I am starting to take cake/cookie orders from friends and such which is working out nicely.
My one aquaintance just emailed me and asked me how much it would be to do her son's cake. So I wrote her back with some options (cupcake cake vs. regular rectangle) and a FBCT on it. Well, she writes back that she bought a character pan at ACM yesterday and the icing colors. It seems that the birthday boy (turning 4) only wants this cake AND he wants cupcakes. How much could I charge for the charater cake (Superman) since she already bought the pan? Or should I just run now like my husband's telling me to do?? BTW-the birthday's in AUGUST!!!
well she's ethier very controlling or very prepared? shes your friend which one is it? Charecter pans are really easy and not very time consuming. little hard on the hands I guess if you star tip the whole thing. if it were me I might just teach my friend how to make it herslef. but if you didnt want to do that I would charge about 20 more if she wants it filled. and ofcourse extra for the cupcakes.
First, although it probably won't be an issue between the two of you, it is actually illegal to sell the character cakes. Superman is a copyrighted character, and the pan is labeled "for personal use only". That could give you an "out" 
Second, I haven't done a character cake in a long time, but I remember them taking a ridiculous amount of time, between making all the different icing colors, and piping stars until your hand feels like it's going to fall off. It's not creative, and it's not fun, IMHO. If I were you, I would run, run, run. Just about anybody can make a character cake, if she bought the pan, she can make the cake.
Ya know sometimes friendship wins out over profit. I would be the friend and go over n make it a day of fun showing her how to make the cake. Ya'll could switch turns on putting the stars on the cake (it's not like yer giving away any trade secrets here) Drink coffee n laugh about the latest antics of the hubbies n kids. Make it a fun thing. She will respect you for your vast cake knowledge and you get to do what you love doin.
Second, I haven't done a character cake in a long time, but I remember them taking a ridiculous amount of time, between making all the different icing colors, and piping stars until your hand feels like it's going to fall off. It's not creative, and it's not fun, IMHO. If I were you, I would run, run, run. Just about anybody can make a character cake, if she bought the pan, she can make the cake.
I absolutely agree! When I first started decorating cakes I started collecting character cake pans, friends and family were finding them for me at estate and garage sells, etc. After doing Dora and Lightening McQueen I had had enough! All those colors, bags, couplers, tips, and stars...NOTHING BUT STARS! AAAAAAGGGGHHH! 
I have sold most all my character pans and now I cook the dickens out of my regualar round, square and rectangle pans! 
Seems like things are getting sticky. She starts off with buying the pan and colors this time and then buys the flour, milk and eggs the next.
I would take maybe $10 dollars off the price you would normally charge. Those character pans take a lot of time. All those stars. She still has to pay for your time. I don't think you want to tell someone to make the cake themselves, that's taking away business from you. If you teach her how to make this cake she would want you to teach her how to make another. Thats time and money you are giving away.
Just my 2 cents.
well, I don't NEED the order. But I hate saying no (hence I am my son's class mom two years in a row 
)
I'm just a little unsettled since in her first email she asked me if I would make a cake and then in her response she tells me she bought the pan yesterday. I too hate the character pans-I'm a huge fan of the FBCT now.
not that this should play into it but when my DH did work over there she treated him very poorly (never offered a drink, and such) and then at the end of the job claimed to have no money left (he's in construction). that's why he is telling me not to get involved. I'm just afraid that she is taking her direction on this party by the 3 year old because in her reply she said that THIS is the cake he wants (as opposed to a FBCT) and he wants cupcakes, too.
I dunno. I'm so confused.....
Maybe since you know she can be difficult you should tell her it's not legal for you to sell the character cakes, but let her know how "easy" it would be for her to bake it (and she already bought the colored icing) - so just e-mail her a few simple directions to make it herself. Then you could offer to still do a wonderful cupcake order to go along with the cake she's making. You'd still get business but you would keep those two things separate!
I would do what some of the others have suggested- ask her to do the cake, and you do the cupcakes....!
CreatedByMe:
Well, I would never normally say this.....but take your husband's advise. There would never be an end to the "I told you so's," in the future. You certainly wouldn't want to be reminder 20 years later that you didn't take his advise on a cake and him saying, "Look what it got you," over and over and over again...... 
tiptop:
that's funny-he's already saying that since I replied to her first email asking me about price!!
i have to see her tomorrow. i'm gonna tell her I don't do the character pans. I'll tell her how she can do it (or throw another one of my cake decorating friends into the fire 
) hee hee
thanks for listening!
tara
I think it's a good idea for you to try to help her do it herself... unless she's totally disinterested (which I can't imagine being disinterested in cake decorating--but I'm told those people are out there ) and then I would just send her to someone else or something...
But I do understand her position on her son wanting this cake... having a 4 year old myself I know how important it is that he loves it-it is his party after all...
When we began planning Lay's party we went through books and books and cruised the gallary and we settled on the 3-D spiderman and he still talks about it--...
A CCer jaklotz1 did a beautiful character pan using fondant. Just breath taking. Here is the link. It might change your mind about the character pan.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-200171-.html
A CCer jaklotz1 did a beautiful character pan using fondant. Just breath taking. Here is the link. It might change your mind about the character pan.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-200171-.html
flg22275 wow thanks for that link, what a beautiful cake.
Createdbyme,
I think you are doing the right thing. Telling her you cannot make it, as your sign it says it so well, you create cakes you dont copy them.
Also following your DH's advice since he has already dealt with her is probably a really good idea. People usually dont change when they deal with people who do work for them, so she might not have any money for your either.
Also if she is taking the lead from her 3yr old, he has enough time to change his mind about 90 times between now and his b-day.
I wait til the week before to plan my kids cakes, they change their minds too much! 
Good Luck.
I have to agree with tiptop and woodyfam. I would listen to my husband and IMHO I wouldn't really want to do business with someone that wasn't so nice to my husband. Obviously, he doesn't really want you to service her and he's probably really hoping that you take that into consideration. I don't believe that not taking this one customer could ruin your future business. Just tell her that due to license issues with the character pans you do not make them, but I don't know what to tell you to get out of making the cupcakes.
Good Luck,
but I would let her know soon since she likes to plan far in advance.
Cynita
Is she a real pushy type...or ...maybe she's just a working mom (like most of us), has always dreamed of making her kids' bday cakes, but just doesn't have the time or the know-how (or both). That might explain why she bought the stuff. I'm sorry, I didn't have time to read the rest of the posts. I just thought she might be well intended. I know character pans can be a hassle if you are not a fan. Whatever you choose to do...good luck! : )
Let me start off by saying thanks to all of you who helped me on this problem.
I saw her today and I told her that I would come over one day and show her how to do all the basics that the cake called for. I will also be telling her to go and buy all the tips, bags, and couplers as I am not lending her mine (i'll never see those again!) she was a little like "oh you are so talented-I can't do it" but I stayed strong. I also told her of 3 of our friends who can do the basics as well (in other words "go bother them!")
so we will see as the summer months go by. I really should have told her we were going away and have been done with it but since we live in the same town I knew I would be "spotted".
thanks for listening.
tara
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