Hey guys.... I was here thinking and wanted to ask you something... some people from my church are going to make a surprise birthday party for a lady . I told them I would do the cake...FOR FREE.. I know, I am just starting and still need to practice a lot..But, am I being to nice giving it for free????Thanks everybody! 
i think when you're just starting out you need every opportunity to get your name out there. just make sure they don't take advantage of you by ordering some 4 layer huge cake.
The damage is done. You can't go back and charge them after you told them it was for free. I don't think that is a dumb thing though. Especially if you are just starting out. You have to get your name out there and giving away cakes is a great start. If anyone from the party asks you for another cake order, be prepared to charge them. Good luck!!
Its something for your church there is no harm in giving away a free cake and it does get your name out there just make a nice cake without spening a fortune.
I don't think you're being TOO nice, as long as everyone knows that you're not going to be able to do EVERY cake for free, but that you're willing to do it now because you're just getting started and need the practice.
That being said, I just want to warn you that typing either in all caps or in all bold print makes it look like you're yelling, which can come across as being rude--it's a bit of an online faux pas. You might want to keep that in mind for future posts.
Good luck and have fun with your birthday cake! Do you know what flavors/design you're going for, yet?
or maybe it's just easier for some people to read...
I did a huge b-day cake for the little boy of a cousin (of sorts) of mine. I've gotten three orders from people who attended the party. I didn't charge her, but I charged the others.
It's advertising in the end. Everyone has to start somewhere AND if anything you get a photo, some practice and the feeling of doing a good deed.
I've done this too. I did a 2 layer 12x16 for my church and a PI day cake for my DD at school. Word of mouth and taste testing deff are a big help to your growing business. But beware of "freebie watchers" they creep in and suddenly you have an army of "freebies" coming your way.
Okay, I run into this all the time, being a pastor's wife. First, if it is an open church function I don't charge, it is a gift that God gave me and I share freely with His people. If it is for a congregation member I usually tell them the "going" rate and leave it in their hands, which usually works well, and I truely am pleased with anything they offer. Then if it is for a friend, it is my choice totally...so if this gal is your friend and you choose to give this gift to her, then do it. I try to avoid using church as an advertisement though...I think of Christ turning tables. Word of mouth is the best form of advertisement though, and my intention to to bless others with this gift...now if you have a store front, then they are coming to you and expect to pay....hth...it's just imo
I donate alot. I donated 2 gift certificates and 2 cookie bouquets last week, and the same is on for this weekend. It can bring you nothing but good to donate your time and talent. I have also received lots of business from the items I donate.
The way I see it if you give a cake it will return to you. So it's nice. You get practice, your friends get a nice cake and you might get a few orders for which you will need to charge. I like the you buy the stuff and I give the time idea, that can get really helpful if you end up giving a few cakes here and there. You time is just as worth it as the cake.
I have donated a lot of cakes, I give them as gift and my friends love it. I am lucky that when my friends ask for a cake they ask how much. I dont charge a lot but it keeps me going. You just have to choose when you give.
Giving a cake for free is the BEST way to start out! Make sure you tell them only a certain size though so they don't take advantage.
I can tell you from experience it works! For Valentine's Day I decided to make cupcakes for people I knew around the area. and now everyone is calling me! Especially because the person that did pay me is putting the word out there. FREE ADS work!
GOOD LUCK TO YA! 
I'm still starting out, but all of the first cakes I did were for church, for free. We have a pretty small church, and we have a snack/socializing time after every service. I made all sorts of practice cakes and brought them in for snack. It worked out really well. I got practice, and people saw what I could do. Bringing cakes to church and sending cakes to work with my husband are the two things that have spawned all of my business, even though neither of them was originally intended for that purpose.
To give when it's your idea is a truely wonderful feeling and expression. But to have people come to you after one of these events and say "I really love your cakes, do you think you could make one for me too?" "I just can't really see paying all that much money bakeries want for cakes." 
This is a response I've seen given to others and I.
But practise is practise is practise. That being said also,
Give when you feel like you'd want to and should, not when you've been "asked" to do this.
Of course all this is just my opinion and you know what they say about those.....
I'm with alot of the other posters...if you are just starting out, it's not a bad thing to get your name out there. It may just bring you alot more orders than you can keep up with!
I am just starting out too, and would love to be making cakes for everyone and charging them. But, so far, it's just been for work and for family that I've made cakes for...mainly for practice and to have others see what my cakes look like. Hopefully with time and lots of practice, we can start charging for our beautiful works of art. I'm going to be starting Wilton cake decorating 2 next month and I can't wait to learn some more.
Have fun.
a good "rule" for free cakes is to do what YOU want to do with the cake...experiment with new tecnniques, recipes, sizes, fillings, flavors etc...no one is paying for it, so no one can expect something specific and or be dissapointed. i give free cakes to those i know WELL and it makes me happy to do so. for people who come to me and ask, i happily (sometimes nerviously too) charge and accept payment because my family makes a HUGE sacrifice for me to spend all day making a cake rather than spending time with them. do what makes you happy, but draw lines when you need to. if you choose to give something away, ask it to be hush hush so that you dont have "strangers-new aquaintences" asking for free cake too.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%