I just got a request for a High School Musical cake. My first thought is "Yuck!" I just can't get excited about this cake. Ever feel that way? Do you ever turn down cake orders because you are not inspired by the request?

I have had that happen, and i have to say the ckes just never turn out very well. You can always overprice...or get booked real quick!

Julia

yes, i turned down a mom who wanted a birthday cake for her son. felt bad but need a break to spend time with my family whom are more important!!

Yes...turned down a golf themed wedding cake. I just could not get excited about it.

It just so happens that I am making a High School Musical cake this very night. Yes, I do feel like that sometimes. I have had requests where I imagine myself saying 'are you kidding me, that is a terrible idea.' Like when people ask for something really off the wall. For example 'a purple basketball with a green border. I just usually smile and give an enthusiastic Okay!! I won't usually turn them down unless it is a crazy request! A lady once asked me if I could make a cake that tasted like the local grocery stores. She got turned down in a major way.

I've never turned down a cake, I have had the same feelings you have though but I want the extra money so I just do what the customer wants on the cake even if I'm not excited about doing it.

OH Lisa I had that same thought....the day I said I would dread to do a HSM cake I GOT AN ORDER....so never say that outloud LOL. That is the most awful cake to try to get inspired to do...there really isn't much you can do with it...that or Hanna Montana

Don't turn it down though cause you are tooooo goood hun!!!


Christi

I turn down cakes a bit. Anything that's copyrighted, for instance. If I can't talk the customer into using toys on the cake or a purchased edible image, then I turn down the order. Also most carved cakes as I detest doing them.

I've only turned down one -- they wanted 150 cupcakes with an intricate design, but only gave me a week's notice. I just couldn't get mentally prepared for it, so I turned it down.

S

You already know what my response would be to this one!

You could be booked! ...but assuming you've already told her you can... tell her what you could do: microphone, music notes, CD, etc. If she's OK w/ that then problem solved. Otherwise, if she wants something "specific" have her provide you with the idea - then tell her whether or not you can do it. In other words, don't waste your time, scouring the internet, or loosing sleep, trying to find a "great idea". This is a tough theme, and not easy to replicate!

If I can't talk someone into a theme/design I can do I turn themdown. I've turned down many X-rated requests and some hallowe'en ones. I'll do a harvest/fall design but nothing w/ghosts, witches etc.

There are cakes that I've done that I don't look forward to doing, being that the idea or the design is so boring or doesn't work well and these are the cakes that I save for the last minute because I just can't get into them. I get excited over an interesting cake or a design that I haven't done before. Simple sheet cakes seem to leave me bored now. I look forward to some challenges!

I had to turn down a cake this past summer. I had previously spoke to her about a cake but she wasn't sure what she wanted. Then she sees me about 1 week before the party asking for a "dragster" car cake. I was like WHAT!? And I think I had told her like 2 months before that that I would probably do a cake for free...but that was at the time because i was desperate. Then it seemed like she wanted this grand cake for like 8 people and what could be so hard about it. Then I got the type of car wrong and I was done. I just said..."I can't do it! Maybe my mom could do it but this is just too much work for such short notice."
It sucked but I felt better about it!

Oh I was just thinking this all weekend. This lady wants me to make her brother a cake in the shape of a Dodge Nitro with the Abercrombie moose on the side. How do I do that??? I know there are many talented cake artists on here that could probably do it but I'm just dreading it. I just can't turn down a paid order so I just smile and say "sure!!" and hope for that best.

I personally haven't made this cake, but IMO - theme overkill has got to be the dreaded sea shell/beach scene wedding cake - has nothing to do with the beautiful cakes I've seen on CC, but how many of those could a person do and still be inspired?

Does a repeat theme request just leave you brain dead, or do you just chalk it up to the ebb and flow of business?

I actually have 2 HSM cakes scheduled on the same day in Nov.---I still don't know what I'm going to do. One of them is to feed 40 but the other 100 people............hmmmmmm.......any ideas??????

I had a request for a Jack Daniels Bottle...I DID NOT want to do it but I did. I won't do another. AFter others had seen it, there were some folks that thought they might be wanting me to make them one...no thanks.

I wish I could say no (how do you all do it?).....not sure I've learned how yet. Just told a couple a week ago I'd do their wedding cake. BIG MISTAKE! It's my first wedding cake and I hate the colors (mint green in fall???) plus I'm a week overdue with my first baby and about to pop. Oh well, finished the cake today and will deliver it tomorrow.....maybe it won't be the only thing I'm delivering???

Oh I had to pop (sorry about that) in and tell you amoos happy delivery I'm sure right after the wedding cake you will go into labor Good luck!

HSM = High School Musical

I get some crazy cake requests - especially from my coworkers! I used to think they were nuts! What do they think I am, a magician? Now I tell them if they can think it up, I can probably do it.

It's gotten so I like the challenge! I dread doing sheet cakes!

the cakes I don't really like doing are the ones that are based on TV or some recognizable character or show/movie...I feel completely stressed out by that....
I did a Thomas the Tank engine cake but I doubt I will do another...much prefer generic trains, fairies, cars etc...that's when I can add my touch rather than just copying a well known image!

I can't believe you guys are not inspired to do high school musical cakes. You need to spend a day with my 4yr old daughter and watch both movies, 1and 2 a few thousand times. There are so many ways to do. For instance if they really like the character sharpey, you could totally do a frilly girly cake and incorporate the wild cats, or singing into it.

But yes I have turned down a cake before, because I was out of town that weekend. But have wanted to say no to many more than that, but haven't.

I can remember when I was little the Clown cupcakes and such were very popular...and to tell you a secret....I still really like them !!!! That got me so excited on my birthday when I knew my mom would be bringing clown cupcakes...now they are a teaching tool!!!! People usually don't do them just to be doing them. Makes me sad...But that would be a cake or cupcakes I would WANT to do

Wellll, looks like many of us suffer from a case of boredom by certain cake requests. Maybe if I had actually seen the movie I could get into this HSM cake.

angllfish did pm and point me to her cake she just did and found some cupcake rings for me on ebay so that did help.

Allison, I keep forgetting to ask what customer wants before I check my calendar to see if I'm booked! lol Microphone...good idea...I've done that before!

I also am the worst at selling my design ideas. For instance, tried to talk a lady into letting me do a tiered-cake instead of a sheet cake for her daughter's 18th birthday. It would be so much cuter and I don't even charge that much more but no, she wanted a sheet cake.

I've decided that there is an art to selling cakes as much as making them.

Thanks for all the feedback and commiserating. I'm taking November off. Well, most of November. Hopefully I can stick to my guns on that one.

thanks for the cutting instructions link, indydebi. I think you are right. I think lots of people are intimidated with cutting tiered cakes.

I've had to turn people down when they call needing a cake the next day. Other than that I pretty much will make whatever they ask - but I dislike doing cartoon character cakes for some reason.