I have been making cakes for less then a year, and thanks to all the amazing and super talented people in this site I overcame a lot of baking and decorating obstacles. It would've taken me years to do that on my own. Sorry for boring everyone, I'm getting to the point:
I ve been giving complimentary cakes here and there, some people (if not most) take my cakes and I for grainted.
The other day I made a complimentary cake and took it to a school, I was buzzed in and walked into the director's room,They were expecting me. There were 3 ladies that worked there, inside the room with me and none of them even said hi to me or can I help you or even went to get the director, they let me stand there and wait for about 5 minutes. Not that they were doing anything they were just hanging out, all I wanted to do is smash that cake right on my face to teach myself a lesson for giving free cake to these types of people, I got the nastiest looks. Again 2 days ago I took another complimentary cake (Frosty) to another school, once I walked in the owner goes:" You can just drop it in the kitchen .. thank you" I mean really what's going on here? I put my heart and soul into these cakes! Does this happen to any of you?
I think people have a specific idea about "the cake lady" . I m also majoring in pharmacy and I think of myself as an educated person but if I present myself as a cake decorator do I get less respect ! How do you ladies deal with situations like these, help.
This is one of the complimentary cakes, it's not perfect but I love it. I know it tastes good too I got this recipe from squirrelly cakes.

I think it's wonderful and they should be thankful that you are kind enough to let them have cakes for free. They are probably just very rude people, and maybe a little envious that they aren't as talented. Try to ignore them!

I think that's just RUDE!!! I can't believe someone would do that to me. I've never had that happen, most people always say how they could never do something like that and go on and on.
Maybe you're giving complimentary cakes to the wrong people!!!! I can't believe that!
You do great work! Do not let those hens get you down! Find someone else to spend your hard time and work on!!

It sounds like you have just run into some snotty people. I made a cake for the staff at my daughter's school last year and I got a thank you note from her teacher and the principal. The ladies in the office went nuts over it.

The last cake I made was for my husband's secretary and she loved it so much she actually hugged and kissed me.

I think it's because it's that time of year when people are always bringing in stuff so people don't even give it a second look. I have learned the only "comp cakes" that I do are for my immdeiate families bdays. Keep your head up and know you made a great product!
P.S. I LOVE your snow person so cute and its not just a standard cake because you carved it...be proud!

I guess it comes with the territory. I made a cake free of charge for a woman in my neighborhood for twenty people, I didnt even know her, I knew her mother, never got a thank you, nuttin!!!! My friend, made her a cake for one hundred people, she was supposed to pay me sixty bucks, havent received a dime that was six months ago! The lessons that I have learned are that, you cannot expect people to appreciate the hard work that goes into a cake, they just dont know!!! And, unfortunately, I think common courtesy and manners are hard to come by these days! I think you have to know the person that you are doing the favor for, so that your hard work is appreciated!!

i would never, ever, ever give these people anything again!!! they would wonder what happend to the free cake. the nerve!!!! find some new people to give your cakes to. how about your dr. office or bank
how rude. if they asked about free cake again, i would tell them you dont make free cakes for rude people and if they want a cake it is such and such $$$.
people!!!

Lesson #1: The world is full of RUDE people!

Many (((((((((((((HUGS))))))))) to you.......they just sounded like rude old hens! Your cake is lovely.....and like you have already read, maybe you are just donating your lovely work to the wrong people. Hold your head up and smile! You are talented.......

BTW, I have come across some 'rudies' too....they are in my neighborhood. I find the nicest people that order from me come from more of the 'upscale' neighborhoods.' Go figure....... I do have 2 neighbors who are great customers...the others never order from me, they hit the grocery stores or Walmart.....whatever.

cuillere, I don't know what your expectation of perfect is because that cake looks perfect to me. It's awesome! I tend to be very critical of cakes (especially my own), but I can't pick out one thing that's wrong on your Frosty cake. I love how you did the top part. It adds such a nice dynamic to it.

I agree with mamafrogcakes, you're taking them to the wrong people!

Kind of makes you want to show them the cake you made and then say "I was going to leave this here, but since you all don't really seem to care that I have stood her for 5 minutes, un-noticed, I think I will just go ahead and leave WITH MY CAKE"! And just leave.

Your cake is wonderful and should be appreciated!!!

I have felt the same way in the past, because until recently all I ever did was the character pans cakes. I felt that people only saw that I could "color between the lines". But also I had people who truly seemed to appreciate these "character cakes". I have had to learn that I can't expect everyone to think that I am a great cake decorator and have also started to make time(I have a beyond full time job) to learn new decorating techniques. I am also learning amazing things here and being given the confidence that I can do more that "character pans". Keep up the good work, and relish the times that people seem to appreciate your cakes , and grin and bear it when they don't.

That is very annoying. I have given up on donation cakes. I did it three times and that was enough for me. The first time I got a letter from a charity requesting if i could help them out for their 10th year anniversary celebrations. They wanted a cake for 200+ in fruit cake to serve after dinner. As many of you would know fruit cake is very expensive to make. Anyway they had all these requests and in their letter they said they would provide me with advertising on their literature as a thanks, would send me a thank you plaque and would include me in a plaque in their office. I made the cake, it cost me over $100 to do it. I was just starting out (OCT04) and needed the advertising from them. I took the cake to the reception place (1 hour drive away) and set it up for them and left it. A couple of months went by and nothing, and finally i got a call to say thanks, and that was it, not a note nothing else. All the empty promises came to nothing. Then on two occassions I made a donation cake to be raffled off at a cultural local club, my parents belong to the club, and my parents told the club comittee that the cake was donated by Nati's Cakes so that they could raise some funds for the club, when the cake was raffled off, there was no mention of Nati's Cakes, and they said the cake was donated by my dad!! I was not impressed.
Not going to be doing anything like that again.
Nati

I like what kerri said! You should have left with your cake! I bet they would have noticed then!

Your cake is very nice. All in all I think people need to start practicing better manners, Ive noticed a lack of thank you's for wedding gifts, baby gifts etc. So as a parent of students Thank you for being the thoughtful person You are. Im sure some teacher had a better day because of your thoughtfulness

It sounds like the people you are doing free cakes for don't know what goes into making a cake that's more than just a sheet cake with a layer of icing slathered over it like at Costco. Unfortunately I think it's places like Costco that ruin it for those of us who are still practicing this seemingly "lost art". They get their cakes for so cheap at wholesale markets that they associate our cakes with the cheapies. People who don't decorate themselves just don't understand what kind of preparation, practice, creativity and thoughtfulness, cost, time and (I could just go on and on here) goes into each individual cake.
If I were you I would just stick to doing free cakes for family and close friends only and when they ask why you aren't bringing them cakes anymore just tell them the truth, that you didn't feel as though they were appreciated. ( As I have said in prior posts on other subjects it's hard for me to keep my big mouth closed sometimes.)

"Lord please keep you arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth."

I understand what you are saying. As the others stated, these people are just rude. I do think some people look down their nose. I have struggled with this myself. It's like people think this is a nice hobby or a creative thing, even those who appreciate your work. My friends are all very college educated types and while all (except one) do appreciate my work and admire it, they all think I could be doing something else more "intellectual", I guess. What I'm trying to say is people don't equate this type of work with a profession because it is out of the norm. My peers are teachers, librarians, accountants, etc. They don't really understand why someone as "intelligent" as I am hasn't taken "better advantage of her education" and would rather be covered in a thin layer of flour and powdered sugar with hands that are various colors of the rainbow. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I identify with your feelings. Hopefully, the next person you give a cake to will be as appreciative as they should be.

BTW- Love that cake!! You do wonderful work!

First, your cake is adorable. I love the carved top- that's beyond my skills (so far! )

I agree with what some of the others have said, maybe it's time to find a few new locations to donate cakes. Most likely they were just rude, but perhaps they didn't know that those cakes come to them out of the goodness of your heart. They may think that their boss has been paying for them. Or maybe if you've delivered several cakes there, they are just burned out on cake (perish the thought! Who could get tired of cake???) In any case, it's time to move on because your talents and efforts are obviously not being appreciated.

As far as the respect goes (or lack thereof), I know exactly what you are talking about!! Sure, some people think it's cool that I decorate cakes. But I would guess that most think that they could do it if they wanted to, not knowing how much time and effort goes into it. On the other hand, when it comes up in conversation and I mention that I have a degree in Chemistry and before I decided to stay home with my kids I was a research chemist for a pharmaceutical lab, I can see a MAJOR difference in how I am treated and talked to. It makes me angry but unfortunately, that's just the way it goes. So many people do not value things and skills that do not come out of text books anymore. You need to value and respect yourself, and have that be enough because you'll never be able to please everyone else.

Okay, I'm going to step quietly down off my soapbox now... sorry to go on that little rant.

sorry, double post.

I wish I turned around and left, they didn't deserve that cake. The place where I took frosty, the director said :" we have a party coming up and we will put your business cards on the table next to the cake" giving me hints that she wants a free cake. She is trying to please her boss at my expense by getting the school free cakes. People are not even embarassed to say things like that.

They seem to look down on us for one very simple reason.


BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DO IT THEMSELVES!!!

if ur starting to feel like this then stop giving out free cakes. if u want to keep giving out free cakes then u will have to learn to deal with ppl acting like this. yes its wrong but some ppl just dont care.

Luckily, I have never encountered such RUDENESS!! Are you familiar with "we teach people how to treat us"??
I don't think we are "looked down on". Maybe if you radiated confidence (not arrogance!) people would react to you in a more positive way.
Give it a try---and make up a price list! Your cakes are really creative, and show that you put a lot of time, and love into them.

Think about it-and good luck. Carol

Haven't you ever had a salesclerk pretend like you were invisible. The ladies were chatting and simply didn't feel like being bothered. Rude? Yes. Something personal against you and your profession? Not likely.

When you enter a place to drop off a cake, you should speak first. "Hi, I'm Cindy and I'm here to drop off the cake. Where would you like it placed? Thank you. Have a good day and I hope you enjoy the cake."

If they have manners and don't like you, they will wait till you leave to talk about you.

If you want your cake to be appreciated, take it to the rescue and fire stations. I have always gotten great compliments and some orders from them...they'll love it!! taske it in on a friday night!

I dont post often but I just had to write! I can not believe these nasty people... I dont think it has to do with them thinking you are the cake lady, they are downright nasty! I work in cancer research lab, and no one there knows how to make scrambled eggs let alone bake a cake and they appreciate it greatly! My advice to you is to make cakes for the pharmacy dept at school to get noticed!

You cake is perfect!!! Doesnt look like a comp. cake at all!!! Congrats!

I feel your pain, getting that kind of response from an extranger in bad, but from a family is worse... I just had a bad experience with my sister in law, She called me and ask me if I could make strawberry shortcake cake for her 16 years old dauther, I said yes, and She said that she wanted something small and let me to choose the flavor and fillings, I dont know why, but didnt gave her the price, I said to myself, ok, whatever is fine, 20 bucks? ok its family. So I did the cake (in my pics), I was at my wilton class when she stoped at my place to get the cake, She said to my dh oh is so cute! and left, no thaks, no money nothing! That was like 1 month ago and She havent mention the cake...I feel used.

Your cake is so cute!
Anyway,First of all, I'd like to say that those people were horibly rude and nothing can excuse that.
However... I can't help but wonder if part of the reason people are so unapreaciative is BECAUSE you are giving the cakes away. Instead of realizing that the comp. cakes are a marketing tool, they may assume that its just something you threw together because if it was "really work" you would have charged. They may even think that the pan was shaped that (instead of realizing that you carved it) or that you bought the topper. A lot of people who don't ever make cakes, have no idea how much work goes into it, and if they see you giving cakes away for free (or even just undercharging) that reinforces the idea that, no matter how cute, it was no big deal. Which of course couldn't be further from the truth.
The only solutin in my mind is to stop giving comps. to people that don't appreciate what you put into it. Being rude back to them may feel good, but won't really help anything. People who are rude, don't tend to get hints like that. It just gives them more reason to be rude.

I haven't made many free cakes at all but you guys are scaring me off from trying! No, really...

Well the profession I had before staying at home with my boys and decorating cakes was being a high school teacher and I don't suppose there are many more unappreciated jobs than that one! haha! So cake decorating suits me just fine.