I need to send in some sketches to this big company who has decided to hire me to make their Holiday Cake! Yey! BUT - I keep thinking of unspectacular things...

The company is a financial institution - they are pretty conservative. And I don't think they'd go for a financially themed cake (whatever THAT would look like, lol).

I am not sure what to do for them - help? Any good ideas?

Thanks in advance CC!

bumping myself since I am desperate.

How big and what kind? Are people going to be looking at the cake as a whole or the piece they get on a plate? If it what they get on their plate, sheet cake with cutting guide and a nice butter cream poinsettia on each piece. Basic but the servings are easy to do and look terrific on the plate.

Have you looked through the holiday galleried here for an idea that you could enlarge to feed more people or an idea you could expand upon? That would be my first suggestion.

Or check other cake decorators' site. I can usually kind something to spark my creativity by doing either of those things.

chrisrich - I have checked the galleries and everything is beautiful. The trouble is, the cake can't be too christmas or too hanukah or too anything else - it needs to be somewhat "generic holiday" since the company employs people from all walks of life.

That's one of the hard things - hard to think of glorious and generic at the same time.

A snowflake theme might be nice, you could do them out of royal icing or candy melts if you wanted to give it a top.
For something a little more fun do winter scenes on the sides of each tier, sledding, sleighs and snowmen.

If you're thinking stacked cake, what about square tiers and have them look like presents? Red boxes with gold ribbon (or gold boxes with white ribbon) with a bow on top and a sign Happy Holidays stuck on top tier?

I like the snowflake theme also since you can't get too holidays with so many ethic groups working there.

Snowflake cake is a good idea. Here is a pic of a cake that you could adapt. Just add in some snowflakes and a different topper, of course.

http://www.wilton.com/recipes/recipesandprojects/wedding/gki_wedding_cake.cfm

financial institution huh? my first thought would be a sheet cake decorated like the Ben Franklin $100 bill but put Ben leaning forward out of his portrait circle, have him wearing a holiday hat and his arm/hand holding up a cup of nog. Instead of the usual printed wording on the bill I'd substitute the financial institutions info and perhaps include Happy Holidays or the like. The "bill" would be dressed up for the holidays too... maybe a menorah in place of the seal, holly wreaths in the corners around the numbers, maybe even no numbers but something related to the institution or to the holiday. Just playing with the idea... I also think of Scrooge... financial institution and holidays, big fat turkey and victorian christmas. Oh! Turkey cake and/or christmas tree cake! But have "dollar bills" as the "stuffing" kinda coming out of the bird, or the tree decorated in "dollar bills" and "$" signs. Have fun with it!

I think the snowflake idea would be really pretty. Daisy1 has a really great snowflake cake posted in her gallery.

I know you said it was a conservative bank, but how about one of those topsy turvy cakes. In reds and greens and gold, like a stack of packages. Fondant harlequin, squiggles and stars. Or the white, gold and blue of the snowflake idea but in topsy turvy approach. The reason I am suggesting this is that a conservative group may associate a standard stacked cake with weddings, where as those topsy turvy cakes are fun and brightly colored and look party not wedding.

Thanks everyone - you have really helped me get my creative juices flowing!

I love you CC!!!!!!!!

This might be a little too "wedding" but it came out of one of my Wilton Holiday books. (sorry my scan is a little wonky, I couldn't get it straight LOL)

thats very nice! thank you!

What's a Wilton Holiday book?!?!?

Maybe they are called magazines? I'm not sure LOL. I bought it at a garage sale years ago. This is what I have

I loved this cake in cc gallery. Looks easy enough to make. Course I haven't tried it yet. Waiting to do for company holiday pot luck. Hope it helps. Please post pic of what you settle on.

Fruitcake is always festive...but does everyone like it??? hmmmm

I love a winter wonderland theme...maybe snowmen, or penguins, an igloo...hmmmm maybe thats too "fun" for corporate.

I guess an elegant snowflake cake would be your best bet.

good luck!

Wow...you are getting holiday cake orders already. You remind me of the stores around here. I went to a dollar store this morning and they already have christmas cards, wrapping paper, etc out on the shelves. It's not even the middle of September yet.

Anyway, what about a stacked sheet cake. A 1/4 sheet stacked on a half or full sheet. Then you could make it a snow theme where some of the co-workers are sliding down hill on snowboards. Also add some trees with snow on them throughout the cake.

What about some holiday ribbon around it with poinsettia or holly flowers...just a thought.

I have a snowflake cake in my photo gallery if you are interested .. its only a three tier cake but im sure you could make it more or less if you needed too ....

UPDATE:

Ok, after all that, I drew some sketches and sent them in. They loved them - BUT - they decided they want mini cakes instead!

AHHHHHH! Back to the drawing board (literally).

So I will send them: mini presents, a little cake with a snowflake thing....any other ideas??

Thank you so much

Little snowballs, with edible glitter; mini snowmen & snowomen; mini penguins.

Are these mini cakes individual servings or one cake for each table, for instance a 6 inch that when cut would serve those seated at that table. If that's the case, the cake would need to be the center piece or part of the centerpiece for the table. Also it would need to be decided ahead of time who would cut these cakes. Someone seated at the table or the waiters? Who ever cuts the cakes would need to have a cake knife provided. That is a lot of cake knives. Just someting to think about. I think I would ask if there was a commitee in charge of decorations, i.e. centerpieces and see if they had any ideas in mind. Or if they are going to follow your lead.

If for the table, Christmas cottages, Christmas teddy bears.