Here is my problem.. THIS IS LONG! SORRY
I have a cousin (feel like she it trying to take advantage of me) she is willing to pay for any and all items needed to make this cake for daughters Sweet Sixteen. The event is not until next year, but we all know it takes a year to get it right!
But she comes to me asking "what do you need to make the cake"? Not one time have we sat and talked about MY PRICE.. And I feel I need to talk to her about a price before I continue giving her my wisdom..
O.K. I am willing to take this task on..Give me prayer!
I have already gave her a sketch of what I am willing to do.. Which now I wished I didn't.. She showed my other cousin (grapevine LOL) and said she came up with the idea.. I was like WTF! (excuse my thought)
It is a tower cake.. I need HELP.. I was thinking about making the cake stands out of THICK foam covered in material pleated.. Somewhere here there is a cake with this exact method.. Anywho, Will a cake of these sizes (below) be to hard to keep leveled for a tower cake.. How high can an amature go for her first time building a tower?
I need all that I have described below, cousin has this fear of running out of cake.. I don't see how with all this cake..
Now the BIG cakes will be one kind of mix, with BC icing.. (smoothed) and then with fondant I am rolling it out, cutting the shapes of triangles and laying them on the sides of the cakes (upside down triangle) to give a funky look.. Every cake will have this method rotating colors..
Servings from the list here on CC.
16 feeds 55-60
14 feeds 50-55
12 feeds 35-40
10 feeds 35-40
equals 190-195
adding two more on the sides (14")to feed 300 people
PLUS
she wants me to make 15 mini doll cakes.. the front she wants a small amount of fondant just to cover the center part of the doll and add a tinker bell image.. And on the sides and back of the mini cakes she wants BC icing ruffles rotating colors.
NOW here it is.. Remember she is paying for every thing needed.. I am just charging her for the use of my kitchen, my pans and for darn sure my time.. What would you quote?

bump.. Sorry she is coming over this weekend.. LOL

$1,000.
OK, maybe not, but I'm sure that's what a local bakery would charge. 15 mini doll cakes, is she kidding? Plus, edible images, fondant, and cake for 300? That's a lot to ask of a full-time fully staffed bakery. (I'm assuming you work alone, if not, I'm sorry to assume wrongly.)
I know cancelling would put you in a tight family spot, but I would pull out now before it's too late. You're not going to be able to make this woman happy. She IS taking advantage of you and I'm willing to bet that the thought of paying for anything beyond the materials hasn't even crossed her mind.

I would tell her that you're happy to do the big cake (as long as you're reasonably comfortable with the tower cake concept and technique) but all of the extra bells and whistles just aren't going to be possible. You would drive yourself insane!!

If you feel the need to mention payment, add that you will need $ for materials, plus $XXX for your time by such and such date. If she gets huffy, send her to the nearest grocery store bakery.

Good luck, GCF

I'm confused. If you're charging her for the use of your kitchen, your equipment, the ingredients and your time....wouldn't you charge her like any other customer? I'm not seeing where the family discount is being applied.

Since your cousin keeps asking, "what do you need to make the cake," then she prolly thinks you are providing your labor for free.

If she gets huffy, send her to the nearest grocery store bakery. LMAO!!!!!!!

I feel like doing just that, seriously!!! She is overwhelming me with ideas and so much detail.. I agree with everything you said.. THANKS FOR YOUR ADVICE!!!

NEXT?

bubblezmom
Exactly what I am thinking, she knows it doesnt take much to make a cake, she is thinking "well If I buy everything all she has to do is make it". NO WAY!!! She has changed her mind a hundred times already on the style of the dresses for the dolls.. NOW she wants rotating colors??????
Just thinking about it has me stressed and it's not until next year!

Yay! I love being right, just once a day.

Maybe to keep her from overwhelming you with ideas, tell her not to come back until she KNOWS what she wants. (Obviously in a nicer tone than that.)

WHat and where is this PARTY??? Cake for 300 and mini doll cakes too? For who?

OK, here's me take...

If she is having a sweet sixteen for 300 of the girls closest friends and realtives, money is no concern to her or she would have already talked about it.

This is not a BAt Mitzvah is it?? (Sorry if i spelled it wrong) becuase that is 15 right?

Obviously, this is being held in a hall, will they allow an unlicensed kitchen to supply the cake?

Just tell her how much money you need period. Just give her the total amount. If she wants a detailed summary, then show overhead, etc. If she refuses, she can go to a "professional" which she won't do in the end. If she wants to buy supplies (ingredients and supplies you don't already have, deduct that value from the total price.

I'm not sure she is taking advantage. I think she wants YOU and that's it. Sounds like money is not an object.

This is like a wedding it sounds like. Don't sweat it too much. BUT! get it straightened out now. Tell her that you cannot take orders for "x" amount of time because of this large party, so, you would lose money if she cancelled last minute, etc.

Maybe I'm wrong. Keep us posted.

Bat Mitzvah is 13 I think, not 15.

I am afraid I would put this in the same catagory of never loan family money...I think she is taking advandage of you if she is expecting this at a low price! (300 people? is this a coming out ball or something?) All those doll cakes? gads! have you thought about how you are physically going to do it? Are you going to have friends help?

I would call a few bakeries around, ask them how much they would charge for such a extravaganza, and then quote her that price plus a little more! Maybe that wil scare her away!

Good luck! Man, that is a rough one!!

Mudpie is correct. Bat Mitzvah is 13 (sometimes 12) Bar Mitzvah is 13. There are exceptions for various reasons, and adult B'nai Mitzvah (that's the plural) are often done these days for people who didn't have them at 13.

Shalom,
itsacake


edited for spelling. Sorry Mudpie!

300 servings @ $3.00 each (very reasonable for fondant covered cake!) = $900

15 mini doll cakes ... say $10.00 each... $150
15 edible images ... $2 each?... $30
fabric covered cake base... again a guess, say $30

That's... $1110!!!

And above posts are right... that's a LOT of cake for one person and one home kitchen to handle!

Take a deep breath, and hand her a written "estimate" for her cakes. Show total real selling price (all broken out like above, but with your own numbers) and a "special discount" (don't call it family discount, or family will always expect that same %) ...add a note beside the "special discount" and call it your birthday gift to the birthday girl. Also request a 50% deposit to hold the date (you'd do that for a wedding cake!)

Perhaps when your cousin realizes that even with a $200 "gift" that this cake is a staggering $900+, then she'll calm down a bit, and figure out something a little more realistic.

Do you think that maybe she is just really excited about this and she is just trying to get your opinion on ideas seeing as she obviously thinks highly enough of your work she would like you to do it? I know that sometimes when I get really excited about something I am all over the place and that can be really overwhelming to the other people around me who are not going at my pace. I would just let her know that she is overwhelming you and that you would really like to still help her out, but it would be nice if she could tone it down a bit. Then maybe you should have a talk with her about what you can realistically do (that sounds like a lot of work). If this is something that you feel like you need to charge her for your time, than you should definitely let her know that now, as she is probably not expecting that one. I know sometimes that feels like someone might be trying to take advantage of you, but maybe she's not trying to do it on purpose. Sometimes people just don't think everything through all of the way, which is kind of what this sounds like.

Seeing as it's not until next year, there's a lot of time to prepare and to practice. Just sit her down and really let her know what you are feeling and where you are coming from. If she is willing to have this big of a party for her daughters 16th, then she is probably too wrapped up in her daughter to focus on others right now. Try out the miny doll cakes and see how work intensive it will be. Maybe you could come up with a compramise of a design that makes it less time consuming. Or maybe you could tell her that you wouldn't mind doing the tower cake free of "time" charge, but since the mini doll cakes are so time intensive you would need to charge her for that then call a bakery and find out what they would charge.

I just think that sometimes people do actually get too excited and wrapped up in things to really understand the pressure they are putting on others. I bet if you just talking to her you would both be able to agree on something that would work for everyone, no hard feelings. And if for some reason she can't slow down and take your feelings and opinions into consideration, then you should question doing it.

Just my 2 cents, let us know how it works out!

Miah

I know for family sometimes we feel like we need to take on the impossible. Don't let her pressure you. Deep down you know what you can handle. If this is something you're ready for I say GO FOR IT! With an order this large (family or not) I would have her sign a contract since this will be a business transaction. Don't forget to charge for your time too! Best of luck in whatever you decide!

BTW... that gathered fabric base is a design by Earlene Moore... she sells a 7-page "instruction kit" for $14 USD...

http://www.earlenescakes.com/store/instructions.html

I would also let her know that you only use cetain products and perfer to pick them up yourself. This way she won't be tempted to start picking supplies up now. She may thank if she starts now she can buy a little now alitte next week and so on. I think she just wants to be ready and is really over doing it. She may think if I start now it will all come together easy.

I suppose it could be worse, I'm doing my Nieces 10th bday cake for "sometime" this weekend. I ahve to be ready with a cake, based on my Sister giving me short notice.

btw, I'm doing the cake as my gift, so money doesn't come into play. But it's not a simple cake either, I'd probably easily charge $75 dollars because of all the labor and driving I have to do for "materials" used.

oh my goodness!!! maybe she thinks you own a magic wand that just whippes the cakes right up. how hard can it be to bake some cakes? people make me laugh!! haha
i would defanatly do what others have mentioned, give her a price on everything and then a special discount, which would be your present to b-day girl. whoever came up with that is very clever!!!!

let us know about your meeting!!!

also, let her know that she has a whole year to save up for this cake.
i would see how my sister-in-law would think that i would make my nieces cake for free (but dont because we live so far apart) mainly because i said a dozen times that if we lived closer i would do all the birthday cakes, but then she would never order such a huge cake!!!

good luck
melody

Oh my! this is such good advice I am just smiling at all of you and thinking.. DANG what am I thinking.. Your right, it is alot and I am a little worried about my limited space.. I believe that she thinks, well how hard can it be to make a cake.. I present them like it just popped out of my oven already to be eaten.. She doesnt see "behind the bash" so to speak.. All the cursing, (sorry) and all the fit throwing I do when I am under pressure.. I will sit and write down everything I FEEL is right.. No matter how hard this will be (because I feel bad for everyone) my kids call me " the sucker".. I will just give her a price and smile real big! THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!

Whatever happens, we're behind you!

From what you say she said, I think she is thinking you are doing it for cost of supplies only...sit her down and chat with her about all the expectations and be realistic. : )


I hope it all works out for you be sure and tell us how it ends. : )

Amy

I'm still stuck on a party for 300 for a 16 year old.

When I started decorating cakes, my sister said "Good you can start doing my kid's birthday cakes"......my response "yeap, but I don't work for free." When she wanted the first cake I reminded her again she would have to pay for it. I told her it's to much work to do for nothing. I thought she would be mad, but she wasn't. She even ordered cupcakes and another birthday cake. I will admit, I did give her a deal. I made her the monkey cake in my photos and only charged her $30.00 I think it was probably worth more.

Something to think about:

That's a lot of cake and you're going to need a walk-in refrigerator to keep it all fresh. Your home fridge won't do unless you empty it a week ahead.

Do you actually have the space and equipment to do this huge order? Whatever she pays you won't make your kitchen bigger or multiply your counter space, bowls, mixers and so on, never mind the time.

Also make sure it's understood she pays you for supplies, not that she goes out and gets it. That way, you control quality and don't get handed bargain-brand stuff she found for cheaper.

But as has been noted earlier, this is a lot of work even for a dedicated baker, it's going to easily be double that from a home kitchen.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

So how'd your meeting go?

Family death in the extended family.. We met last night under different circumstances.. (sigh) just when you think the new year looked good.. Will keep you posted.. Thank you all!!

Sorry to here that, take care and God Bless

No one has mentioned this, but if she does want a "deal", tell her you want to put out your business cards and menus to drum up business, as well as charge her. Maybe you can give her a per hour price? This might be the easiest way, that way she can see how much time it really took!! Good luck.

I just wanted to give you a heads up on doing a cake of this size. I made a quincinera cake this past summer that fed over 400 guests. I did not realize what I had got myself into. It is a lot of work. The biggest problem for me was refridgeration. Luckily, I live inbetween my mother and my grandmother, so I was able to use there refridgeraters also. That was one thing I just didn't really think of when saying yes to these cakes. Although I was overwhelmed, it felt good to accomplish such a big cake. I have had several orders for wedding cakes and birthday cakes from family and friends after doing this cake. I would say make this cake and the extra's if you feel up to the challenge. Just make sure you take into consideration everything that's involved.

Good luck,

Dawn