I may have just opened up a hornets nest.

I finally have a venue to practice and build skill in. My husband manages a 6 screen movie theatre and I got the idea that I could do birthday cakes for the employees. My husband got me a list of all the birthday today and so I am just going to make cakes that I want to do.

I know a few of the employees pretty well. My husband & I love working with kids in this kind of setting and so I've really enjoyed getting to know the wonderful kids that are there. There are also a handful of the kids that... well, let's just say they're not going to be working there much longer if they keep (not) doing their job like they are currently.

Anyway - so I got the list of birthdays today and there are 2 birthdays next week. One, I already knew about because he is one of the "golden kids" that I speak of (I swear I hope my sons grow up to be as respectful & wonderful as he is!) and the other is one who I don't know very well but is adequate at her job even though her friends are the ones who are running down the pathway to losing their jobs. I asked this young lady what her interests were to try and get a feeling on this, and she asked why so I just mentioned what I was doing. She tells me she really likes pink and the playboy bunny logo . She then proceeds to tell me what kind of cake she wants and that she doesn't like buttercream and wants whipped cream frosting on her cake.

Now, the "Golden Boy" is getting a Fist of Rock cake and I have been planning on doing this for him for over a month anyway. But I am not going to go out of my way to make her a cake that meet her specifications when for one it is FREE and for two, it's for me to practice what I want. But I feel guilty cuz I'm going all out on Golden Boy's cake. I've decided to do a purse cake in pink with a black playboy bunny logo on it. I am doing a pink cake for another friend (and shipping it) and so I'm hoping that I have some pink fondant leftover and can just use that to decorate this cake.

Now I feel like I may have opened a can of worms and I have to keep this fair. How can I justify going all out for a "Golden Boy" and not for a P.I.T.A? My husband doesn't play favorites, but I'm afraid that they will think that he is even though the cake I'm doing for her is amazing it's not SPECIFICALLY what she asked for. "Golden Boy" didn't ask for anything, just told me he likes rock & roll. If a P.I.T.A kid had told me he liked rock and roll I probably STILL would have done the Fist of Rock cake, but it just happens that the first one was for... well, you get the picture.

So... what do I do? How do I keep this fair but still do what I want?

Rachel

a gift is a gift.... you get to decide what you want to do for her... don't feel bad about it... I have always said that a gift is not expected & if received should be appreciative about it.. this is very nice of you..

someone who starts making special requests and demands for a FREE cake will not be happy no matter what you do. Stay with your original plan. You are doing this out of the goodness of your heart and for your own practice. I do the same thing at my job and I have told everyone, you get what I feel like making and it will be worth every penny you paid for it. (i do them free...lol)

Because they now know they will all be getting cakes you are going to get tons of "requests." I would suggest they all fill out a paper with their likes/dislikes and allergies and on that paper also put a line that states. "I really appreciate you letting me express my artistic freedom with this medium. Please know that these images will be in my portfolio and the cost of this product (and this product alone) is my gift to you."
Once the families start hearing you are making these awsome cakes you will be inondated with requests for free purse/fist of rock cakes!!
This is an amazing gift you are giving them but be sure they know it is ONLY for them and any outside orders will be paid for!
You are one sweet person!
Tracy

Would it be possible to find out their interests from their friends/colleagues.

That way the cake can be a bit of a surprise and you don't get pressured into making cakes you don't want to.

And no one will be able to say "I want this/that"

I think what you are doing is really nice.
Karen

I don't think you are playing favorites. Golden boy didn't ask for anything, and you are doing a nice cake for him. PITA did ask for something and you are (imo) going all out for her as well. You are still using the logo she likes and she should not be looking a gift horse in the mouth.

I would make the cake the birthday girl wants. Only because I almost never got the cake I wanted when I was growing up. When I wanted an ice cream cake I didn't get it. When I wanted a cookie cake I didn't get it. When I wanted my wedding cake to be yellow with chocolate frosting my mom said "no, it has to be white." So as a result, I go out of my way to make sure the honored person gets what they want.

stick to the purse....it sounds cute and its probably a lot of work too. and as everyone says its free. you cant request special things for a free cake. when duff does a free cake he does what he wants...he said it....stick to your plan.

If you are making cakes for all of them, then they should all be to the same standard. These are equal employees, the cakes should be equal too.
If you want to go all out on some, it should be away from the workplace.

Thank you everyone. I am not making the whipped cream cake because I have no whipped cream and I do not have extra $ to go out and get it. That's the ONLY reason. I'm doing the purse cake with... "scraps" that I already have.

And I wouldn't ever make one cake better than the other, I am just not making what she asked for. My biggest concern is that it will effect Ben (my DH) in some negative way. I am waiting for one person to ruin it for everybody, I guess.

Thank you everyone for your advice!

Rachel

I was concerned because YOU seemed concerned that they were not equal...
I can certainly understand not taking ORDERS for the cakes... Orders are paid for, not free.
If it turns into a problem, many places do monthly birthdays instead of one for each person.
Happy caking!

but the other side is: why bother to ask her if you were just going to do what you wanted to do? from her POV, she likely just thinks you asked, she answered.

Just a thought.

I definately see what you are saying. I asked what her hobbies were. That's it. She volunteered the other info when she found out I was doing birthday cakes for people.

What's crazy is the cake she referred to as her favorite is yellow cake from Kroger with their whipped icing. *GAG*

Rachel

hey - she's a teenager . . . lol

I think a purse cake is going all out for her. Not to many people can do them and I doubt if she will ever get another one. Maybe just ice it in the whipped cream and put the fondant over that.

okay I see now where you say you dont think the golden boys cake would be BETTER, but just more to specifications. Well I guess I wouldnt worry about that too much. I think if they are fairly equal in effort, that is fine.

hmm.... my thoughts are that i would go with the "month of birthdays" idea. There's a LOT of things you could do that went with a Movie Theater theme.... movie reels... popcorn containers... soda.... boxes of candies.... theme cakes of whatever movies are hot that month, etc. You just may get your husband in trouble with his employees. I wouldnt cater to their specific interests.

I think you are being very gracious to make cakes for the emplyees, I am sure they will appreciate them. I would venture to say that not may people get birthday cakes from their bosses, let alone a homemade, custom cake. It is a gift, I think they will all be so touched that you thought of them in such a personal way.

I'd just let her know that you already have something "special" planned for her cake and that is how a "gift" works!

Sounds like what you are doing for each is fine. As the others say, a gift is a gift. Although in the future I'd refrain from asking the employee any questions, that opens the door to requests. Just do what you want.

As for treating them equally, this is a work place, not a classroom. No one at a company gets paid the same amount or gets the same perks. The harder you work the more promotions you get, tips,etc.. I know they all get paid min. wage, but they are not all equal. My son also works at a movie theatre, but has been singled out a few times for outstanding work and slipped a few extra $ for it. The kids need to know they are not going to be treated equally for different levels of work. I wouldn't waste anytime worrying about it.

if you were going put filling in it..you could just put whipped cream filling on the inside..i think the purse cake sounds great!

I think it's wonderful that you want to do cakes for the kids to begin with! Yes, I do know it's for practice, but you could just do them and eat them yourself ....

My opinion is to do a monthly birthday cake(s) maybe one girl, one boy - if you have designs you want to try out. This way you are not singling anyone out and no one gets a say - they get what you feel like making. It's free, it's a wonderful gesture and in the end you can't make everyone happy and appreciative of your work or kindness.

Let us know how it goes!

I make cakes for my mostly(read 90%) teenage staff. (Those cakes almost make up my entire gallery. I need to find another outlet.)I do get to work hand in hand with them for at least 50% of the time, so I am able to find out their interests on my own. I did tailor make each one different and specific to their interests. But there were times where MY time didn't allow and I made a generic, simple and fast cake. I never heard anyone complain. Flavor wise, I did listen to want they wanted. In my case, most were just happy they were getting FREE food. When I would hold meetings, the question would be what is Mary going to bring? Teenagers love being fed and it is the best way to "bribe" them.

We are now building a bigger center and my staff will double, if not triple, and I've decided that I will just do "monthly birthdays" because of the sheer numbers of staff I'll have.

I think what I've decided is to let them know that I'm not going to take special flavor or frosting orders that I am only using what I have on hand. I will try to design something that is at least an interest of theirs, but that they get what I make. It's only going to be a very small cake - 6 inches for most designs anyway, so that's just the way it will be.

I really want to thank everyone for their input. I think a big part of my anxiety over this was that I want to make people happy but don't have the $ to fulfill requests.

Rachel

I think the purse idea sounds very cute & I bet she'll be thrilled with your creativity--something she probably couldn't have visualized herself. Also, the "monthly" birthdays sounds like a good idea too. You won't be making as many cakes, which on one hand will be a good thing during a busy month, but at the same time your creativity won't be in front of them as much.

I think you do just what you are doing, the cake is a gift, and you have asked where their interests lie. You are doing cakes to go with that subject, some may have to be more elaborate than others. I think each one will be pleased with their own special cake, knowing you made it expressly for them. I have to see that Fist of rock cake and please tell us his reaction when he sees it. My sons was "NO WAY Mom, that is the coolest cake you've ever made for me." Duff has definitely started something.

Now I am thinking of all the local advertising I see on the movie screen while waiting for the main feature to begin. I think your husband should come up with one for your cakes as well. Think of the amount of people who would see it and the business it would generate.