Do you cover your cake drums in fondant, and if so do you charge for the service (and how much?)? I just finished covering a drum for a wedding cake - I cover most of mine, and I do charge a small fee for it, but I'm just wondering if it's worth the trouble? I was thinking while rolling the fondant out that if I didn't provide this service anymore, I might get more stand rentals. LOL - I can solve the world's troubles when I am rolling out fondant! What are your thoughts?

It's not the custom around my area to put fondant on the cake board. No one does it and it would be regarded as odd.

It really just depends on the style of the cake....and the client. Some care about those small details, others don't.

No, I don't but I would if asked.

I always do, unless the client asks me not to.

I almost always do. Wedding cakes it's included... party cakes it's an extra charge... $2 per inch of the board. I personally feel a nekked board looks ugly... unfinished. I think the board should flow with the cake and not be a glaring contrast. It takes no time at all and I use scrap fondant to do it. Fondant that has been rolled out a few times and maybe has a bit too much corn starch in it to work well on a cake... maybe it's a little old... it's not getting eaten and it's not dirty... just harder to work with for smoothing and I would normally just chuck it, but this way it gets used. Very few people opt for the unfinished board... but I do sell it well.

Wow Jeanne, so for a 16" round board, you charge $32.00? My problem is that I don't have much "left-over" fondant, so I'm using my new stuff, and I'm obviously not charging enough (don't even ask! LOL!).

Yes... I do.

I use new stuff too if I don't have enough scraps... it's just a nice way to use up your not-so-prime fondant.

I price party cakes different because they aren't torted and I only offer them in chocolate, vanilla, lemon, or spice cake and they come filled with only my vanilla bean buttercream and I don't automatically finish the board. There's also no tasting or consult and no free 4" anniversary cake and all that jazz. They can upgrade cake and filling, but then they are paying pretty much full price by the time all is said and done. Party cakes start at $3.75/serving and weddings start at $5/serving (both of which are going up next year by at least $0.25/serving).

Okay, redoing my pricing as we speak! I've already raised my prices for 2010 (I'm booking weddings now for then anyway), but I'll have to rethink the boards! My party pricing is basically the same as my weddings too, but I don't cover the boards for those. I have my next set of monthly consultations coming up at the end of the month, so I wanted to ask the question to be ready for it. Thanks!