A little background. I am currently finishing up Wilton Course 3. I have my final cake next week (example here: http://www.wilton.com/classes/local_classes.cfm#method_course3 )
and then I'm leaving for Oregon the next day. I didn't want to waste a 10" round and a 6" round worth of cake and we have no family nearby to share it with, so I've been racking my brain to find a home for my cake . I sent an email out to the Moms Club that I'm a part of asking if anyone would like a free two-tier cake. I had one taker who will be picking it up at my house Wednesday morning. I emailed her a picture of the style of cake the final cake is and told her I was planning on making it red, white and blue for July 4th, but that she was welcome to change the colors if she wanted to. I also told her that she could pick the flavors. I just talked to her on the phone and she says she doesn't care what I do with it as long as it tastes good. They have no allergies. She also repeated several times that she wants to compensate me for my time . I told her (again) that this is for a class and it definitely won't be perfect. BTW, I've never met this woman. I'm new to the Moms Club and she doesn't attend frequently. Oh, and she wants to freeze it and use it for a triple birthday party on July 4th. I am scared (and excited) on so many levels. So here are my bazillion questions:
1. How do I package the cakes to send with her?
2. This cake has pillars in it. Do I redesign it to remove the pillars, since I won't be available to set it up AND she wants to freeze it, or do I just show her how to put the pillars in for the day of the party?
3. What flavors should I make? She has no preference as long as it's "good", but it is going to be frozen so it needs to be something that freezes well.
4. If she does insist on paying me when she comes to pick up the cake, what should I do? Take the money? Refuse? I don't handle money situations with family well, let alone someone I've never met. YIKES! And I've never given a cake away. Not even to family. Can you tell I'm really nervous about this? Oh, boy!
Thanks!

Becca

I would send the cakes in boxes. You can get the cardboard cake boxes at Hobby Lobby, or ask your local grocery store bakery if you can buy a couple of their plastic snap-together cake containers (you know, the ones they sell the round cakes in).

As far as the pillars go, you should probaby put the top tier on a cardboard circle on top of the plate, rather than directly on the cake, and then just take the cake apart for transport and fitting in her freezer (assuming that you'll have to assemble it for the class). Leave the dowels in the cake and explain to the customer how to put the pillars together.

For the flavor, try the WASC recipe here. It's really hard to go wrong with that one

And if she tries to pay you, tell her that she is doing you a favor by taking the cake because you had to make it for the class, and that she can't pay you...but not to worry, if she ever orders a cake in the future you'll be glad to take her money for that one.

Don't forget to make arrangements to get your pillars and plates back.