Although I will not condemn those who choose to decorate a cake baked by someone else, or vice versa, I would not condone it in my own arena.
I have a very good friend in the high-end cake industry. She was recently approached by someone else in the high-end cake industry, and asked to bake a cake for them to decorate themselves. She refused, as the outcome would reflect directly on her as the baker.
Nor would she ever decorate a cake that was baked by someone else.
My friend is in the business over 20 years, and a decorating champion. I choose to subscribe to this doctrine.
It's all a matter of choice.
Theresa
I "might" decorate a cake someone else made. But it would be at the same cost as if I'd made the cake. And if they still wanted it done I'd be sure let them know that my deocorating would be contingent upon what shape the cake was in when it got to me for decorating. If it shows up lopsided or sagging or whatever, sorry can't do it.
Wow, I did not mean to open a can of worms. I guess I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.
I have just been thinking alot of "walking in other people's shoes", and took the original post a little too personally. I am sorry to fan the flames!
My point really was, a customer could ask for extras or discounts, it never hurts to ask! You just offer what you are comfortable with, because, yes, ultimately it is your reputation. I think my issue really was that we tend to jump on the "CHEAP!!!" bandwagon a little too quickly sometimes, and have a little too much fun with it. I am sure, if we think about it, we have all tried to haggle here and there once or twice in our lives.
I enjoy this website a lot, mainly for the support, ideas, and real sense of community here. But we really gotta stop bashing the public that are our customers, and our peers who are more renowned and can charge more. I know, I know, if not here...where can we do that? Well, we can do it here, maybe just be a little more compassionate and supportive about it?
We are a talented and good group of people, and I'm glad to learn from you fellow artists.
My box cake mixes only cost me .89 cents. She sure wouldn't have saved much! Even when you ad in the gas or electric it took to bake it I bet it would be less than $5.
Personally I wouldn't do it. When I bake I try to make sure there are not any little extras added to my batter i.e. hair, bugs, etc.
You don't know how clean she keeps her house and if her eggs are fresh, etc.
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW UNLESS YOU DO IT YOURSELF!! I learned that a long time ago, because my in-laws have 5 dogs and 2 cats and a very messy house. We never eat anything they make!
I had the opposite happen to me. The gal was going out of town & didn't have time to "BAKE THE WEDDING CAKE" so wanted to know what I charged to"Bake It". (4 tier) And "NO" I didn't do it. I told my Husband , she had time to take the DEPOSIT & ORDER, so she can figure out TIME to bake it!!!!
PEOPLE ARE SO STRANGE!*!*!*!*!*!*
Maybe you could have offered to show her how decorate the cake herself for a fee, of course. That way your reputation wouldn't be tarnished if the cake tastes bad and you might have others ask you how to do it also.
Maybe you could have offered to show her how decorate the cake herself for a fee, of course. That way your reputation wouldn't be tarnished if the cake tastes bad and you might have others ask you how to do it also.
That's a great idea...........maybe offer a class for do-it -youself gal. Like once a month or whatever depending on the demand in your area.
Okay common you guys, this request was TACKY. I mean extremely TACKY. Even is she had a valid reason it will still be Tacky.
This is the very same as asking a lawyer for "Free" advice. tacky! I would tell her NO firmly but politely. 
On the other hand, if ya want a good laugh send her a can of frosting and some of those hard candy decorations next to the cake section. This would be equally tacky and would cancel each other out. 
Perhaps its cause i am so new and dont have a business (and I can remember being on the other side) I just dont really get the whole issue...and no I really dont think its TACKY......
I have said it before and I will say it again, unless you have decorated a cake you have NO IDEA how much work/time/effort goes into any cake....they may well think that they are saving you a HUGE amount of work when in reality we know the baking of the cake is the easiest part (at least as far as I am concerned).
That said, i dont think being 'ignorant' to cake decorating or the time involved makes you cheap, tacky or otherwise....it just proves you are not a decorator...IMHO
That's a good idea about offering lessons. I have been asked to do some lessons at a church with children. The church got a grant and they are offering a pretty good amount to do it.
You could always open up a can of DH "whipped vanilla" and spread it on for her....charge her $10, say it will only take you 5 minutes to do, she can wait in her car!!!!!
That is SO FUNNY!!! perfect solution! thanks for the laugh.
I'm Up On a Soap Box - Warning Long
Flame me if you want but this is the way I look at it.....if you act like a professional, even if you are baking in your home, people tend to treat you as a professional and they will respect your time, talent, inspiration, skill, training and finally expertise.
Less of these characters will come out of the woodwork asking for "favors" that take up our precious time, and talent, open us up for liable and keep us POOR.
Now on the other hand, if you feel you are an amateur, or not doing this for a living, or lacking the skill of a professional, (as in an art form), or if feel you are doing this for fun rather than starting a business or making a living.....well then this request might not seem tacky, but a favor requested and honorable enough in itself.
However, amateur or professional and all those in-betweeners, we need to support each other to raise this as an art form! When I mentioned lawyers in the last post, I meant it from the view point that that profession has respect issues. The same as cake designers! (Because we know that people truly believe that anyone can squirt frosting on a cake!) However as an art form we garner greater respect for our talent and in turn effect us economically! We all know that many of us cake designers are women and we are paid less 75.5 cents to every $1 dollar for a man.
Only we have the ability to change the status quo!
There are 2 sides to every coin, and I know that I have read in other posts (ie: Are you a baker or a decorator?) that there are those who would love to have someone bake for them so that can only do the "fun part". Then there are those like myself who like to bake also and enjoy the MMMM's when the cake is cut and tasted (decorating needs more work though). So I don't think her request was necessarily crazy or ridiculous or tacky. Some people might love to have that kind of customer. But you have to do what you are comfortable with in a kind and professional manner. Good luck!!
Teresa
Now this lady knows that making beautiful and delicious cakes is your business(she called for your expertise right?) So she must of bumped her head before she made the call asking you some nonsense like that! The least she could have done was give more notice (she knew what her plan was days in advance) and offer to have a sample of the cake for you to taste (since the first impression is the look of the cake then it's the taste, they go hand and hand) Maybe her cake is good, (but you wouldn't know) and she's trying to take credit for the whole thing.
LOL, I agree. The fact that she wanted to drop it off and pick it up in a day kind of floored me. Not to mention that she told me that the cake was still in the pan. She had baked it earlier that day and just left it in the pan. She said "it has a hump on it, can you fix it?" I forgot to mention that in the original post.
Okay I'll jump on one side - I don't think it was tacky to ask - it was just uninformed..... she doesn't know that her request would offend someone. My question to her would be "why"? Why do you want to bake the cake but have me decorate it since I usually do both - and if it is to save money or b/c she prefers cake mix cakes you could offer to do a cake mix cake for her to cut her cost a little.... unless you are against cake mix cakes. As for it "ruining your reputation" - If you chose to make the cake mix cake and don't normally do it, I would ask that your name not be mentioned b/c you dont' want people to assume cakes from you will have that same taste. You could also do the same with just decorating it - just ask that your name not be mentioned b/c you don't want to confuse people w/ your not actually baking the cake. I have heard of people who would buy store bought cakes and decorate them so I don't think the request is SOOO unusual.... just not something you hear EVERY day....
If she baked it herself for herself just b/c she wanted to do something - maybe she got in over her head and is basically asking for help but wants to pay you for it - she knows she has a hump on the cake she's not sure how to fix but she doesn't want to just throw out the cake she already made..... so maybe she's just looking for help....
As for the 1 day to decorate - I mean if you're just going to do some really simple decorations, I don't see why not - unless you are jam packed with other cakes you have to do or you work during the day.... otherwise, throw a border and a couple of roses on there - just like a grocery store would do and charge her for decorating and making your icing nad for the coloring & time, etc. Then see what she says to your price. Good luck with the situation!
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