Because of the long distance I have to drive to get home from work, and getting dinner on the table mommy wifey stuff and after thats all said and done I have discovered that my limit is 1 - 2 cakes a week.

Same here, more than 2 a week means we are all going crazy at the house!

Sometimes 2 is even hard to get done, depends on the week. Take orders as they come, if you cannot keep up, reduce the jobs you take.

Depends on your full time job and what other activities you have or if you have a family. Some people can do more than others or don't take as much time to decorate. Do what you are comfortable doing.

Yes two cakes a week is pushing it, it means it's chinese or McDonalds for dinner everynight. And it also depends on how much details is invloved. I'm glad it not just me!

DITTO previous...
glad it's not just me, but my day job is stay-at-home-mom!
I feel comfortable with one, two puts on the stress.

The most I've taken is 2 and it feels so hectic when I do that. I always end up with a mess and a headache. Im going to start taking fridays off of work so I can maybe do 3 or 4 (depending on the design obviously).

one or one + cupcakes is the limit. And I need at least a week's notice, if not more, to hit the stores for supplies the previous weekend.

I can't say no. I work 40 hours a week, which I only live 5 miles from work. A couple weeks ago (2 weeks in a row) I did 7 cakes both weeks. My husband was not to happy with me. This week I have one due tomorrow and its been a nice week! I think I may start to limit, Usually I do 3-4.

One or two is usually good. The most I have done in one week is 6.

I started off with no more than 2 per week. Over the past year, that has risen to about 5-6 per week. And that also equals a crazy week for me! On top of my day job, my son and both of our other activities. If I have a wedding cake though, I always try not to do more than 2 cakes that week.

wow!! angelcakes and rrgibson how do you do it?!!!
I find myself going crazy, staying up till 3 or 4 am when I have just 2 cakes..I work and I do most of the housework at home but I'm not married and I dont have any children...just two little dogs..

What is your secret!?? LOL

I'm glad it's not just me. I work 40+ hours a week and I can only handle 2 cakes in a week.

It depends. This week is a busy week- I had 50 cupcakes for last Saturday, a 3/4 sheet cake for Monday, 9 inch round for Tuesday, 8 inch round for Thursday, 11 inch round and butterfly-shaped cake for this Saturday and 5 dozen petit-fours for this Sunday. I did have Monday and Tuesday off this week, however spent it at various doctor's appointments for my son and husband. I have, in the past, done 3 weddings in one weekend and another weekend I did 5 cakes. I don't make this my norm.

I only have one child who is now a very independant teen and my husband is the one who usually makes dinner. My day job is also not stressful- very laid back.

Each person is an individual and what they can do varies. Some people don't mind a hectic pace while others panic with more than one cake. Only you can decide for yourself.

I am feeling your pain ya'll!!!! I work 40 hours at my day job, and for the past 3 months, it feels like 40 at night in my kitchen!!!! I have averaged 10 cakes a week with a wedding thrown in for S&G's (sh...'s & giggles). I did 4 weddings last weekend. I'm so excited that I don't have to go home and decorate tonight because my 3 (yay!!) orders are already done and delivered.
I am taking a much needed break in July!!!!!!!!

After learning my lesson, the most I now take is 2 decorated cakes per week. If it is just a standard 3 layer 9 inch round, well, with my assistant living with me for a week, I did 17 or 18 during the Holiday season and it was still a nightmare and I didn't have to do anyting elaborate, just frosted, boxed and labeled them. I will do about 4 of those in a week. I have a wedding next week and was SO happy when two other orders got cancelled...(TEE HEE HEE)! With my daughter and husband, I just can't see myself taking away too much time from them. We don't do fast food so everything around here is from scratch!! Have to allow time for that. OH and I don't take any orders without advance notice (two weeks at the latest)! Gotta plan ya know!

It depends. This week is a busy week- I had 50 cupcakes for last Saturday, a 3/4 sheet cake for Monday, 9 inch round for Tuesday, 8 inch round for Thursday, 11 inch round and butterfly-shaped cake for this Saturday and 5 dozen petit-fours for this Sunday. I did have Monday and Tuesday off this week, however spent it at various doctor's appointments for my son and husband. I have, in the past, done 3 weddings in one weekend and another weekend I did 5 cakes. I don't make this my norm.

I only have one child who is now a very independant teen and my husband is the one who usually makes dinner. My day job is also not stressful- very laid back.

Each person is an individual and what they can do varies. Some people don't mind a hectic pace while others panic with more than one cake. Only you can decide for yourself.

I honestly do not know how I do it. I have 2 children, who are 6 and 4. We just got done with dance class and now have moved onto soccer. I usually sleep 6 hours a night and weekends I take one day, and clean my house spotless. But it is taking a toll on me. I think I may be cutting back, 1 cake a week would be wonderful!!!

Wow after reading this I feel guilty!!

I have a 40 hr. week out of the home job (about 2 miles from my house) but I normally do 5-6 cakes a week. Up to 8 if I overbook!! If I have a wedding on the weekend, I try to only do 2 or 3 regular cakes.

I have found as time has passed Ive gotten faster and can take on more. When I first started I probably did 2 a week.

My kids are both older, 12 and 14 so not quite as much mommy time needed. I do take them to sports events and band stuff.......

My DH has set his limits to 1 cake & no more than 2 cakes a week, or I have to deal with the complaints about going to bed 5am in the morning.

I have 3 children a 13, 12 yrs olds girls & 6 yr old , I think I'm going start training the older one to crumb coat soon! As a matter of fact I think I may sit my girls down this weekend and make them watch abd study my SugarShack DVDs.

I only work 24 hours a week and then stay at home the rest of the time and I still can only manage two cakes a week! This makes me feel like a slacker. But I have a very active 18month old that loves to keep me very busy! I feel like I must be doing something wrong?!
I don't get very many orders any way, the most has been 2 a week... what do you working ladies making cakes on the side charge per serving?

Well, I'm a nut....I have a full time job, a 6 yr old and custody of my 2 teeneage sisters 14 & 16 - Plus I just opened my shop by appt. only. I'm a single mom but have help from my sisters who are wonderful. But after this one going to work, this one has soccer, the other one has dance....it gets a little crazy.

The last 3 weekends I've had at least 4 cakes in a weekend due. This week I have 3 on Sat., cupcakes Sunday and a cake Monday. I'm starting out so I need to learn when to say No!

Usually Monday thru wed, it's pretty relaxed around here ( Iuse those days to try NOTE the word "try" to get the house cleaned up and stuff organized) then on Thursdays I try to get all the baking done and then on Friday decorate and Saturday deliveries, sometimes on a sat. night I'll have a couple more cakes to decorate for Sunday. I rarely get orders for cakes on Monday,tues,or wed. which is fine by me cuz the Saturday rush for cakes is enough. I do anywhere from 3-8 cakes every week. It's just me doing them in my house with 3 kids, and an oven that cooks unevenly so I have to babysit the cakes and I only have one cake pan for each size so I'm constantly baking the whole day on Thursday!!! One cake at a time. Takes forever!! One day I hope to have my own shop and look back and think hah, how did I do it...now I can bake like 10 cakes at once LOL! I wish!

I work 40hrs a week and I have a 21/2 yr old little girl. My comfort zone is no more then 3 in a week but 2 is very nice! I have done 4 in a week a couple times and that is just to crazy for me and not enough sleep!!! I have a little girl who loves to try to "help" so I like to wait till she goes to bed to do a lot of the decorating! I have trouble saying no to cakes!

My name is Suze - and I can't say NO!!

I too work 40 hours a week -- however both youngins are in college with only 1 of them home for summers and a few weekends now -- so that helps tremendously!

I had 2 wedding cakes and 1 grooms cake last Saturday.

This week was an easy week - 1 8" cake and a 3/4 sheet cake!

However - next week is an 8" cake, a cake cut, carved & decorated as '70', 1 full sheet, 20 dozens petit fours, a half sheet, a 2 tier 6" & 10" cake and 12 dozen decorated sugar cookies! So I will spend the majority of the weekend baking and prepping ahead for the week to come! Plus week after next is not looking very easy either.

But I do enjoy it - alot and hope one day when the boss retires that I will have enough customers to do cakes only!

Oh - and do you want to hear a funny one?? We just acquired a used dual wall oven (for free) - DH has mounted it on a 'roll around stand' and is installing its own outlet in the garage so that I can 'pull' it out and use it when I have those heavy baking weeks (like the one coming up!)! Then park it back out of the way when its not needed! Is that redneck or what!!LOL!!

The most I take on for a week is 5 (this includes dessert orders) That makes life hectic. I prefer to do only 3 a week. I look at my schedule for what I have to do and then set the number. I've burned myself a few times by not looking carefully enough and was booked and didn't realize it. I double check now.
I'm a stay at home mom to 4 (ages 8,6, soon to be 5 and 3) so they keep me crazy busy. My DH runs his own business and sometimes I have to do leg work for him. I don't have as much time as I would like but I'm getting there, the main thing is having a plan and making sure I follow through.
Once all of my kids are in school I'll have more time to focus hopefully.
Well, I better get off CC now, I have 2 cakes do tomorrow with an order of chocolate dipped strawberries, and oreo truffles I have to finish.

How are you counting "a" cake? Do you mean single tier birthdays? Do you count a 4-tier wedding cake as "a" cake or as 4 cakes?

Makes a diff in the cake count and the time involved.

I'm just glad I don't have the full time job anymore. I dont' know how I did it and there is no way I could go back to doing it.

My sheets are all 1 layer. When I gave the 8", 6" and 10" those are 2 layers and/or tiered. I swear I live in sheetcake county -- but if I discuss torting, filling or stacking a sheetcake -- my customers get this scared shocked look on their faces -- like I am speaking alien or something!!LOL!!

The wedding cakes I did last weekend -- one was 4 - tiered (14", 12" 8" 6") and one was 3 (14", 10", 6") - tiered. The grooms cake was just a 10" round with a logo on top in fondant.

After my 40-hr day job, I do my 40-hr night job! I get home around 4pm and take about an hour off...then get to work and usuall don't quit until 11 pm.

The most I've done besides a wedding is 9 sheet cakes for graduations. That was too much!

This week I totally overbooked myself also. I have 3 cakes going out tomorrow, one on Monday, 3 on Tuesday, 3 on Friday and a wedding on Saturday...plus I'm out of town all day on Wednesday for a Stevie Nicks concert! yikes

There will be some pretty late nights coming up.

geesh, sunlover, I'm tired just reading about yoru schedule!