a tray and brought it in for them. Someone actually had the nerve to tell me that next time I bring cake in to make sure I bring some icing in as well!! Ok so that was the FINAL straw. Talk about being p.o'ed. Recently someone asked me when I was bringing in cake again, that they noticed it had been awhile since we had cake. I politely, and in a jokingly spirit said "I don't do FREE cakes, ya pay me and you've got cake"

Haven't had a request since....LOL