I have a customer who wants 2 sheet cakes [12 x 18] in disposable pans. In the past I have always tipped my cakes out and wrapped them in plastic wrap and then froze them. Can I still do this? I mean, can I cover the pan with cake in it and place it in the freezer? Should I do anything different when thawing it? Has anyone tried this? Help please?

Sheila

Sadly, that's a fairly common request here in the Midwest. I have no idea what the fascination is with these types of cakes--they can get a nicely decorated 12x18 on a disposable cake board, right????????? I figure that it's just an effort to be super cheap, too.

I see no reason why you can't let it cool completely in the pan and then cover the pan and freeze.

Personally, I refuse to do these types of cakes because they just look soooooooo................cheezy. It doesn't seem worth the effort to invest any time in decorating them and I figure even the most inept kitchen cook can bake a cake in a an aluminum pan and slap some canned icing on it......

If I can't proudly post a photo on my blog, it doesn't get done.
Rae

Blakes.....that was funny. Love it. Seriously? People ask custom cake decorators to do this?

Oh, yeah.

I know a woman who was taking over a small cake business from a lady in Iowa. The staple of the business was 12x18 single layer cakes in disposable aluminium pans. The going price was.........sit down............less than $25.

The new owner was desperately trying to figure out how to get people to order attractively decorated cakes--so that she could be proud of her work, but also so that she could charge more and make a little profit. She was convinced that it was going to be a very hard sell and that she'd lose ALL of her business if she refused to offer these types of cakes.

Rae

Oi. That is sickening.

I realize some people don't cook, but I seriously can't imagine PAYING someone to make something like this. Oh, well. Easy money if you ask me! Does that make me a cake whore?

I made one once for a family who was leaving on vacation. They wanted to protect the cake and not have it dry out, so the mom ordered a cake in a covered disposable aluminum lasagne pan. They are loyal clients who love my cakes and wanted to take a birthday cake with them on their ski trip, so I did it. Go figure. It turned out ok.
http://www.sugarfrosted.com/displayimage.php?pos=-836

P.S. She also provided the pan for me to use, and paid full price for that cake.

Well, I guess I am a cake whore (that's hard for me to say). I am going to make the cake. They are paying me and they are the customer. Also, I am proud of all of the work that I do. It's doesn't have to be 4 tiers and decorated to the hilt to be beautiful. Sometimes simple gets the job done just as well, if that is what the customer wants.

I'm of two minds about this.

1 - She's the client and if that's what she wants, and if you're willing to do it, do it.

2 - As others have said, she may want to pass it off as something she's done, but if that's the case, then she'll be nailing her own coffin, because then she'll be expected to do cakes just like that in the future (which may be to your advantage, since she'll have to come to you to do them).

What I would do is, do the cake for her, but add a business sticker/card to the bottom of the tray, so if anyone sees the bottom (say, when they're tossing the cake out), they'll see your name and not hers. I always put a business label, and a few business cards, to every cake box that leaves me. That way, when they bring out the cake, everyone can see it, plus anyone who wants to contact me from that event can take a business card rather than depend on the hostess to provide them with the info.

1) I'd probably make it because she's the customer.
2) She would not get it cheaper because I'd have to go out buy those disposable pans SPECIAL just for her. Special order = special price.
3) Depending on what mood I'm in, I'd probably upcharge it because I WOULD have to special order those pans for her.
4) I'd ask her WHY she wants it in a cheap looking pan rather than present a nice looking cake for her event? ("Tact" is not a real common trait that I exercise with any regularity! )