Okay, I've been asking about this a bit but I thought I'd start my own thread b/c I really need the help!!!

I want to make this cake:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=favpics&cat=0&pos=-40302

I've contacted the person who posted the pic, but haven't gotten a response so I'm reaching out to you all!!

The wedding is for about 8 people. The groom's tour of duty has been extended and he will miss his actual wedding date so they're doing this in a hurry...... anyway, I like that cake and think I can do it. My questions are these:

1) OKay gonna make the fondant pearls using Earlene's method of cutting them w/ a round piping tube....any idea which size I should use? And how do I "coat" them w/ the pearl dust? And how to attach to cake? Royal? (oh I'm using buttercream, not fondant on the cake)

2) Stacking - if I use cake plates, do I still need to dowel the bottom layer?

3) The bow is a chocolate bow according to the person who made this cake - any tips on doing that out of chocolate? Or would fondant be easier? I just thought chocolate could be tastier..... I heard it doesn't work well to make those bows w/ MMF and I haven't been successful w/ it yet. Also, if I use fondant, do I need to add gum-tex or tylose or anything to it to make it more gumpaste-y?

4) W/ such a small # of people, do you think 8 in & 6 in is okay? or should it be 10in & 8 in?

5) How much would you charge for this? I guess I can charge by the slice, but I was thinking maybe $1.75 per slice - and if it's only 8 people... I think there will be some left over, but the cake would only cost $14.00.... and that seems ridiculously low - although it's a small cake, I'm still gonna work hard on it and there is the bow and pearls to consider... plus I'll be delivering it.....

I could really use your all's help! Thanks so much!!!

you need to charge between 35 and 45 dollars for this cake.

I can't help with all of your questions, but as far as pricing goes you will want to price according to how many servings the cake provides, not how many guests will be there to eat it. So, if you do an 8" and a 6" the cake would serve 23 (party size slices) or 105 (bride servings) according to Earlene's chart (does that last number seem right???). So, at $1.75 per serving for this cake you would charge $40.25 if using the party size serving chart.
Hope that helps.

I would make it a 6" and 8" for size that should be enough. I would dowel it to be safe. Use a brush to put the luster/pearl dust on the fondant pearls--I use tweezers to place them on the cake since I am a klutz. Price around $30 to $40 for the whole thing since you are making the pearls and bow. As for the bow I mix the gumpast powder with the fondant and so far have had good luck with it rolling thinner and drying harder. Just some thoughts hope it helps a little.

Okay, the bow...Fondant would be easier to do. You can add gumtex to it and that way you can roll it out thinner. Make the bow at least 1 week in advance. Charge per serving. I would actually charge around $70 for this cake due to the fondant bow. The bakery in my area charges $45 just for a fondant bow. You coat the pearls with dust by putting some dust in a small container and shaking the pearls in the dust. I hope that helps.

Oh, about the cake plates...If you use the cake plates with pillars, you don't need dowels. The cake plates fit right into the large pillars and they also hold the tier in place.

Okay I will do my best to help as well.

1st the pearls, you can buy the edible pearls with the glaze already on there and attach to the cake with icing.

You will need to use 10in & 6in, if you use 10 & 8 you will not have a very large ledge to separate the two cakes and it will not look the same (just advise you can do what you want)

Using the dowls, yes you will probably want to use them so that the cake plate doesn't smush into the cake because of the weight of the top layer.

On fondant, I just recently made my daughter a castle cake using pre-made fondant, we added color and flavor, just by adding (your choice almond, lemon or butter flavering) we used lemon.

Hope this helps.

I think cakes with only 2 inch difference in size (ie 10 and 8 or 8 and 6) look fine to me, though a lot of people like the 4 inch difference. I think the cake in your picture is only a 2 inch differnece, but i could be wrong. I have only stacked 2 cakes so far and I made them only 2 inch size difference and I thought they looked fine!

Oh and on the price...I( am totally no expert since I have only sold 3 cakes!) but I would say it should be at least $45-50. Maybe more with the work for bow and pearls.

By my calculations, a 6 inch 2 layer tier alone will feed 8-12 people (and that's party servings, not wedding). It's up to you if you want to offer a larger cake than they need, but they will need to pay for it. If they want the look of a bigger cake you can offer a dummy cake for the bottom tier - but again, most decorators charge almost the same amount for a dummy as they do for real cake. Do not undercharge for this cake! For your second question, if it is all cake - then use dowel supports and plates or cardboard. As far as the pearls, you can put them in a baggie with pearl dust and shake, shake to coat them. Just a tiny dab of buttercream will attatch them to the cake. I'm not much help with a chocolate bow (too hot here in Florida) so I would make it out of gumpaste or 50/50 gumpaste/fondant.

I would make 6 & 10 for a better proportion. Wilton's gumpaste works really well on buttercream & this is important because fondant mixed with gumpaste powder can sometimes soften. A far as price, charge by the slice for the cake and then seperate for the bow. It's a lot of work and I wouldn't dream of making one for less than $30!

is Earlyne? Who is she? Where is her site?

As far as the pearls go... You can use your #8, 10 or 12 tips to make sure you are getting the same sizes. I have even mixed the sizes to get larger pearls. The 12 should make a good size for this cake. You should be able to attach them with just buttercream.

What kind of filling are you using in your cakes?

Here are a few suggestions that I hope will help you.
Pearls: you can purchase these from Earlene ready made, however for the small amount you will need, making them is just as easy. She should have a sizing guide on her website for these. I would use about a 5 or 6 mm size. Let them dry good before you put them in a container and shake them up with a little pearl dust.
Stacking: Use dowels. I would use a foil covered cardboard, because it is throw away and it won't make the big holes in your cake.
Bows: Chocolate bows melt very easily in hot weather. I would use fondant. I have never made the MMF before, but wilton fondant will work good enough for a bow. Hang your loops over a large wooden dowel to dry.
The 8" cake with a 5" on top would be ideal. The servings are 25 by wiltons chart. The 5" is given as the anniversary cake. Charge whatever the going rate is in your area (per serving) and around 25.00 for bow and pearls and the going rate for delivery. Hope this is helpful!

lbrutland

Earlene is one of the best in the business! She was my first inspiration.

earlenescakes.com

Sounds like you have gotton plenty of good advice. I would charge a minimum of 75.I make my own pearls and always make extras and keep them in a container, that way I always have some on hand. You can make a bunch pretty fast, besides they always add a nice touch to cakes.

Thank you everyone for your advice! I think I'm gonna charge around $60 - $65 - It's such a small cake although it will be some work b/c it will be my first pearls & first fondant bow!

Oh someone asked what filling I was going to use - I'm doing one layer chocolate (I think the bottom) and the smaller layer in vanilla and using cookies 'n cream filling from Whimsical Bakehouse for the filling. I haven't made that before either so I hope it turns out good! If anyone wants to share chocolate or vanilla wedding cake recipes too, I'm all ears!

Okay - so no matter what I do, I'm gonna have to dowel the cake...... I can't just stick the cake plates in there..... I wanted to use cake plates just b/c I think they look so much nicer and are easier to seperate when you need to do that...... however, you can't use that center dowel through both so hmmmmm I dunno! I guess I'll figure it out when I get to the stacking! Hopefully whatever I do will work!

Sorry I didn't reply sooner, but I didn't know i had gotten any responses.... it's weird soemtimes. I DON'T unclick the checkbox for receiving replies..... but sometimes when I post, I don't receive them anyway...... it seems kinda weird to "watch this topic" for your own topic.... it should be automatic, shouldn't it? When it's your own post?? I dunno - prob. just a little glitch Anyway, thank you all!!!!! I greatly appreciate it!!!!

earlenescakes.com has great instructions for making "hand shaped" pearls.