I really feel your pain. I called my sister back in early July to see if she was going to get her cake from me for my 4 year old neice whose bday was July 13th. This is how the conversation went. Some of you may have read this in another thread.
ME: Hey I was just calling to see if you are going to get Jessica's cake from me.
SIS: I don't know. It depends on how much you charge me. I was going to get a cake from Walmart if you charge too much.

ME: Well, how much did you budget for the cake?
SIS: I don't know....$25.
ME: OK......well I can try to do what Jessica wants for that much.
SIS: Well I'm not paying more than that for a cake, I'd rather put my money elsewhere.
ME: You know my cakes are better than Walmart.
SIS: Yeah they really are but I'd rather put my money elsewhere. Do what you can for $25 and no more.
ME:

My niece is so sweet and had asked me to make her cake after she saw the princess castle cake I made for my DD, I love my nieces and nephews like my own so I couldn't say no to HER. If it had been a cake for my sister I would have told her not to choke on her Walmart cake.
I ended up spending 14 hours on the cake and about $40, the Strawberry Shortcake one in my photos, and when sis saw it I said, "I don't suppose there will be a $bonus$ for making this?" she says, "No, I don't suppose there will." My mom felt bad for me so she gave me another $10.
I was when I found out that she was going to pay more than $30 for a walmart cake, she spent over $600 just on the tickets to go to a Def Leppard concert, then went on a weekend trip to Gatlinburg, TN. I'm making my other niece's cake this weekend, I warned my sis that I went in the hole with the last one so this one would cost more. She reluctantly agreed. For a minute though I thought I would have to rip her a new one. She should put those kids before herself!!!
Sorry this was so long!

Kimmypooh, I just dont understand family sometimes, I know there is a comfort factor when you are dealing with family, but you would think a family member would treat us better that they do, and not treat it like they are doing US a favor by LETTING us make their cake!

I know. Maybe next time they ask for a discount we should say, "Gee, I don't know. Let me see if Kroger, Michaels, the water company, and the electric company will give ME a discount. OOOh and while I'm at it, I'll see if BP will give me a discount on the gas I'll use picking up the crap to make your AT COST cake!"

I know this will piss people off, but I have to disagree with Kimmypoo...I think that too many times we offer to make a cake for someone, then get all pissed off when they either 1. Don't jump for joy or 2. Don't want to pay us what we tell them it's going to cost. If your sister is a bee-otch, that's her problem, but if you offer and she says no, then that should have been the end of it.

If she ASKED you to do it, then you tell her how much it will cost, and if she doesn't want to pay that much, let her go somewhere else. If you're taking money for the cake it's a business transaction, when it comes down to it. I know that family dynamics put a different spin on everything, but if you look at it like it wasn't your sister, but anyone else, you basically told her that you would do the cake if she paid you more than her budget, then you got mad when she wouldn't ante up.

Next time, just don't do the cake unless she calls you first, then agrees to your price. If your nieces ask you to do it, tell them that you'll have to see what their mom has planned for their parties first. If you want to do it, do it as their birthday present, that way you take money out of it.

Costumeczar, you are right about alot of points in your post, if she wasnt family I would have gave her directions to walmart! But the money aspect, of my op she changed the deal after we agreed and expected me to just deal with it. So yeah you are right I should have told her no deal but you know family, and I am a sucker when it comes to my nephew!

mw902, I was actually referring more to Kimmypooh's situation with her beeotchy sister than to your original post, but my comments would be the same for most situations like this in general.

There are a lot of posts on here about people getting upset when family members don't want them to make the cake, or turn them down when they offer to do it. I think that if we all were honest with ourselves, we'd admit that yes, it's nice to make a nice cake to make someone else happy (especially kids), but there's also that part of us that wants people to say that the cake is wonderful and congratulate us all over for making it. It seems that most of the complaints in this area come from when someone is "cheated" out of that opportunity to show off a little. Hey, I understand the feeling, and I've felt slighted before in this area, too, but you have to get over it. If a family member doesn't want the cake, don't make it, no sweat. Less work for you.

Now on the other hand, if they do ASK you to do it for free or at cost, then treat you like they did you a favor, they can go take a flying leap! That's a different thing than what I'm talking about, though.

Why do the people closest to us always "forget" all it takes to make these cakes. They've seen us with our dyed hands and messy kitchens, but refuse to acknowledge that it takes time and effort. It's just cake...

Frankly, I'm no better, cuz I am a sucker when it comes to family and don't usually charge at all.

I am being completly honest when I say, I do not make cakes for others for compliments and whoplah over me, I am the most non show off type person you will ever meet! I make cakes because I love to do it, and I cannot eat all the cake myself! LOL!!

Well, I totally don't mean to attack either of you. How could I attack someone who has Johnny Depp in their avatar! I just see a lot of posts on here from a lot of people who complain that their relatives don't appreciate them enough, and I just don't see why they keep putting themselves in the position of having to deal with it. A lot of them come at it from the angle of "I wanted to bring a cake to the party even though they didn't ask me to, so I did and they didn't congratulate me for it or want to pay me for it." Well, if I was throwing a party and someone showed up with a cake that I hadn't asked for, I'd be pissed off, I wouldn't want to thank them. I know that neither of your situations was like that, you just seem to be dealing with cheap wenches, I was just commenting on a similar family-type situation that seems to pop up a lot on here.

Anyway, if I had to deal with a selfish @ss like your sister seems to be, Kimmypooh, I think that I'd just take her out of the equation by telling your niece that you'd like to have a special dinner for just you and her for her birthday, and making her a cake for that. Let her nasty mom arrange her official birthday party, just don't donate the cake. Leave your sister out of it, but that way you won't be shortchanging your niece. Just have her over for dinner sometime close to her birthday and let her have her special cake then.

And give your sister a picture of the cake, but no leftovers...

Oh dang, I just realized that isn't even Johnny Depp! I thought it was a still from Sweeney Todd I'll pretend it's Johnny Depp, though, a girl can dream...

I agree with costumeczar with just making your niece or nephew a personal cake and not one for the big celebration.

This way the child can get what they asked for and appreciate and their moms can get the walmart cake they planned for.

I must agree with costumeczar, take your niece or nephew out and that's it. Keep your selfish sister out of your special moment with the kids. I had a situation where my sister in law wanted me to make her the castle cake but didn't want to spend a lot of money I asked her to just pay to cover the items needed and she found it too much. I told her then to go buy a cake else where, she got the castle cake from the bakery and paid 4 times the amount I asked her for but I didn't say a word after that she asked me to do another cake and I just flat out told her, I can't don't have the time. I can't be bothered with family drama they're the worst customers

Oh Costumeczar, I didnt take it like you were attacking me!! I completely understand what you were saying!