at the party place that i do cakes for there is a book with a whole bunch of my cake pics...but i find that ppl want "that cake" and i HATEEEEEE HATE HATE HATE making the same cake over and over..i dont mind similar, same theme, whatever, but i don't want to make a replica of another one on my cakes..it annoys me..
i want to put a blurb, in nice big, cutesie writing that i wont replicate a cake but i wouldnt mind making one similar...changing the colours around...something..i just want them all to be different
i need help with the wording...i want something short, sweet and to the point
anyone know what i can write???????
...it may be repetitious in making the same cake over and over, but maybe thats a blessing...they LOVE what you do, so they want 'that one'..???
Maybe when they say they want 'that one', you can say 'in what colors?"
Let them know you can do other colors....???
Redpandas wording I think is excellent.
But, picture if you will....a FAMOUS ROCK STAR (or famous cake maker 
) They sing the same song probably upwards of a million times.
Perhaps have a few "standards" that you will modify, as well as the sentence that redpanda suggested.
Or, every so often remove offensive cake pic from album, and replace it with sketches or something.
JMO.
These images will show you the different styles of cakes which I have created for others in the past. I look forward to working with you to create a special, one-of-a-kind cake that is a unique reflection of your celebration (??event or occasion or guest of honor??).
Unfortunately what is meant to serve as inspiration to customers, often ends up being the very product they want. It may be annoying for a customer to want "that cake" but it should be a compliment to you, that they like your work that much.
Perhaps when you do consultation, it might help to first get an idea from them what they want and don't bring out the photo's unless they really need them?
I think what would be awesome, would be if a book were available, showing plain white cakes (no decorations) in various layouts (Tiered, stacked etc.,) and then do an overlay of sorts using designs (in colour) printed on clear stock, that way when you lay the clear on top of the plain white cakes, it would give them an idea of what could be done. I'm babbling now, so I'll stop 
While it may be boring for you to make the same cake over and over, it is a compliment that they luv the design!! Gosh, back in the 80's when everything was big hair, big cars, and big cakes, it seems that I only made the 3-tier on a fountain with 4 stairs going to satellite cakes .... every week the same cake in different colors (although blue was the big 80's color!). I got tired of making it, ("yes, I CAN make other kinds of cakes! No, Really! I can!") but with each wedding, I got more referrals. When it happens today, I tell them "that cake is becoming my most popular cake right now" so they can decide if they want the cake that looks like everyone elses or if they want something different and unique for them.
Again going back to the 80's.... (can you tell I'm old?) 
..... I think the majority of birthday cakes I made for little boys was the Dukes of Hazzard car usng the Wilton car pan! And not just boys..... my daughter ..... it was her favorite cake, too!)
I find that when prospective clients look through my pictures they say 'ooh thats nice' to nearly all of the pics, then when I say do you have anything in mind for your cake they say 'well I like that one, otherwise what could you suggest'.
Lots of people find it hard to think of designs and only get inspiration when they look at your portfolio and the same cake often gets picked out over and over.
If the same cake keeps getting asked for either remove it from your portfolio for a while or maybe suggest different variations on there.
I personally wouldn't mind doing the same cake but as yet I havnen't done the same one more than a half dozen times so i havne' grown tired of it yet!
Redpanda's wording sounds a good one to work with.
cheers
Jan
The problem with wanting to let potential clients know that you don't wish to make exact copies of previous cakes is that they may well be offended by the idea. They want *that* cake. I understand the artistic frustration, but...the customer is always right. So, perhaps during your consultation, you can ask questions about the person the cake is honoring and get a feel for unique touches you can offer.
Nola
It's a business, not your personal art studio.
If your creative impulses will be stifled unacceptably by making some popular cake yet again, maybe you shouldn't be selling.
Yikes. But it's your business, no one elses. You run it the way you see fit. If you only want to sell cakes which resemble fred flintstone expect to only have customers who want that.
Instead of saying in this instance that " the customer is always right", perhaps it is better to say, "the customer always (sort of) knows what they want" To them, what they want is "right". You should be able to do what you want to do. I don't think you need to do anything as drastic as closing shop.
I think your question was fine, your frustrations are valid. It is a consequence of being in this profession. How may people, for instance, want a "white, 3 tiered, wedding cake with white frosting and flowers on it?" Same thing. Business has good and bad parts, but it doesn't mean you need to abandon it because of one frustration.
The other point I want to make is that baking (especially in a home-based business), you don't really have a network of co-workers to vent frustrations with. If you did, they would have sympathized with you and agreed. You would have had a conversation about other things you don't like about your job (I don't know, seperating eggs maybe). But you don't have that part of the job. So, people come here to commiserate with peers.
Just my opinion.
Please let us know what you have decided to do, and if it hurts business or not.
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