Need Help With First Wedding Cake!
Decorating By crazycakes2007 Updated 22 Aug 2007 , 6:15pm by crazycakes2007
I have a simple, three tiered wedding cake coming up. (white cake with raspberry filling, IMBC frosting iced smooth with ribbons on the bottom and three swiss dots here and there) She wants to feed 50 and save the top for their anniversary... but to get three tiers, I think I will do a 12-9-6. 12+9= a about 64 or so according to a chart. BUT, she would now like the tiers to be two cakes high.
Questions;
1) Would that now feed 128?
2) Do I charge twice as much? (It was going to be $150-$200)
3) Thank you for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate it!
Cheryl
Crazy Cakes
Wedding cakes are typically 2 layers high, about 4". often, the two layers are torted (split and filled) to make 4 layers, 3 fillings. The cake will be a bit tallker than 4". That allows for the servings to be small typically 1" x 2" and 4" high.
It would probably still serve the same number of people. I would not charge more, since the standard is 2 layers.
No, not a stupid question, and not 8" high. She just wants it high, so I think that is probably the 4-5". I need to know, (and hoping you are all not thinking, 'why is she doing a wedding cake if she doesn't know this??)... For a typical 9" cake, then, two recipes to make two cakes that stack on top of each other? For a regular 9" cake, I usually bake it in two pans and torte each layer with three layers of filling and four layers of cake.... so I'm confused. Thanks for your help!
Cheryl
She wants to feed 50 and save the top for their anniversary... but to get three tiers, I think I will do a 12-9-6. 12+9= a about 64 or so according to a chart. BUT, she would now like the tiers to be two cakes high.
Here is the wilton wedding chart I use. Based on 2-layer cakes, a 12" round serves 56 and a 9" round serves 32 = 88 standard wedding cake servings. This is what I would base my pricing on .... they are welcome to cut it any size piece they want.
http://www.wilton.com/wedding/cakeinfo/cakedata.cfm
Indydebi, thank you! I will use this chart. It seems like maybe a 10-8-6 would be 62 servings plus the anniversary cake. I worried this would look too small, but it should be fine. I figure since I'm starting out I would charge $2.50/serving. Now, JoAnnB, my cakes are 4" high with filling, but I think she wants them like 6" high... so I thought I should make two 3" cakes on top of each other with a cardboard in the middle? What do you think? I tell ya, I just don't get how you do that and figure out how many servings too. Any comments? Thanks again for your patience!
Cheryl
She wants taller than 4", I think one more layer, torted would give you 6 layers with 5 filling and get to about 6". I prefer 2" instead of 3" pans, but if you have 3" that would save some time.
A 'normal' recipe would give you two 8" layers, or 2 thin 9" layers. One recipe would fill one 10" pan (presuming 2" deep pans)
I think I would charge 50% more rather than double. if you charge $2 a serving a 'tall tier' would be $3 per serving.
JoAnnB, you have been such a help. Thank you! That figures to $222 for a 10-8-6 cake with 6" high layers, simple buttercream and ribbon. Yikes! That seems like so much. I think I'll charge $200 plus the fresh flowers she wants, and $150 if she thinks that's too much and wants 4" layers. Any objectors?
Indydebi too, and JoAnnB, thank you for your trouble and encouragement.
Cheryl
do not question your prices there is still the same amount of work that you have to do, and if she wants thicker cakes then she should be prepared to pay. stick to your guns and charge the $222 it is a wedding cake!!!!! the cake was to be between 150 - 200 then she decided she wanted 2 cakes high, now there is an increase in cake ingredients one would expect to pay for more cake...
Thanks Johannap_73... okay, one last question, Colette Peters said if the cake is taller than 4" you should put a cardboard or some devider in the middle. That would mess up the slices, so can I get away with a 6" talll cake without splitting it? I think so, but with raspberry mousse filling, it does make me nervious! Cheryl
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