I was sick Friday with the stomach flu. At work, they had the sign up sheet for potluck. Well, when I returned my name was on the dessert list for cake. My coworkers kept asking when I was bringing the cake.

I told since you wanted me to bring me a cake I will bring one.

Well, of course I am not going to volunteer my time for free. I purchased the half sheet costco cake. They thought I was going to bake a fancy cake with fondant etc. Everyone ate the chocolate, strawberry filled costco cake.

I now keep my part time job secret from my day job. By day I am an accountant on Tuesday and Saturday night I work in a bakery/wedding cake shop.

By day - a mild mannered accountant... by night..a secret cake decorator in a super secret underground bakery....

Very good for you. I don't blame you for not baking them a "specialty" cake, they don't deserve it!

HA HA...happened to me too! RN by day...cake maker by night....for RN christmas party I was informed that I would be bringing the cake. To their surprise...I brought a cheesecake. Still delicious, but not the fancy fondant cake they were all looking for.
I don't charge for cakes I make, I do it for fun, but I found it quite rude for them to assume I would automatically bring a very time consuming cake on short notice.

Yeah, if someone does that to me, I bake a cake, but don't decorate one. I sweetly say, but it's the taste that's important, right?

And for those who gripe....

I get paid to decorate them, fool!!!

(good for you...)

I know the feeling. Everyone at DH's work was expecting a big ol' fancy cake for their Christmas party, people were asking him about all week. Fortunately my daughter's Christmas play and party was the same day, we didn't do his party at all. People just don't understand the time that goes into some of our creations, lol.

I'm an accountant by day too, and a cake decoratory in my spare time. I used to bring leftover cake (from family holidays, etc...) to work for my co-workers to enjoy. Until the day someone decided to clean out the frig and THREW AWAY 1/4 of a 12" cake. There are only 10 of us where I work, and it's obvious who brought in the cake. They had all been eating and enjoying it during the week. This was on a Thursday (we didn't work fridays then). You would THINK someone would have asked if I wanted to take it home or something.

I was soooooooooo peeved. I decided that day, no more cake for them. I occasionally will bring in a 4" for my boss (he actually appreciates the work that goes into it, and has ordered from me on occasion).

I laugh to myself everytime someone asks if I've been doing cakes recently.

I'm making them cakeballs for Christmas, but that's all they will ever be getting from me from now on.

That's one of my BIGGEST pet peeves.
People will come out and tell me, "Hey, we're having a potluck and you can bring the cake!" I tell them, give me a list of things to choose from like you do for everyone else, and I'll decide what to make! Someone actually did this to me last week, not with a cake but with the breads that I make. I was straight up with her and said, I'll bring what I feel like bringing.

People will try to use you because of your talent and you have to make it very clear to them that you're smarter than that. If they want a big 'ol honkin' pimped out fondant cake, let everyone chip in and buy for the office and you can bring the forks! Doggone it!

I made my mom cupcakes for her crew sometimes, and now they just expect it No one but me made or brought them anything for thanksgiving, and now my mom's already asking about Christmas, luckily though I should be thru with all of my stuff by friday to make her crew cupcakes for Christmas eve & Christmas day (Very very very sad that even Burger King is open on Christmas day now )

I could be wrong but heck I would take that as a compliment to being a fantastic baker! Where I used to work in Washington state everyone loved when I brought in a cake. Now that I am back home in the south and I work in Cardiopulmonary Rehab none of my coworkers want my cakes. They are too "health conscious". Heck if they signed me up to bring in a cake I'd think that was fantastic!!!
Kudos to you for being a great baker.

Lazy_Susan

i feel the same when they collect for parties at work they contribute 10.00 or make a simple dish. They always ask me to make the cake which is worth alot more then 10.00 especially for a staff of 50. i did it a couple of times because i love to cake decorate but now i just feel used, so im not doing it this year. Everyone loves a free cake but they hate to pay up. We put a lot of time and energy into these cakes! Thanks- needed to vent.

......Very very very sad that even Burger King is open on Christmas day now ).......

It depends on the reason they are open. In this ecomoney maybe the workers want to work....maybe the owner is non-Christian.....maybe employees can choose to work or not.....maybe there is NO other place to get food......
At 1st thought is is "OH how terrible!" but after thinking about it and talking to DH we can see some special reasons it might be.

......Very very very sad that even Burger King is open on Christmas day now ).......

It depends on the reason they are open. In this ecomoney maybe the workers want to work....maybe the owner is non-Christian.....maybe employees can choose to work or not.....maybe there is NO other place to get food......
At 1st thought is is "OH how terrible!" but after thinking about it and talking to DH we can see some special reasons it might be.

Why is it sad that BK is open on Xmas? Don't the owners have a right to be open when they want?

Hhahaha! I think it's AWESOME that you brought a Costco sheet cake! I was going to suggest that too! Or I would have just made a sheet cake w/ cake mixes!

It has always annoyed me when this happens to me...there are 20 things on the list for a party, some people bring 2 2L Cokes, another 2 bags of chips. Those things cost a $5 (or whatever) total. And take no time at all to pick up. But these idiots have no appreciation or idea how much time/work/money goes into making a cake. I used to go all-out on making a beautiful cake. But I'm sick of the lack of consideration for what I do. So the past few times anyone signed me up for a cake, I've either said "I prefer to bring something else" or I go to Sam's or WalMart and get something cheap. My cakes are wasted on these locusts. They can inhale an entire table in less than 10 minutes, they don't even stop to taste the food. I just don't waste my time anymore.

I just sent in a cake with my husband for his holiday food day today and he said it was very well received and got many compliments and thanks. This is the 2nd time I've sent in a cake, last time I got orders because of it and his coworkers were complimenting me and thanking me when they saw me. I didn't feel obligated, but enjoyed doing it. I haven't been decorating long so I like to get the extra practice and add pictures to my gallery. If I don't have the time, I won't, he'll just sign up to bring in something else. If I ever felt like it's expected or not appreciated then I wouldn't do it, I would be so frustrated if bringing a custom cake was treated the same as bringing a bag of chips.

Usually when you bring something for a co-op dinner, you are not expected to bring enough to feed everyone. If one person is bringing 2 2liter sodas, and another person bringing 2 bags of chips, and they asked me to bring a cake, I would bake a 1/4 sheet cake. I usually score it to serve 24 pieces and put a small decoration on each piece. They surely have asked others to bring some sort of dessert. I used to be asked to bring a cake all the time, then they found out I also make awesome scalloped potatoes and baked apples.

Where I work is closed on Christmas Day but for the other holidays they usually ask for volunteer workers, they get paid triple pay and love it. If you feel real sorry for the workers, just make sure you never give them any business that day. If they had no customers, they would not be open.
Just my opinion.

I am also an accountant in the daytime and a secret baker on weekends...just kidding, it is not a secret that I like to bake. And, since I'm a begginer I don't sell my cakes, they're all free for everyone
I wonder why a lot of accountants like to bake in their spare time, huh? it must be that our jobs are very stressfull and baking helps release the stress and gives you a totally different outlook in life
When I get home I don't want to have nothing to do with numbers, spreadsheets, balancing, reports etc...baking/decorating is more fun!

Thanks for your comments. I just found out Monday (email from Boss) my company is moving overseas. I am recently layoff so I do not have to deal with my coworkers anymore.

I am moving back to New York. I was on a leave of absence fron my job in NY.


I guess we are so left brained that cake decorating is creative. I tired knitting, crocheting and quilting I find it boring. Cake decorating and baking is precise and at the same time you have to be creative.

Sorry to hear about your job. I hope the job in NY is secure. Best of luck.

I just had to step in and vent.
I work at a public school and I was asked to make a twin baby shower cake for one of the teachers. I put a lot of effort into it and they paid me 20 for it which was fine, I was doing it for a coworker. Oh, by the way, the expecting mother never said a word to me about it, not thank you or anything, I did ask others if she liked it, and they said she raved about it, go figure!

But, they also wanted me to make another cake for our "pot luck" the next day, for a teacher who was leaving to become sheriff.

They do enjoy the cakes, so I guess that I should be happy about it.
I am going to figure this all out one of these days and just start saying sorry, can't do it!

Vicki

I guess everyone goes through this. I has happened to me as well. When I started taking the wilton courses I would take the cakes I made to work. After a while they started to expect them. It got to the point were they expected me to make a cake for someone retiring at work. The best part of the whole situation was that they expected it for free and to be brought in on my day off from work. Boy were they shocked when I told them I would do it, but they would have to pay me for it. They never expected that from me!!

Waterlily, go girl. Good for you.


Well, remember what your worth. Your time and effort to give them a cake.

If I am ever put on a potluck list without my permission- I will just by chicken salad from costco or bring a salad no cakes.

Wish everyone at cc a merry christmas and happy new year.

ive just done my last 'free' cake, ive done a couple for work, and one for the girl guides, and although its great to practice, and for charity, its expensive! and although people have said how great they are, i should sell them, no one as bought one yet. so il stick to doing them for my family and show everyone else the pictures!
my present, and last, job both worked on xmas. some jobs need to be open then (it was hotel and care work) but as someone who celebrates christmas it is HORRIBLE being asked to work over this time and missing out on time with your own family. and as for getting paid extra - barely! and since anyone who gets the bus needs to take a taxi, they will be lucky if they actually make any money on the day. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

I had the dream job taking a job here in Irvine, the company paid for housing, car, and moving expenses for three years. Well, the global investing company I worked for is moving overseas.

I had my garage sale this week-- I am selling my Wilton cake pans, tools, books, and everything I do not need. I'm just keep the basic cake pans, and tips I use. My friend who owns a bakery Orange county is selling her cake stuff. She is going back to hear full time job has a RN ER nurse. It make more money then cake decorating.

How have you cut backed this holiday season?

I decided to cut back my cake hobby and just make simple cakes for my family. It was fun baking and decorating wedding cakes but reality it gets to be expensive as a hobby for me especially cake classe. I wanted to attend the ICES convention in Chicago but until I have extra expenses it looks like 2009 will be even a frugal year for me and the family.

If you wants to share how you are cutting back on cake decorating as a hobby, I like to year your comments.

Also, with the recession is anyone still going to ICES in Chicago?

I don't do pot luck anymore for the same reasons they always want cake and then try and tell you what kind they want. My
nephew asked me to do a cake for his graduating class [police officer] they were trying to raise money so they were doing a bake sale my sister called the school and told them it would not be an ordinary cake it
would have running lights and siren and all the details from there police cars. The teacher told her they would do a silent auction for my cake and one of the teachers went around to the other teachers and staff and told them not to bid on the cake she wanted it for her dad she got it for 20 bucks I had over 75 dollars it to it I wish the picture would have turned out but with the blue and white lights you really cant see the cake. I would have sold it for 250 My nephew didn't want to tell me he was so mad about the way they did it. I wont be doing free cakes anymore.