How Do You Get Honest Opinions About Your Cakes?
Decorating By czyadgrl Updated 8 Aug 2006 , 12:51pm by CarolAnn
I've started experimenting with flavors and fillings (traditionally being a "if-it's-not-chocolate-why-even-bother" kinda gal). So beyond chocolate, I feel like a total dunce!
Taking cakes into work so about 15 to 20 people are available for opinions. But no one ever has any constructive comments!
I swear that the MMF was waaaaay to sweet today, but no one said anything even after I ask them.
Should I just believe that it's fine as is, as the cake monsters are eating everything up and said it was really good. Or should I trust my gut and work on it some more?
I wonder if people just aren't as picky about cake as we are here at CC... LOL!
Maybe they are just not comfortable making comments to you. my suggestion is to create comment cards with just a couple of questions with choices that they can check off like , not sweet enough, too sweet, just right, etc. They may be more honest if they didn't have to tell you face to face. IMO it's not too much to ask for free cake!!
I had a thought this weekend to do a similar taste test, but keep the cake seperate from the icings and fillings, so people could sort of build their own bite, and write down which ones they liked together the best.
I may think about that some more, lots of work though!
Thanks!
I have the same problem. I send them to work with DH and he sends out an email saying free food. I then get a report that both 10" cakes were gone in 1/2 an hour. I'm starting to wonder if his coworkers actually tasted any of it or were just happy to have free breakfast. I'm thinking if I send in enough they will have something to compare it too and the novelty will ware off and eventually I'll get some feedback on favorite flavors. As of now I trust my family's opinions and I'm getting a lot of practice by feeding the hungry engineers at my hubby's work.
Oh and BTW czyadgrl, I so understand the "if-it's-not-chocolate-why-even-bother." That is so my theory in life. 
I thought about the card with checkoff boxes but never got around to figuring out what questions.
So what other than sweetness? Texture? Combination of flavors?? Anything else?
Although my one experience here so far people have no problems expressing their opinions!!!
Exactly on the sweetness, texture, flavor combos. Also maybe Too moist or too dry?
I was asking coworkers about the buttercream I made, to gritty, too suggary, too greasy? And the best comment I got was that it sweemed too sweet alone, but on the cake it was perfect. Oi.
It's like a never-ending circle. Plus. people like different things. Some like frosting to be like licking a sugar bowl and some like it creamy!
Plus then there's OUR side of analyzing cakes - ease of recipe, cost of ingredients, easy to handle and torte?
I would love to get down to some scientific way to compare cakes. Would you bake different recipes of the same flavor on the same day and compare side by side? Or bake them one at a time and take really good notes, then compare the notes?
How do you get to find your personal best recipes in less than like 10 years?
My SIL asked me to do a groomscake for her wedding and she wants german chocolate. Now the funny part, of all chocolate this is my least favorite and I have never made it. (Too much carmel and nuts taking away from the chocolate 
) So I decided what I'm going to do is make her two mini cakes, each a different recipe and a different shape (to keep them straight) and then I'm going to deliver them to her at work and she and her coworkers can taste test and decide which is best. I think if you get two small pieces at the same time it's easier to compare your tastebuds preferences.
I have found the only way to get someones real thougths and opinions about my cakes is to lie about it I have to tell people that Im entering my cake in a contest where there will be hundreds of applicants. Most of them will have years more experience than I do and I dont want to look like a novice. Can they please help me by telling me what I could do to improve flavor or looks. Most people want to see you suceed so are willing to give even their harshest critisism to "help you out".
I have been taking cakes into work and telling them that they are my guinea pigs. I tell them I am making my sons wedding cake and need honest opinions about the flavor of the cake and the icing.
One girl had some of my lemon cake and she said..." I don't even like lemon cake but this was so good". Now she is asking how much I would charge for a small cake for xmas time. Made me feel good. Many of the girls make it a point to find me and let me know if they liked it. I also sent some cake to my sister and told her I needed the truth...no sugar coating of it.....she said her husband liked it so well that he ate it everyday for breakfast. He said he liked the icing except for the colored icing...but he doesn't like any colored icing anyway...lol....
This is my method so far:
Pick a recipe where all the ingredients are wonderful--all butter, eggs, cake flour, sour cream or buttermilk, real lemon juice, good chocolate or cocoa pwdr (you'll never have a bad cake with all those good ingredients)
Try the cake with different fillings. If there's anything I don't like about the cake, I try a new recipe the next time I make cake--remember it can't be bad cause I'm using the good ingredients--then see how it compares, less dry, rises higher, better flavor, more firm, etc.
I decide if I like the new recipe or old. That's the new chocolate (or whatever) cake recipe.
I don't really rely on the masses. When people are asking me for the recipe, or what's in it, or how do I make it, that's when I know that they know it's good.
Oh this is perfect for me. I have just been doing the same thing. I have been taking cakes into work and asking for their opinons. I asked them all to be critics and I didnt care of what they said because I wanted to make cakes that taste great and look great too. They were all very helpful and wrote downt heir thoughts on a piece of paper that I put next to the box with the cake in it.
I did not ice the cake or put any filling. I had the cake on its own as I want that to be the most important part. I also do dancing and play netball so i made sure I took some to those people so they could try too. The more comments the better and it also gets my name out there letting people know how great my cakes are.
People don't like to hurt people's feelings. It's natural. You'll have to do the paperwork to get them to be honest. First, invite them to be on a "tasting panel" where their honest opinions are essential. Each time you send in a cake, send in separate little papers (all with the same questions). Write the questions YOU are fishing for about that particular cake. And always leave space for them to write any additional comments positive or negative. Send in a shoebox with a hole cut in the top just like raffle tickets. In fact, Make it a raffle. If they fill out a comment ticket, they are in on the raffle. Make the prize a gift certificate for a cake they can have you bake whenever during the year that they need a cake. Be specific about what size you are donating, lest they think they can get a free wedding cake.
The problem I have with taking cake to work is that the group I work with would eat frosted cardboard if I brought it in. Hard to get an honest opinion from that crew!
I was thinking of doin the same thing but since my DD school still allows homemade goods in school I was thinking of dropping off practice cakes in the teachers lounge and leaving a comment box next to the cake with pencils and small pieces of paper and just go by what they say and yet keep it anonymous that way I will more than likely get more honest opinions that way but there is always a catch what if they get offended if they think I'm treating them as guinea pigs!!!!! I can bake a cake I just need opinions on a combinations of flavors
I've taken plenty of cakes to work. If I put them in the staff break room it's just free food they're gone real fast with only a few comments, usually from the same people. If I put them in one particular office area where someone is always bringing goodies There I can ask for comments and get them. That's just an area where people aren't just eating quick on break. They'll stand around a few minutes and actually taste something. I've gotten a lot of helpful criticism/comments that way.
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