Tiered Cake With A Dummy On The Bottom (Price Too)

Decorating By Kookie Updated 7 Jul 2009 , 1:01pm by Kookie

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Kookie Posted 7 Jul 2009 , 3:13am
post #1 of 8

Hello CC members,
I have another topic for a wedding cake.
The bride wants a 4 tiered square cake and I am thinking about making
6"-9"-12" for "real"three tiered cake and using dummy for 15" on the bottom. The reason why I want to do this way is because 15" size doesn't fit
in my oven.

I have 3 questions.
1.Is there any problems if I will do this way??
2.Does people notice the difference between dummy and real cakes?
3.How do I decide the price for the dummy part? I am sure price would be different than real cake.

I use butter cream frosting.

Thank you .

7 replies
indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 7 Jul 2009 , 4:22am
post #2 of 8

Here's a pic of one that's real close to what you're talking about: http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1291534

We cut all of the cake for this wedding. A group of ladies sitting next to the cake table waited until the very end to come and get their cake and I was down to the 6" top tier. I told them "I just have spice cake with apple filling left" as I pointed to the top tier. They pointed to the bottom tier and said, "what flavor is that one? Can you cut that for us?"

So when I told them the bottom was styrofoam, they started laughing and calling over to the other ladies still sitting at the table, "Myrtle! (or whatever her name was) It's not a real cake! Can you believe it?"

One lady came over and actually asked me, "Are you SURE it's not a real cake?"

It's a long way to get to the point (oh, like I NEVER do that! icon_rolleyes.gif ) but no, they didn't know it was a fake cake on the bottom.

My normal fee is 80% of the price of real cake based on the number of servings it's designed to serve. Many charge the same price whether it's fake or real. THere's really no cost savings because the cost of the styro's is comparable to the cost of the cake and it's the same amount of icing, time and talent for a fake cake as it is for a real cake.

(I usually give a big discount if they also buy a buffet from me, which this bride did.)

I frequently do fake tiers as the bottom tier and I LOVE doing these .... it's easy to stack the cake on the dummy so it's half assembled and easy to transport.

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maimai16 Posted 7 Jul 2009 , 4:38am
post #3 of 8

i just did a 3 tiered wedding cake with top and bottom dummy cakes. i charge the same, as indyebi says, same time & effort are needed to make a dummy or real cake.

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Kookie Posted 7 Jul 2009 , 4:53am
post #4 of 8
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Here's a pic of one that's real close to what you're talking about: http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1291534

We cut all of the cake for this wedding. A group of ladies sitting next to the cake table waited until the very end to come and get their cake and I was down to the 6" top tier. I told them "I just have spice cake with apple filling left" as I pointed to the top tier. They pointed to the bottom tier and said, "what flavor is that one? Can you cut that for us?"

So when I told them the bottom was styrofoam, they started laughing and calling over to the other ladies still sitting at the table, "Myrtle! (or whatever her name was) It's not a real cake! Can you believe it?"

One lady came over and actually asked me, "Are you SURE it's not a real cake?"

It's a long way to get to the point (oh, like I NEVER do that! icon_rolleyes.gif ) but no, they didn't know it was a fake cake on the bottom.

My normal fee is 80% of the price of real cake based on the number of servings it's designed to serve. Many charge the same price whether it's fake or real. THere's really no cost savings because the cost of the styro's is comparable to the cost of the cake and it's the same amount of icing, time and talent for a fake cake as it is for a real cake.

(I usually give a big discount if they also buy a buffet from me, which this bride did.)

I frequently do fake tiers as the bottom tier and I LOVE doing these .... it's easy to stack the cake on the dummy so it's half assembled and easy to transport.




Hello Indydebi,
First, thank you for answering my question for me.
I am the one who asked about "purple color" a few days ago and the bride doesn't want any purple frostings but flowers.
icon_lol.gif
Anyway... I was laughing about your story. icon_lol.gif

Since styrofoam is light, when I stack up the all tiered cakes does the bottom styrofoam sit stable?

I read someone said that the styrofoam is so light, it was hard to frost without touching the frosting.it keeps moving during fun frosting time. icon_cry.gif
How about you? How did you frost your cake without sliding or moving?

Talking about the cost, 80% of the price of real cake based on the number of servings. That sounds good to me but I will check the price of the styrofoam and shipping too before I decide.

THANK YOU.

__Jamie__ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
__Jamie__ Posted 7 Jul 2009 , 4:58am
post #5 of 8

I jam skewers into another fake cake, smaller, tape it down to my turntable, and impale the dummy to be iced on top of that one. Yeah, it's a bit&% icing dummies.

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indydebi Posted 7 Jul 2009 , 10:20am
post #6 of 8

the big styro's aren't as hard as messing around with those stupid little 6" ones, though. The bottom tier styro is a great base for a cake... holds the weight easily.

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poohthebear Posted 7 Jul 2009 , 10:35am
post #7 of 8

I cover my styro with plastic wrap and tape it down good, then ice over it. That way I can reuse the styro over and over. Have heard you can use shrink wrap too.

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Kookie Posted 7 Jul 2009 , 1:01pm
post #8 of 8
Quote:
Originally Posted by poohthebear

I cover my styro with plastic wrap and tape it down good, then ice over it. That way I can reuse the styro over and over. Have heard you can use shrink wrap too.




That is a good idea.
Thanks,poohthebear

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