i like to bake and sell my cakes, but as you know it take practices with designs and styles and creativety. i like to try different types of cakes and flavors. its just me and my husband ( kids are grown and gone) and some times i will have two or three cakes in the freezor that was an experiment. my question is what to do with my experimental cakes and how do i keep cost down with the expense of ingrendients because you cant make a cake for free to show and display. i made a topsee trvey cake just to try my hand at it and see if i can with success. it came out good (tast and looks)
but it cost me quite a fortune to do as will as my wedding and birthday cakes. i do us cake dummys sometimes for practice and display but the icing and fondant can get costly too. some styles u cant used dummies for. can any body hip me up on cutting cost of trying new methods, designs. and flavors. and what to do with my trial cakes. thanks thanks thanks

Donate, donate, donate...it feels good just to give something away to someone unexpectedly and to assume nothing in return...

I love to give those to someone as a thank you , a new neighbor, doctor, ( teachers. I know you said yours all all grown up ) homeless shelters, old folks home,firestation, someone who lives alone, neighborhood kids love them.The list is endless once you get to think on these lines. If you work outside the home, take them to work, it will drum up alot of business there.
I do get the greatest feeling when I am giving them away, ( even though the $ is nice and offsets, the greatest feeling is giving one away. I have had so many orders I havent given one away in some time.... going to have to put that on my list. Have fun with learning new things and when you give them away you might be surprised on how addtl orders will come in .

Stop by your local Fire House, Nursing Home, Shelter etc. They are soooo appreciative!

We have taken thing to the fire station, police department the National Guard armory and to the teacher's lounge. They do appreciate.
You can practice with cake dummies some things, but I have found that is a little more challenging than cake.

Do you have grandchildren? Donate to functions at their school. Also the following: church functions, charitable events in your area, cake auctions, any public service organization fire, police, hospital (especially groups like cancer survivor, prenatal workshops, etc.), nursing homes, maybe a needy family at your church or that you know, or just to brighten someones day that is having a rough way to go. Do mini-cakes or cupcakes. Less batter, less icing, less expense.

thanks for the info great suggestions and will take it into consideration
donation is good for me and my spirit. just the thought of these orginizations that do so much for my community is a better reason to donate a thank you cake to them. you guys stay sweet