I'm hoping someone might have a suggestion for me. I don't normally don't do sheet cakes because i think they are just a big, boring, flat space. However, my husband works for the Sheriff's Office, and they asked me to do a retirement cake for one of the duputies. I felt like i really should say yes. They want a 1/2 sheet cake (12x16) and 2 dozen petit fours, and their budget is only $50. So I really don't want to be spending hours and hours when i really won't be making a profit, but i don't want to give them just a boring sheet cake either. They want the sheriff's office star on it, and of course his name. Any ideas how to make it not look horrible? ANY suggestions welcome here!! Thank you SO much, in advance.

I have seen sheet cakes that the maker uses fondant accents to make it look 3D...give me a moment, I will find one- I think these are really cool -and add life to the 'boring sheet cake'

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2244842/raggedy-ann
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2241309/power-rangers
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1841420/sheriff-cake

These are a few- the first ones are childrens cakes- but you see what I mean by not boring- and the last one is a sheriff cake!

I wouldn't do two dozen petit fours for $50, let alone two dozen petit fours and a sheet cake. Maybe you have a better way of doing petit fours than I do (I cover them with rolled fondant) but they take forever.

There are some orders where the budget is really suited toward suggesting they get the cake at Walmart.

thanks for the suggestions. And yes, i do realize i am being extremely underpaid, but since it if for the Sheriff's office, i am o.k. with it. Just, knowing that i will be underpaid, i don't want to spend 10 hours or something ridiculous on it. Thanks for the help

I've been there- but how I look at it is....if I do this cake for less- I will probably make out by others at the party wanting me to do their cakes for full price! So it's really not much of a waste that way.

Write big and add BC flourishes, flowers, or balloons to fill the white space.