Cake Dummy... What Do You Charge?
Decorating By mommabuda Updated 4 Oct 2006 , 11:21am by Lazy_Susan
i just got a phone call for my first wedding cake in october of next year... the lady is coming over in 2 weeks and is interested in having a fake cake with sheet cakes to serve... how much do you charge for something like that? also where is the best place to buy the dummies to make the cakes? i've never done it so i have no idea... she said she's expecting about 300 guests... thanks!
Also, if anyone has ever used this styrofoam stuff... is it easy to clean? What do you do about getting it all back clean? Take a deposit? I don't see why anyone would want a fake cake and then real ones besides that... it's going to cost more than just getting a normal cake I would think...
I bet she THINKS it will be cheaper... but your time is the same and the dummies cost more than cake.... do not count on using them again most people do not want dummy cakes.. add the cost to your cake and then do not even worry about getting it back
You could make the dummies out of rice Krispie cookies but do not discount price. and how are the bride and groom going to cut the cake??
Me I would quote her the price for the dummy cake and sheet cakes and then also be ready with the cost of the cake done in cake which will be less
I would think you'd have to charge her close to what you would for a real cake, it's going to be the same amount of time to decorate and set up.
Maybe figure out the price for the dummy with sheet cakes and the cost of a wedding cake and then sheet cakes to fill out for servings. I think that would be her cheapest option.
I agree with everyone else....you still have to make all the sheet cakes and that's time consuming too! Plus, the fondant to cover the cake, and any decorations. Unfortunatly the only fake cake I've done was for a cousin, and my aunt bought the fake cake and the fondant for me. I felt bad charging for my time so it went as my gift!!
I would check your local cake supply stores...they usually have stacks of them. If not, I know some cake bakery's use them for displays and may sell them too. Good Luck...looks like you have lots of time to prepare!!
GRRRRRR!!!!!! This topic just gets under my skin! 
I've actually given my speech to a couple of brides who "heard" that fake cakes + sheet cakes = cheaper for them.
The speech: "Whoever came up with that idea obviously never baked cakes. Let me explain why that theory isn't true. With a regular wedding cake, I'm going to bake it, ice, decorate it, transport, and assemble it. With a fake cake plus sheet cakes, you want me to bake 'em, ice 'em, transport 'em AND .... buy the styrofoams, ice them, decorate 'em, transport 'em, assemble 'em, PLUS I have to use the larger van because now I'm transporting twice as many cakes ..... I have more in raw materials, more in time, more transporation costs, more set-up time ..... and you're suppose to get them cheaper why???" 
So I really wish those who don't do cakes would stop filling brides heads with how much of price cut I'm suppose to give for twice the labor and materials!
The idea of fake cakes works likes this:
The baker/decorator has a stock of fake cakes in various styles that are made from materials that hold up and are re-usable. (i.e. display icing etc). The Bride selects the style she wants, the decorator makes a cake to match the one selected for the bride and groom to cut and eat and incorporates it into the fake cake on the table. All cake for the guests comes from sheets cakes served from "behind the scenes".
The bride doesn't purchase the fake cake, she rents it. Therefore, the decorator who does this on a regular basis saves a lot of time by only having to make one cake to be cut and the sheet cakes.
Hope this makes sense.
If you truly need the name of a place for cake dummies I can tell you of a website where you can get them for very low cost. I bought mine there and so have quite a few people here on CC. Unfortunately the last time I tried to post a link to their website on here it wouldn't show up. Some problem between their site and CC I believe. Send me a PM if you want info on them 
Lazy_Susan
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