Do You Do The Kind Of Cakes You Want To Do?
Decorating By kelleym Updated 16 Jun 2006 , 8:39am by PieceofCakeAZ
Over lunch my husband and I got into an argument of sorts. Someone at his office had ordered a 1/4 sheet generic 'Happy Birthday' cake from me, so of course I did it. But I didn't want to. I have come to the realization that...
I HATE SHEET CAKES!
Yes, I hate them. They are the brussel sprouts of my 'cake' dinner. They are boring and hard to get smooth and it looks so obvious if you make a mistake, and I have simply terrible "cake" handwriting, even with the Wilton impression letters. What I love to do is fondant. Stacked cakes, whimsical cute cakes, cakes with fondant figures and bold graphics. If I never did another sheet cake, I would die happy.
So my question is...can you choose the kind of cakes you want to do? My husband says 'no'. He says I have to do whatever the customer asks for, and I'll just be 'lucky' if someone asks for the kind I like.
My opinion is that, if I'm not doing this for my livelihood (which I'm not) then I should be able to say "This is the kind of cake that I do" and let people who want something else go elsewhere. So I'd really like to get some other opinions about what kind of cakes you like to do vs. the kind that you actually do.
IMO you can do the cakes you want to do. Esp when you are not depending on the money. There is a lady in my town that just says flat out "I don't do sheet cakes." That's your choice. Doing cakes shouldn't be a chore. If you had a bakery storefront with X amount for rent and bills, etc., etc. then maybe you would have to do a lot of things you aren't crazy about. If you do this because you want to, do what pleases you. Again, my humble opinion.
Kelleym,
I'm with you. Do only what you absolutely LOVE to do. If you hate brussels sprouts, you're not going to cook them correctly, anyway 
On the other hand (I'm a Libra) -- hubby might be looking to the future -- wanting you to do this for a living one day in order to supplement income.
But if so -- I say let him wait 'til you're practiced up on all the cakes you absolutely love to do, and you've become the next Collette Peters, and HE will die happy!!!
if you don't want a lot of business, then no, you do the cakes you want. but part of selling is meeting the customer's expectations. sometimes a sheet cake is just easier to deal with on the serving end of things.
if you turn down potential customers b/c they want something else, they likely won' think of you again for the "special" cakes you like to do. Just a thought.
ALSO---IMO--IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT-DO THE CAKES YOU WANT--I WOULD NEVER EVER DO A SHEET CAKE, IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO (I DO NOT DO THIS FOR A LIVING)--I HAVE DONE SOME SHEET CAKES FOR MY KIDS & THEY TURNED OUT OKAY, (BUT THAT WAS BEFORE I HAD A DIGITAL CAMERA & I CAN'T FIND THE PICS)
I TOTALLY AGREE MOST SHEET CAKES ARE JUST BORING & STANDARD--I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE DECORATIONS (DECORATORS) ARE BORING & STANDARD JUST THAT THE PERSON ORDERING THEM DOESN'T EXPECT MUCH MORE THAN WHAT THEY SEE IN THE BOOKS AT WAL-MART
ALSO--IF WE AREN'T STARVING, DON'T THINK MY DH (SUB-CONTRACTOR) WON'T SAY 'NO' OR GIVE SOMEONE A PRICE WORTH HIS TIME IF HE DOESN'T WANT TO DO THE JOB (& IS BUSY)
WHY CAN'T THAT APPLY TO CAKES--
IF U DO STOP DOING SHEET CAKES, JUST OFFER A DIFFERENT STYLE CAKE TO THEM--U CAN ALWAYS CHANGE YOUR MIND & SAY 'I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO DO A SHEET CAKE FOR U'
EDITED TO SAY THAT IF WRITING IS A BIG PROB TO U -I USED THE ROYAL ICING LETTERS RECIPE--
Since I am not in the business of selling cakes, YES, I only make what I want to make. No one tells me what to do. 
kelleym...I feel the same way about sheet cakes!! I JUST had a customer who wanted 2 cakes for her 2 graduates (1-grammar school and 1-high school). Anyhow, after giving her tons and tons of ideas for other stuff and about a week going back and forth - she only wants 2 sheet cakes!! ARGHHH! I wish I could tell her no, but after putting so much effort into the sale, I kind of feel obligated to give her what she wants (but I'm not liking it). I think I've also decided to do no more sheet cakes! I'm not doing this too long but I love the challenge of something new. If they have their heart set on a sheet cake- they can go to the nearest Walmart because that is what they want. By the way, I'm called "Sheila's Custom Cakes" -- what is custom about a sheet cake???
Sorry for rambling, but I know exactly how you feel!
kelleym,
I substituted my fine art ceramics, painting, and sculpture to do cakes this past February. As an artist, I have not done "brussel sprouts" if I can help it.
Unfortunately someone at the office asked me to do a cake for her. I agreed before I found out it was not to be my own creation! She wanted me to copy (and I mean copy) that stupid Woman's Day cover this month. On Saturday, I "decorated tiny teddy grahams to put on that @)%&@)%&)@&)%& cake, swearing the whole time. I have complained to everyone I know - - - never again! My poor husband didn't know what to do with me..... (because he understands my need to create pieces of art for my own pleasure and to share with others in the world.)
I have already turned down a bride who wanted me to copy another cake, isn't that sad.........she wanted my work, but she wanted it to look like someone elses creation. It is like some asking Michelangelo to paint the walls white instead of creating frescoes.
Yeah, yeah, I know that I'm a PIG and sound like a true Art Snob talking.....but I don't do this for the money! I do this for ART. And art is for art's sake. Meaning, it is for the sake of creating and then sharing!
If you are like me and not doing this for money, then stay away from the brussel sprouts, and stay true to your artistic creativity unless it dries up from boredom. This has happen to me also in the past with other art forms and put me in a funk so bad that I truly went into a depression and on medication 
.
Protect your muse!
There are plenty of decorators out there who don't mind doing the things I don't want to do. I refer clients to those decorators.
I don't do a thing I don't want to do because IMO saying you're stuck doing cakes you don't want to do because of the money is an excellent way to be forever stuck doing cakes you don't want to do because of the money.
For those of you who do not do this for money, why can't do some cakes that you like, put them in your portfolio and tell prospective clients that those are the only cakes you do with slight modifications? Perhaps every month you could create a different cake and add that to your portfolio and so on.
here's a link to a post I had about sheet cakes!!
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-16081-sheet.html
I personally don't like to do them either and have only been 'suckered' into doing a few!! Since I charge per serving...whether it's a sheet cake or other type....it's not difficult for me to talk someone into something other than a sheet cake!!
What I do to get people out of the 'sheet' cake frame of mind is when they place an order and explain what they want...theme/colors/etc...I'll show them pics of stuff I've done or if I don't have anything that meets their request I'll find a few pics to show them ....THERE ARE OTHER CAKES OUT THERE!! YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A SHEET CAKE!! 
Then they usually get excited....I had one customer tell me she was excited that the she could actually use the cake as part of the decorations instead of just putting it on a table and forgetting about it!!
But in defense of sheet cakes and those that do them......there are ways to 'dress' them and there are quite a few great sheet cakes on this site!!! Just depends on your competition and what your market will handle. Here in P'cola we have too many grocery stores, walmarts, and all the bakeries pretty much only do sheet cakes!! So I have a good market/customer base here.
But if you don't enjoy it.....then don't do it!! You'll end up hating it if you do.
sorry so long...HTH
Christine
Guess I was REALLY trying to get my point across.....posted 3x's!! YIKES! 
post #3 here 
I'm not sure WHAT it is about "sheet cakes!" 
I guess most people just buzz through life seeing all the sheet cakes in the stores, and that's what they think is out there. 
But, when they start hearing about different ideas, and colors, they're like, "Oh, yeah...really? You CAN?!? WOW!!" 
So, I just present them with different ideas. And, if they insist on a "sheet cake," I give them EXACTLY what they ask for...what else is there to do?
--Knox--
I too get alot of requests for sheet cakes.....but when I ask "how many" servings, then I am able to let the requester know about other styles of cakes I can do other than the little ol' simple sheet cake. I don't mind doing the sheet cake, but sometimes, they can be alot of work...
For me, I do "simple" but "tasty" cakes..Most of my requests are for either lemon, french vanilla or yellow cake with standard white buttercream or fondant covering.....I do try to get as close to what the request is and if I can't do a particular design, I am honest and tell them politely I can't do that.
They seem to understand if you tell them at the time of the request, than to wait until 1 or 2 days before they are expecting to pick up the cake and find out "there's no cake"......
If you don't need the money, don't do it. The angst is not worth the price. Charge them triple the normal price for a sheet cake, then re-direct them to your other cool cakes! They'll love the new, lower price of your other cakes. Most lilkely, they won't pay the high price for a sheet cake and will go elsewhere, which is what you want. On the other hand, if they're willing to pay such a high price, then you'll probably be able to do it with a smile on your face! But only if you think it's worth it. If you think sheet cakes are passe, tell them so. And add: "WHAT will your neighbors think if you serve a sheet cake??!! It has such a Wal-Mart quality to it." It's all about marketing!
When you are in business, then you do have to accomodate the customer. The only time I will tell a customer I won't do a cake, is if it's a technique that I am not comfortable doing. There are some brides that choose some wild designer cake & it's way over my skill! I am always up front with them about it.
This is a great thread. All my family and friends know not to ask for a sheet cake. I have done a few on my site but charge through the nose so they don't want a sheet cake! They joke that on my birthday will be a grocery store sheet cake. As far as customers if they want a certain cake design I do what they want and also what I think they want! I have had so many people bring me pics and I tell them my professional opinion. And glory be they listen!
O.K. everyone, I am reading this while I'm sitting here with an 11x18 "sheet" cake in the oven. I hate it, hate it, hate it. To add to it, the customer is the same customer that ordered the spongebob sheetcake in my pics and she wants the exact same cake. I could scream. These cakes are absolutely no fun. I turned down two orders for this weekend because they wanted sheet cakes. Of course, I simply told them that I was booked because its just me and I already have 3 cakes due for Saturday and of course I do this in my spare time. When I do a sheet cake I feel like I'm at a job that I hate. I have to say, I truly think that this is the last one that I'll be doing. NO FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hate sheet cakes also. I worked in a bakery and got my fill of them there. I love the tierd cakes and anything besides a sheet cake. If someone ask for one I tell them I do not have that size of cake but can do a square, hexagon, petal, heart... etc... (the pans i do have) to give them the servings they want. No one has minded yet. They are just so use to cake always being in a sheetcake that they don't think of the other options.
If I have someone who insist on sheetcakes (which i haven't yet) I have another decorator in mind that I can refer them too. She enjoys doing them so I would send the business her way.
I have done one order of sheet cakes b/c it was for an open house and they wanted 3 - 3/4 sheet cakes.... and for that many sheet cakes was the way to go for serving.
I also offer them for additional servings to another cake, only b/c I can still be creative, but get the additional servings quickly with a sheet cake. (i can make some easy money on them b/c they go so quick for me)
I would suggest doing what you like or it won't be fun anymore.
Leily
Hey, Pinkbunny, I read your thread, and I think we must have been separated at birth!!
Speaking of people being "used" to sheet cakes, when my sister-in-law asked me to do an Elmo cake for my niece, she said "just a sheet cake". And I said, "oh, do you want a sheet cake?" (heart sinking, here) and she said, "well, I just thought it was easier". So as gently as I could, I told her that I didn't really like doing sheet cakes and would she mind a stacked cake. Of course she said, just do whatever I like. I ended up doing two stacked sheet cakes, but only because I was going to have to drive 100 miles with it and I didn't want it to be wobbly.
Anyway...I don't think that people who ask for sheet cakes are unimaginative...I just think they don't know any better, and it's my job to tell them what they *really* want.
And I DO recognize that sheet cakes for office birthdays are very practical ... and on the positive side, one of the people who ate some of that sheet cake today emailed the whole company saying my cakes were "the most awesome" and gave them my web site and urged them to support me. And a few minutes after that, the owner of the company emailed me and asked me to quote her a golf themed cake for 75 people for her husband's 50th birthday. So yay, it was a sheet cake for a good cause!
This has been a great discussion and given me a lot to think about, thanks everybody!
Add me to the list of sheet cake haters!! We never do stand alone sheet cakes but if they are accompanying a wedding cake we typically do them. We actually recently started providing 14", 16" & 18" round cakes instead of sheet cakes because icing the round cakes goes so much faster... and they look better.
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