I hesitate to write this, BUT, do you guys ever get this? I took a HUGE last minute order today (Christmas time, and I want the extra cash). It's to be picked up Saturday morning, at 9. The lady asked me if I would be baking it on Satuday for her.
A complex order...baked and decorated by 9 am....
Can't blame her for asking, though.

Just tell her that you bake a day or two ahead because it give the flavor a chance to develop and makes a much nicer cake. It's true anyway.

I'm new to this but one thing I noticed right away was the under-appreciation of the amount of time spent on a cake. People are surprised when I tell them how many "hours" I spent on a cake. They look at me like I'm crazy! And the whole time I'm thinking, "Wow I thought I did a great job relatively quickly!" lol.

Um...she ordered a large order, wants it all baked, decorated and delivered by 9am Saturday morning? LIE!...LOL!

When a client asks me if a product was baked that day, I always say yes! They will never understand what really is involved with all that we cake people do. We know it takes days sometimes a week to do all we do for an order. So, if they are so ignorant to think a cake (even a small one), let alone a large order, can be baked, decorated, and delivered all in 3 hours or less, THEY ARE CRAZY. It isn't like she is going to be in the kitchen with you watching you make it. So bake a day or two before, do what you have to do, and tell her what she wants to hear. If you tell her no, you may loose the order.

Then after the fact, contact her and ask her how she liked her order, more than likely she will say it was wonderful...THEN your can educate her about the baking biz; that it is common practice in the industry especially with an order of her size to bake in advance and decorate accordingly to accommodate the delivery time. 9am leaves only a few hours, and not enough time to do an order of that size and it not look like a child decorated it. Speed is not conducive to custom cake decorating...sorry all you grocery store decorators out there...I am a former one and the product I can produce at my steady pace as apposed to the old break neck pace that is demanded of a grocery store decorator is far superior in appearance than the other.

Don't get me wrong, when icing a cake or crumb coating for fondant I am grateful for my grocery store days experience, and can "base" a cake in record time, but when it comes to the actual decoraing part, unless it is a basic shell border. s border, or reverse shell border, I take my time to allow for perfection!

Well I'm that fast. I bought this magic oven (it's the same one Mickey Mouse uses) and it bakes and decorates the cake in under a minute. You should get one. Every store in La La Land has them.

I don't know why some customers are like that. Part of it is these cake shows that have these totally elaborate cakes done up in a couple of hours -- don't they know that's drama and not reality?? Honestly!! I tell them that they've tasted my cakes and I never discuss when they are made, how they are made or the recipes. "You've tasted my cake, is it fresh enough for you?" Yes. "Then that's what the final product will be." Period.

I have trouble getting breakfast on the table before noon on the weekends.

To add insult to injury, she tried to talk me down on my price. Ouch! that was actually the first time that happened to me!

amia1024, that's the same oven I have Maybe you've seen it in Cake Mania? It cooks 4 shaped cakes, in under a minute each. I don't even have to mix the batter! I also have an icing machine that ices in 30 seconds, and a decorating machine that decorates in 30 seconds.

Don't you all have one? What's wrong with you!

amia1024, that's the same oven I have Maybe you've seen it in Cake Mania? It cooks 4 shaped cakes, in under a minute each. I don't even have to mix the batter! I also have an icing machine that ices in 30 seconds, and a decorating machine that decorates in 30 seconds.

Don't you all have one? What's wrong with you!

I'm one who flat out tells 'em, as I laugh out loud, "Do you know how many DAYS it takes to make a cake like that?" But then, I LIKE making people feel stupid!

When they question how long it takes, I always give them baking time in a home oven .... "If you were to bake this 5 tier cake, it would take you over 9 hours just in baking time." They just cannot comprehend 9 hours just in baking time!

But like I said .... I like being a little vicious when people want the Taj Mahal built in 20 minutes. AND they want you to discount it on top of that!

I'm straight forward with them. I try to educate them on the whole cake process. I usually laugh a little and just say a cake needs to rest for at least 24 hours in order to cut it properly unless you want it to be difficult. I then tell them how long it takes to make the cake and decorate, that usually shuts them up. If it's someone real snippy I just say "I'm sorry, I must not be the right baker for you, good luck in your search."

I was just at a wedding were the sister of the bride was telling me not to eat the cake because it has been set up since 10 am. (the reception was at 6:30 pm) It must be dry since they had to make it this morning and it's just been sitting out there. I busted up laughing. Told her, I promise you that this cake was made at least 2 days ago and what's the difference of being done and set up at the reception or done in the bakers kitchen.
She just blinked and said "REALLY?"
...by the way the cake was gross. Had to be the worst cake I've ever eaten. My little 5 year took a few quick bites and spit it out, then said "The weddings over for me mommy, let's go."

I'm straight forward with them. I try to educate them on the whole cake process. I usually laugh a little and just say a cake needs to rest for at least 24 hours in order to cut it properly unless you want it to be difficult. I then tell them how long it takes to make the cake and decorate, that usually shuts them up. If it's someone real snippy I just say "I'm sorry, I must not be the right baker for you, good luck in your search."

I was just at a wedding were the sister of the bride was telling me not to eat the cake because it has been set up since 10 am. (the reception was at 6:30 pm) It must be dry since they had to make it this morning and it's just been sitting out there. I busted up laughing. Told her, I promise you that this cake was made at least 2 days ago and what's the difference of being done and set up at the reception or done in the bakers kitchen.
She just blinked and said "REALLY?"
...by the way the cake was gross. Had to be the worst cake I've ever eaten. My little 5 year took a few quick bites and spit it out, then said "The weddings over for me mommy, let's go."

I'm straight forward with them. I try to educate them on the whole cake process. I usually laugh a little and just say a cake needs to rest for at least 24 hours in order to cut it properly unless you want it to be difficult. I then tell them how long it takes to make the cake and decorate, that usually shuts them up. If it's someone real snippy I just say "I'm sorry, I must not be the right baker for you, good luck in your search."

I was just at a wedding were the sister of the bride was telling me not to eat the cake because it has been set up since 10 am. (the reception was at 6:30 pm) It must be dry since they had to make it this morning and it's just been sitting out there. I busted up laughing. Told her, I promise you that this cake was made at least 2 days ago and what's the difference of being done and set up at the reception or done in the bakers kitchen.
She just blinked and said "REALLY?"
...by the way the cake was gross. Had to be the worst cake I've ever eaten. My little 5 year took a few quick bites and spit it out, then said "The weddings over for me mommy, let's go."

It actually wasn't for a cake, but for 120 decorated sugar cookies. Ack! I think that might even take longer!

I usually do the little laugh too - and explain the hours it takes to bake and decorate - ESPECIALLY cookies. Given the drying time, sometimes I think it does take longer for cookies than cake!

If you don't have the cookies completely decorated on Friday night they won't be ready to move Saturday morning. What's the sense in taking the time to decorate if you are just going to ruin it by moving them wet!

What a crazy lady your customer is!!

I'm so sorry for all of the posts. CC went down right when I hit submit. I don't know why it came up 3x unless I'm that tired and hopped up on sugar that I hit it 3x

OK, cookies!!!! My goodness, this lady had no clue did she.