So I've only been doing this a short time and only for my own fulfillment. A woman that has seen my work recommended me to a friend who sent me an e-mail last night.

She'd like me to make her daughter's high school graduation cake. The party is on the 16th of June (A Monday???) She was thinking of books stacked on top of each other with a graduation cap on top.

Now I've NEVER done anything like this but am hopeful that you all would help me accomplish it with some hints on how.

Here's the catch. I've NEVER taken an order for money. All of a sudden I'm terrified. To top it off, I leave for vacation on the 14th. I'm guessing to make the cake look good I'd likely use some of Michele Foster's fondant (taste and looks) but you can't refrigerate a fondant covered cake.

Can this be done with me leaving a day and a half before the cake is due? Will it be fresh enough or am I asking for way too much pressure and stress for my first cake.

This is what I wanted... now I'm getting it and well... YIKES!

Personally, I wouldn't do it just because of the leaving on vacation timeline. That's a lot to get done before you leave (with everything else that you always end up doing before vacation), especially since it would have to sit for a couple of days before the party. Who knows how she would store it, and for me that's just too much of a gap.

How many people would it be for? If you really do want to do it, you can refrigerate fondant if you need to. It should be boxed up, so she'd have to have the fridge space for it.

She just called to make sure I got her e-mail. She'd want the cake to feed 50 people. She wants school books stacked with a graduation cap on top. White cake with butter cream icing and she hasn't got a problem with covering the books in fondant.

If I could put it in a fridge without issue, I'd overcome my fear to do this.

I guess the next questions I have are... How much would I charge? And who has instructions on how to stack books and make a graduation cap?

I told her I want to research if it is feasible for me to accomplish this before leaving on vacation and still have it be fresh enough for the party. She seems really nice and was glad that I wanted to look into that before just saying yes or no.

That's cutting it close! If it were me I'd have to say no since you're going to be really busy getting things ready for vacation! I'd tell her to keep me in mind for her next event.

I agree with you all as does my husband. He said it will stress me out too bad and when I'm working on a cake, NOTHING else gets done! ha ha

Thanks for your help.

God Bless!!!

I guess it depends if you want to be stressed right before vacation or not, but the way I would think about it is that it could lead to more orders, or a regular customer. I am famous for overbooking, and overstressing myself...but I don't ever want to turn someone away. (I have a 4 tiered wedding cake, 2 tiered baby shower, and a communion cake all for tomorrow) I always think that they may not return as a customer. I know there are pleanty of that design on here, and I am sure that people would be willing to help you out. I know you can put fondant in the fridge, and it does help to keep the cake fresh too. But know that it will absorb any flavor or smell that maybe in the fridge with it. I would be most concerned about the freshness factor......good luck!

Sorry forgot about the pricing thing....I too live in PA, and I have done some research on pricing. I usually do a per person pricing. Then I will add any additional $$ for flowers, fillings, specialty cake flavor, and fondant etc... Usually I start tiered type cakes out at $3.00 a person.

just my 2cents. Sadly, I'd have to pass on it too. I've done a cake on this the cake was due the day I left for vacation and had someone else do delivery, but they were a simple sheet cake and some rounds. I wouldn't feel comfortable not being there with this type of cake.