It is finally done, but now I have to clean up the house and wait for this monster of a cake to be picked up. I felt it looked too thin with one layer, so I went with two. Now it measures in at 3" or 3.5 plus boarder with a couple of more inches for the number cake on top and weighs in at 20 pounds.
I hope it goes over well, but I don't know if I want to do any more sheet cakes. Why do I hate them so.?.?. Is this really worth the $50 I quoted her?
This one is cooked caramel frosting filling and topping. Buttercream sides and decorations. It is suppose to be a Hawiian theme. Too bad I don't have any chocolate shells, hmmm...NO! No more!!! I am going to try and talk the customer out of me writting "Happy Birthday ????" I mean really, where would I put it?
Let me get back to my amaretto and cream this cake drove me to drink, (its not noon yet, shhhh...).
You charge $50 for this cake?! You need to charge more - and make it worth your time and effort! It's a really cute cake! I think you could leave off the writing. Good job!
Cassandra, the customer, needed a cake to feed 50 people. She and her daughter where having fights over if it should be a half sheet or full sheet. I appeased them by saying I would rent a pan in between. Unfoutunately, I found that the pan had been rented earlier that week. That is why I thought it appropriate to add some to the layers since it was a 12x16 pan, instead of the 12x18 I had planned for.
And, yes, my husband gets on to me for "pimping myself out," with low prices. Not a nice way to say it, but I never know how to handle extra requests. My usual 1/2 sheet is $40 made in an 11X 15 pan and one layer. She did get quite a bit extra for ten more dollars, but that was my fault not hers.
You did a beautiful job on it, and yes, your customer got a real steal.
I'm with you on the sheetcake thing -- I hate 'em! The size never seems to be right for the # of people they're supposed to serve, and that rectangle shape is SO boring to me. I always end up making way more cake than the person needs, but charging only for the # of servings they asked for. It's nuts.
I'd rather do a purse or present or topsy-turvy cake, any day.
That cake is worth way more than $50. I hate sheet cakes also. I wish I could jus stick to wedding cakes. I hate all the colors used in celebration cakes!
Local cake shop near me rents out pans. They have all their pans hanging on the wall numbered in permanent black marker. The rent is $3.00 for 2 days with a $40 refundable security deposit.
Much, much better than buying a character pan and only using it once, plus they have the Wilton Dragon pan for rent that is currently selling on Ebay for $75!
I think I'd rather buy the pan and then turn around and sell it on Ebay once I'm done with it. As long as you're reasonable with shipping and your products are in good shape, they'll usually sell ok.
If you buy a common character pan that's sold at Michael's or Hobby Lobby you might even be able to use a coupon. 
Our local cake & candy decorating store rents pans too. They are also hanging on a wall (in the back, you have to ask to see them) for $2.00 each for two days, and I think it was only a $10 deposit. There is one catch, don't ask to rent the graduate boy during June, or an Easter egg during April. She takes them off the wall so you have to buy the pan. It's a great deal for character pans though.
I rent from our local cake and confections store. It is a small family business, only one in a several mile area, AJ's Cake Supply.
$2 a pan for a week and a $10 refundable deposit. The great think about renting character pans, is that you don't have to store them in your house.
Check your local library as well. Around me (in Des Moines) there are three libraries that have them and check out at no charge!!! It has saved me a lot for last minute requets. They have the caracter pans, wedding cake pans - everything - and all Wilton. It was a great find!
She made me stand in front of her and pipe "Happy Birthday ????????" on top of the ocean waves. I had a #1 tip on my bag and she complained about the size of the letters being too small. I quote, "Oh well, it won't matter what it looks like after its cut." Uggg...
I have to agree with the others.... you are incredibly talented and this cake is beautiful... and worth DOUBLE what you charged! I just love it - - maybe the reason you hate them so much is because you are doing them for a song and not really getting paid what you deserve. Raise your prices and try again and maybe you wioll be happier 
I'm going to ditto on the comments, but I do have a question - where in the world did you find number cake pans?????
BTW - I would never let this cake out of the house for less than a hundred bucks! And I'm CHEAP!!!
[quote="DelightsByE"]I'm going to ditto on the comments, but I do have a question - where in the world did you find number cake pans?????
The customer brought them to me, but I can find them at the local cake supply store here. Or, this is a link that was given to me when I asked a question on how to use plastic pans.
http://www.cakeartpartystore.com/store/e-StoreOperations_listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=881
I guess I'm easy and cheap, at least my husband would like to think so. Dirty martinis for everyone who has had a tough day baking!!!
That is a beautiful cake!
I think the reason we all hate the sheet cake so much is
a) The rectangle is soooo boring
b) There always seems to be too much/not enough servings for the number of guests
c) We never charge enough for the amount of supplies and time that go into them!
At least when you wrote the happy birthday on you spelled it correctly - I am a serial wrong name speller ! (3 times in 2 weeks!)
While at the beach with my children and parents, (went for a dance competition and made it a long weekend), my husband received a call from the customer of this *#!@% sheet cake. Everyone was thrilled and her daughter is going to order one for her birthday. Vic had to ask about the writing and she gave him the same answer she gave me, "It doesn't matter how it looks after you cut it." He gave her the "Do you realize how much work went into that cake?" speech. I don't think he was rude, but I wouldn't mind NOT doing another cake for her.
I think that cake was so very cute! I would have written Happy Birthday on the numbers though, in a weird sort of font...you know? A print, not a script....to give it a funky look. 
I have numerous chocolate shell molds and love them all.
And yes, I think you charged WAYYYYY too little for that cake!
I love the waves you did! 
Oh, Bethrose! 
Girl, that cake is stupendous!
I can't believe she asked you to pipe on a "birthday" message, though...seriously warped if you ask me, it was perfect as it was!
And, you're lucky you have a husband to stick up for you and comment on your work!
Mine gets me quite a bit of business at the department, too...I'm lucky as well.
You did a great job! 
--Knox--
Thats really cheap $50.00. Over here a cake like that goes for $90.00 easy and maybe more. I'm in New York city. great cake it looks scrumptous!!!!
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