How Much To Charge For A Dummy Cake?
Decorating By springlakecake Updated 7 Jun 2007 , 8:35pm by springlakecake
I have never made a dummy cake. I had someone ask me about a 3 tier wedding cake and would it be cheaper to have the bottom tier a dummy cake. I told her I would have to get back to her. I mean you still have to decorate it. I supposed it would save some work though. If for example I charged $3.50 a serving for the regular cake, how would you price the dummy?
Hi Merissa! I know you are wondering about a portion of the cake, but I just read yesterday in the Grand Rapids Press who has a regular cake business and also chooses to "rent" wedding cakes. I think the article said it was in Grandville. That she knew of the only other business to rent "dummies" was in Canada! They did not list the prices to rent though! Well, just a little info!
Michele
I'd charge just as much for the dummy.. most of the work is in the decorating. Have her give a deposit on the actualy styrofoam dummy and she will get that back when you get it back, but it's just as much work to decorate a dummy cake as it is to decorate an actual cake.
I hate this mentality.. "Oh.. we'll just have a fake cake for show and serve a sheet cake".. well sweetie.. if you want a beautiful fake cake you are going to PAY for said beautiful fake cake that is goign to take me the SAME amount of hours to decorate.. AND for me to torte and decorate the sheet cake so it looks like an actual wedding cake.. sheesh. Come on people.
I guess it depends on how its being decorated.... I'm doing one in August where the bottom 2 tiers are fake and only the top will be real so they can still 'cut the cake'. And then I'm doing 6 doz mini cakes (a headache waiting for me there, I'm sure.... 
) for serving. But the dummy cake is totally simple (just fondant covered, no detail work and these scrolly-button things she wants down one side)
The foam dummies are fairly inexpensive so I told her she pays for those and I'd do the dummy part for $50 + the top tier...
Hi Merissa! I know you are wondering about a portion of the cake, but I just read yesterday in the Grand Rapids Press who has a regular cake business and also chooses to "rent" wedding cakes. I think the article said it was in Grandville. That she knew of the only other business to rent "dummies" was in Canada! They did not list the prices to rent though! Well, just a little info!
Michele
I just saw that! The difference here is that I wouldnt get the whole cake back to re rent. I think she said she custom makes them for 150 or in stock ones for 100.
Okay though, thanks for the help everyone. I just couldnt see charging her the full amount, but really it is only an extra hour or two of baking plus a few extra dollars in supplies, so I cant see how i would want to make it THAT much cheaper.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%