What do you do when you get an order for a small cake, but the recipe you use is for a large one? I have the chocolate layer cake recipe from here, and it makes either two short 10 inch layers, or two really tall 9 inch layers. I have an order for a sculpted birthday cake for only 5-6 people, and after pricing it out using the matrix it just seems just too high for such a small cake.

Do you halve your recipe? I was just thinking in that sense I would be losing money for the fact that I would have bought the ingredients unless someone happens to order the same type of cake that week, in the case of the perishable ingredients. I guess I could make the leftovers into cupcakes or petite fours and freeze to use as samples, though I have no idea how long you can freeze cake. Also I wonder if some recipes would become altered by halving, I know sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't.

What do you do?

I'd make the large recipe, and use the extras for samples, or cupcakes..

I agree with the cupcakes, etc. I am alsways afraid to mess with recipes especially for baking.

YOu might also want to have a minimum $ order to eliminate getting orders for such small cakes or to have them order a bigger one, making it worth your while. I excpect this cake for 6 is going to be real small as it is.

cakeballs

I always do 6" layers with any extra batter. Then, when I have time, I'll put together a cake, maybe a design or technique that I've wanted to try or whatever. I'll then give the cake away, to a neighbor, send it to my husband's work, that kind of thing.

Julie