The Cheek Of Some Alleged 'cake Decorators'!!
Decorating By emmascakes Updated 26 Jun 2007 , 1:39am by Gretta
I had an email a while ago from a lady wanting me to make her wedding cake. She wanted one with a lighthouse on top, very like one she's seen on my web-site as I've done a few lighthouse style cakes. Anyway I ws booked and told her that unfortunately I wouldn't be able to do the cake, was very polite but no can do.
Didn't hear back until now, about a month later. She emailed saying she'd found someone to do the cake but that she couldn't do the sugar lighthouse or the waves and would I mind doing them?!!!!
So the 'cake decorator' she's found can ice a cake but nothing else basically and suggested the bride ask me for the extra bits i.e. I'l do the cake get Emma to do all the work! I'm shocked and also amazed at the cheek of this other decorator. Would you ever have the nerve to do this to a fellow cake decorator? I haven't replied to this bride yet, but the answer will be no.
That is pretty tacky to come back to you after you told her you were too busy and already booked. Sounds like another example of they think the CAKE is the work .... not the decor.
Although don't be too hard on the other person. It's no different than buying gumpaste or RI flowers and putting them on a cake. I doubt that those cakes have a sign saying "Gumpaste flowers bought from "Fake Cake Flowers - R - Us."
I think it would be different if you knew the other decorator and they had asked you personally. I'm sure I would be able to help someone out that I had a relationship with if they asked me directly, but I definately wouldn't do it without knowing what their reputation was like. It would be very easy for someone to confuse who had done what part of the cake. I think you are doing the right thing by saying no.
I know how you feel. I've had another cake decorator in my town call me and ask me to make fondant figurines to "stick" on Her cake. She said because she didn't know how to use fondant and I did she didn't think it would be that much trouble. I told her I was too busy. And your right if they use your work you better believe they will take the credit for it.
I agree with Indydebi, be upset with the person ordering, not the decorator. The decorator might have told the woman she couldn't do the lighthouse and the woman may have asked if the decorator would do the cake if they could get the lighthouse to put on it. If it was a month before she asked, she's probably having a hard time finding someone to do a lighthouse cake and is trying to get it any way she can!
You're right though, too many people don't realize how much work goes into the sculpting!
If I did do work like that for another person's cake, I would add a stipulation that they put my card next to the cake with a "fondant/gumpaste/sugar art by ___" sign.
I can tell you the other decorator would most likely take credit for the work. I had a pastry chef from a very upscale resturant ask me to do fondant figures for him to go with his gingerbread houses. Claimed he just didn't have time to do it (actually he just couldn't model)and he would have my name on them. He entered them in a gingerbread contest with his houses and one 1st place ($1000) Did I get credit? NO, he even had the nerve to photograph it and send it out as his xmas cards.
I can tell you the other decorator would most likely take credit for the work. I had a pastry chef from a very upscale resturant ask me to do fondant figures for him to go with his gingerbread houses. Claimed he just didn't have time to do it (actually he just couldn't model)and he would have my name on them. He entered them in a gingerbread contest with his houses and one 1st place ($1000) Did I get credit? NO, he even had the nerve to photograph it and send it out as his xmas cards.
Oh man...I would sooo be calling the sponsors of that contest and let them know!!
And Emmascakes....I am just in complete and utter disbelief like you are! The nerve!!!! Booked means....well, B-O-O-K-E-D!!!!!
I had an aunt call and want my gumpaste flowers she was upset the wedding was in Texas and they could not have my cake.... They found a baker who made a FANTASTIC cake but did not do flowers.... so they asked if they could supply them he agreed but would not put them on so the cascade had to be wired together and the top ready to be put in place.
Well after seeing them he agreed to put them on for them but they must have paid a fortune for the cake... I charged over $200 for the flower and You know the cake was not cheap either... I only wish they had sent me a picture of what the finished cake looked like.... It was weird but what ever.......
Its really not any different then any of the premade decorations that one might buy.
I have alot of people ask me to make them gumpaste flowers, cause either they don't know how or don't have the time. I just charge dearly for them.
BUT that being said i would still tell this customer that you didn't have the time to do it. Lets face it if you had the time to do all the extras you would be doing the whole cake already.
Another case of the client not understanding all that decorating entails and that busy means busy. I once had bakery suggest that they could help me out by baking all my cakes, then, "We can split the profits 50/50!" Yea, right! The sad part... they were serious.
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