Sorry for the urgent request......So I've been asked to make this cake (which is driving me so nuts - I've posted about it several times asking different questions)... anyway they want banana & strawberry (not marbled) and chocolate filling/icing. My question: do I make one single layer of banana & one single layer of strawberry? Or should I make a full batch of batter so that I get two layers banana & two layers strawberry, making a 4 inch cake??

Second question - they said this is only for 15 people. I need a little extra batter to make a smash cake, but I just have no clue what size pan to use. Wilton's party cuts are different than Earlene's and even if I double up the layers, I'm not sure that they're going to cut teeny tiny slices of a tall cake......

What can I do??? BTW - this person has been HORRIBLE at returning e-mails, has changed things several times, and now is out of town and we never even discussed the final price... and she won't be back in town until the day before the cake is due (and no she didn't tell me she was going out of town).

If you make 2 layers of each you will end up with a 8" cake. It's up to the customer how big they cut the pieces, all you can do is tell them the normal party size pieces and charge accordingly. If you haven't agreed on a price are you sure she will pay what it's worth if you make 2 layers of each? Is there any way you can get in touch with the customer, maybe a cell phone?

I would say that you should be making 2 layers of each flavors. That way you get to cut an actual 2 layer piece of just the one flavor with the filling inside.

For a smash cake I would just make a small 6" cake...like just one layer. It is suppose to be small for just the child or for saving for just the family.

Some people like to have EXTRA cake! I just made a graduation cake for my sister and they were like "We really like cake, how much are you making?" I told them I have plenty but, they wanted more so they ordered from the bakery! They didn't even touch that cake at all! If they want cake, let them have it!

Plus! If you have the phone number for this lady I would tell her that you need to know that she is going to be paying (whatever price you are intending) and that if the payment is not received upon pickup/dropoff then, NO CAKE!! YOU tell HER the price! If she can't pay it! don't make it!! then you are not at a loss!

sorry you are having so much trouble!

Wow! Sounds like you have a predicament on your hands!

In my opinion, if you can't reach your client, you have to use your best judgement. If the cake is only for 15 people, and a smash cake as well, this is what I would do:

Make 2 mixes, one banana and one strawberry. I would use probably a 9x13 pan and pour banana batter into one half of the pan and strawberry batter in the other half. (You would use a piece of cardboard or tin foil or something to halve the pan, then remove and the batter will settle together without mixing.)

With the remaining batter, I would make a 2 layer smash cake with a 6" round ~ one layer would be banana and one layer would be strawberry. The smash cake should not be considered part of the 15 people, since the kid (I assume?) will have his/her face in the cake. (And who wants to eat after THAT???)

This gives you a total of 24 servings including the smash cake. I would feel comfortable with that, since she said 15 people and not 15 servings. (In my opinion, neither the Wilton chart nor Earlene's chart gives an accurate assesment of how large of slices should be cut, except for a wedding situation. I.e., my idea of a slice of cake is 4x4x4, and larger if it's chocolate!!!)

Anyway, I hope that helps! If she gets an attitude, just let her know that you tried the best you could, but she did not respond to your e-mails, nor was she around to return phone calls. Oh, and charge her what you would normally charge someone for that much cake. If she screams about the cost, then you can reduce it with the knowledge that you don't ever have to do business with her again!

<S>

You could also bake a layer of 8" strawberry and a 8" layer of banana, torte them so then you have 4 layers of alternating flavors. I believe that would give you 24 servings so enough for most to have 2 slices

Are you making these from a mix or from scratch? If you're making from a mix, you don't have much choice about how much you make - 1 mix per flavor, 4.5 c per mix. You can make 1 8" layer and 2 6" for each mix. Use the 8" layers (torted) for the big cake, and personally I would only use 1 6" for the smash cake, and freeze your leftovers.

If you're baking from scratch, most recipes make 6 c batter, so you can make 1/2 batch each, slightly smaller layers, and make a single 6" layer for the smash cake from the same batch.

Of course this is all assuming you don't have a 4" pan either, because you can certainly make a smash cake that small, or out of jumbo muffins.

For price, decide what you are going to charge and stick to it. Make sure she knows you have made every attempt to keep the lines of communication open.

If you are making it from a box you can get away with one box. I would make the recipe for white almond sour cream and substitute almond flavor for strawberry and banana. Just half the batter and add the flavor. Actually I think wasc with alternating layers of strawberry and banana filling sounds better

I would have told them that having both flavors on a small cake requires an upcharge, since I would be making a whole cake of each. They shouldn't get twice as much for the sam price just b/c they want two flavors. IMHO, only, of course.