I am only a hobby baker, hoping for more someday...anyways, twice this month I have made really nice, time consuming cakes for friends...once, in exchange for a haircut, which never happened and second for a friend's son...she said she would pay me for ingredients, which I said she didn't have to as she is on disability leave.
My frustration is that on both cakes/cupcakes, I put alot of effort into...days of thought and hours of work....and my responses were basically a grunt.
I know I should be happy in just the giving, but am I wrong, especially since both were given away to expect a little more acknowledgement? I mean, I don't expect them to worship the ground I walk on, but how about "my son liked, or did not, like them"?
Sorry, venting...I thought maybe people here would understand, or at least slap me into reality.

Your not wrong for how you feel, but if you offer to do something, then do it cause you want and don't expect a huge thanks. Soemtimes you may get one, sometimes you may not. I know they seem a little ungrateful, but some people dont see cake as hard work...until they have to pay for it. Next time get your cost up front and don't barter unless you get the goods first.

people don't think to say anything unless it's negative usually! THat's just the way it is. When I first started doing cakes I had the same feelings, sometimes when I was just dying to know what they thought....I would email them and say something to the affect of " Hope little Jimmy had a great birthday, it was a pleasure working with you to design his cake, I hope to work with you again in the future, thanks for letting me be a part of such an important day for him"

you know, something that makes them feel good.....then they'll usually respond with a ..."thanks..he loved his cake....everyone thought it was fake, they couldn't believe....." or something along those lines!

In this business I have found that No news is Good News!

thanks, I'm sorry, I was feeling a bit sensitive. You're both right...I decorate cakes because I love too, and the joy is in the making of it.

I don't think it's too unreasonable, to want some acknowledgement of your time and effort. It's different when the cake is for a customer, then no news is good news, but when it's for a friend, then no thanks is a good way for you to get burned out.

I only make cakes for people if it's a cake that I want to do and add to my portfolio. Then I look at it as getting to play with cake for free...because I make them buy the ingredients, if they ask me for a cake.

The last cake I did for someone, I didn't get any acknowledgement at all. I was not pleased because I had tried to tell them I was too busy to make it, and there were some other issues, and I ended up not feeling like I could say no. Then I spent time I really needed to use on something else, making the cake. And didn't hear anything about it at all, good or bad (it is the shark's head in my photos).

well, Texas Rose, that's what I was feeling...Nice cake by the way....anyways, it's over, and those people are still on my naughty list.