Jamie, you may have mentioned this before but do you have the tastings at your home? Also do you have a floating tasting.. for example you are there for 2 hours and they can come anytime between those hours. I had 3 tastings last week and I met 3 different days. I think the concept of having a tasting once a month for several couples is a time saver!

I dropped of a sample this afternoon to a woman as a convenience, I'll still do a free consult later, but it worked out well.

Here's what I dropped off (flavors):

cake:
Vanilla
Orange Dreamsicle
Lemon drop
French Toast

Icings: (in 2oz cups)
dreamsicle BC
Lemon BC
Vanilla BC

I put the samples into small plastic take away containers and placed everything (even forks/napkins in a plastic bag) inside a gift bag.

It was actually very convenient for me to drop and leave, but this is rare...

I keep half choc/half white six in" rounds in my freezer and pull one out to thaw whenever I'm doing a tasting. I just ice it in buttercream and take along two fillings of their choice for them to try. I'm considering changing to several smaller pieces of cake and several fillings but so far this has been the easiest for me. I don't want to have to prepare several fillings and icings each time I do a tasting.

I'd love to try doing them all on one date but right now that isn't practical for me. My house isn't setup that way at all.

Does anybody include both IMBS and AMBC? In case their taste is different? I have someone who asked for a tasting (non wedding) and I said I provided 3 flavors (in cupcake form) for $25. Well, she wants 4 of my gourmet flavors AND fillings. Reading all of this, makes me just want to take out the 6" three cake flavors from my freezer and figure out how to do this without looking like an idiot.

This is my first tasting. Can I cut each of these cakes into smaller pieces and make the fillings and icing to put on a plate? What happens if it is a filling that I would have to prepare solely for this tasting request? I don't have an upcoming order requiring it, so it would be JUST for this. How do I change it when she is expecting cupcakes (which I don't have on hand)?

Great ideas!!!!

At my tastings, I selected the flavors, not the bride. I view a tasting as the opportunity for the bride to see if she likes my style of baking, NOT the time for her to try every item on my menu so she can decide what to pick.

My lemon cake is just as good as my white cake except it tastes like lemon.

"Hello Pizza Hut? I'm planning a birthday party at your place next month, so I'd like to come in and taste a slice of every single kind of pizza you have so I know what to order for my party. What I'd ...... hello? hello?"

Yeah.... THAT'LL work!

*snort*

I so needed that today... THANK YOU!!

I pretty much just bake for friends and family, so I haven't done a tasting. However, when I was getting married, I went to three tastings. Two of them gave me cakes that were already pair with fillings and frosting. It made it hard for me to imagine other combinations. But the bakery I chose gave me (and my fiance and mother) several cubes of cake in probably 3 flavors. Then a dollup of each filling and each frosting. I could mix and match and make my own combinations. It was fabulous! That was all I wanted. However, if you're a home baker, that might be a little harder. But I was very pleased!

I like doing tastings BUT I dont actually offer them. am a word of mouth buisness for the most part and we live in an area where income is hard to come by. SO here is what I do. (and what I will change now thet I have read this) Most people who order from me have tried my cake at a wedding or party of some sort. (mind you I am a SMALL buisness) so after they have decited to place a wedding order (I don't do this for partys at all) I will tell them that as I am able and have a little batter left over I will get them samples. I was doing a filled cup cake with a dab of icing on top (just to cover the filling hole) But I see they have the little cupcake tins. And will probably go that way. so one small cupcake and a little filling and a little icing. all from the little bit of leftovers. I have them pick them up and take them home to try as they wish.. Works great. They usually split the cupcake between the two of them so one cupcake feeds 2 people.

Works well for me

One thing I do for the ones that want to "take it" with them, is I go to the Dollar Tree and buy the gift bags for weddings ($1. each) and stuff all the items in there - it is very nice, and they LOVE it. (once in a while they have them with pretty cakes on them)

Some people posted that they freeze their fillings until needed. Can any filling be frozen? I like to buy those filling bags when I can because then I don't have to worry about the cake being refrigerated. Can I freeze those too?

What do you freeze the filling in? Little cups already to go or something else? Do you have to put them in a box then wrap with plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn?

A perfect taste size would be a mini muffin. I like the idea of using extra batter to make tasing samples, but have thought even cupcakes are too big.

This has all been s very useful! Since I already have 3 of the 4 cake flavors in the freezer, I will cut those into smaller pieces for the taste test. I will bake the other one and put the remainder in the freezer for another time. It kind of stinks, because if I could anticipate the size they might want it for, then I could bake it ahead of time!

Anyway, I will have to make the fillings for other orders, so that is easy to set a small amount aside, but I still have to make a filling just for this.

I am going to change my policy and have it be three cake flavors and three fillings for $25, which will be applied to orders over $150. Does that sound reasonable? What if they want a particular flavor to try that isn't 'in stock'. Do I charge extra or deny them?

I think your new policy sounds very reasonable. And like Indydebi said, they taste the cake to see if they like the cake, you're the baker & you decide. I would go w/ a white, chocolate & then a premium flavor (pink champage, Italian Cream, Red Velvet etc) or a Fruity flavor that will probably be ordered more often (lemon, strawberry, lime, etc)

I tell the Bride she gets two samples free (two flavors) and after that she pays for them. Most of my brides come to me with a definite idea of what flavors they want. The ones who aren't sure usually ask me what the hot sellers are and I give them choices to choose from.