I am sorry if this topic has already been discussed. I have search for over an hour and couldn't find anything.
So here are my questions.
1. do you offer sheet cakes for all wedding cakes?
2. do you offer kitchen cakes (undececorated 8 or 10 inch round layers) If so at what price(same as wedding cake price or less)
3. if you offer sheet cakes do you require the main cake to be a certain amount of servings(ie: sheet cakes only for wedding cakes larger than 150 servings)
thanks,
I do not offer sheet cakes at all as I think it is tacky for some guests to get pieces of cake that are obviously not the same as the "real" wedding cake, and I just don't care for sheet cakes anyway.
Because of the limitations of my oven and how large of a cake I can lift myself, the largest bottom tier I do is a 16", so the number of servings I can work into a single tiered cake is limited. Therefore, I do offer kitchen cakes to provide more servings if needed.
My kitchen cakes are 2-layer 12x16 cakes that are the same flavors and fillings as the main cake. When cut, the slices look the same as from the tiered cake. They are iced smooth, but not decorated, and marked with a cutting grid using a plastic impression mat. Since they are not decorated and I think the servings work at a bit smaller than what I figure for the main cake, I give them a slight discount.
The kitchen cake option is only available when also ordering a tiered cake with a minimum of 150 servings (though I'm a little flexible on that depending on the circumstances, but at my discretion).
If someone were to insist on a separate cake, I would think the kitchen cakes would be much nicer for the guests than a sheet cake. The serving size and shape, fillings, etc would be the same for everyone.
I think it would be best if the Bride would just order enough servings between the Bride's cake and Groom's cake to feed her guests. 
-Debbie B.
Since I have flat-pricing ($3/serving regardless of flavor, style or design), they are paying the same for sheets as they are for the tiered cake, so it makes no sense to have a rinky-dink wedding cake and sheets in the back. My brides just get a grand looking wedding cake for the same price as they would a little wedding cake + sheets.
Indydebi,
I agree with you.
I don't understand why a Bride would want part of her guests seated at the same table to have the main cake, while others are eating a sheet cake.
Your flat rate pricing should be a great way for the customer to understand it is just better to make their main cake the size it needs to be to serve all of the invited guests.
I guess my struggle, when I think about potential pricing, came back to the surface a couple of weeks ago when I did my daughter's wedding cake. It was the most difficult cake I had ever made. So, it took a lot more time. (I tend to be on the slow side anyway.)
Do you have "levels" for pricing assigned to the extra difficult cakes? Those that you know will take extra care, measuring, time, etc.
-Debbie B.
Do you have "levels" for pricing assigned to the extra difficult cakes? Those that you know will take extra care, measuring, time, etc.
I've only run into one cake design that merits an add'l charge and that's my City Skyline cake. It took LOTS of chocolate and took me over 4 hours JUST to cut out the skyline.
I do torted and filled sheet cakes as kitchen cakes. (four layers of cake, three of filling) They are the same as the main cake... only not decorated. Once cut and plated, no one knows it wasn't from the main cake.
Do you have "levels" for pricing assigned to the extra difficult cakes? Those that you know will take extra care, measuring, time, etc.
I've only run into one cake design that merits an add'l charge and that's my City Skyline cake. It took LOTS of chocolate and took me over 4 hours JUST to cut out the skyline.
So, when you do that design in the future, or something like it, will you have an additional charge in place for this cake?
-Debbie B.
So, when you do that design in the future, or something like it, will you have an additional charge in place for this cake?
You betcha! The cake at it's regular price, plus a "Premium Design Fee".
The first bride who orders a unique design gets it at regular price for being my prototype and letting me practice on her. After that, I KNOW what's involved and any add'l fees are added from that point forward.
I do torted and filled sheet cakes as kitchen cakes. (four layers of cake, three of filling) They are the same as the main cake... only not decorated. Once cut and plated, no one knows it wasn't from the main cake.
I think that you could make any cake look fantastic. When you say sheet cake, it isn't what the normal person would expect a sheet cake to look like, or for that matter taste like. You are truly a custom cake studio that can do amazing things.
-Debbie B.
I do torted and filled sheet cakes as kitchen cakes. (four layers of cake, three of filling) They are the same as the main cake... only not decorated. Once cut and plated, no one knows it wasn't from the main cake.
I think that you could make any cake look fantastic. When you say sheet cake, it isn't what the normal person would expect a sheet cake to look like, or for that matter taste like. You are truly a custom cake studio that can do amazing things.
-Debbie B.
Debbie... you rock! I've gotta say that you totally made my night! Thank you for your kind words. They really meant a lot to me.
The only time I would do kitchen/sheet cakes is when they were renting a cake dummy for the "grand cake". The reason... I was way to busy to make sheet/kitchen cakes to look nice plus a cake to put on show.
The cae dummy had to be one I had already made and used by other brides.
The bride would always ask "how many other brides had that cake" and I would always answer "I'm not sure but I know they have all been used many times by many other brides so your cake may look like 5 or 500 brides depending on how often it's been rented.
As soon as you tell a bride "5 to 500 brides used that before you" they immediately shut that idea down because they want unique and original never done before and never to be done again.
Oh, and considering that that 14"-er will serve 77... at $3 per thats $231 for way less work than any bday cake. Tho it does cut down on the $$ made on the centerpiece cake, by the time 2am rolls around on the night before its all due you can bet I'm way glad some of its kitchen. 
nefcook21 wrote:
At the risk of sounding stupid...What is the difference between a sheet cake and a kitchen cake?
I'm not sure, but it sounds like a kitchen cake is a round cake that is the same size and shape as the wedding cake, iced but undecorated, and it's in the kitchen until it's served at the wedding. That way the display cake can be smaller and additional servings are in the back, but it's hard to tell what came from the table and what came from the back. Is this correct?
what is the difference between kitchen/sheet cakes aren't they the same cakes just a different shape? I also thought the purpose for these cakes were to cut the cost for the wedding cake. You had the other cakes to supplement but they would be the same flavor. But I never understood this concept any way.
I do torted and filled sheet cakes as kitchen cakes. (four layers of cake, three of filling) They are the same as the main cake... only not decorated. Once cut and plated, no one knows it wasn't from the main cake.
i think this is a smart!!!
Thanks! I like doing them that way and they are easier for the staff to cut than rounds.
I always assumed when people do sheet cakes for the kitchen, they were always 2 sheets stacked with filling, etc. This is what I have always done and weddings that I have been at that did this they have always been layered sheets in the back. I think when people think sheet they think a short square piece. Not mine I do for weddings no one ever knows its the that main wedding cake. Not every bride wants a huge cake so the stacked sheets in the back are a great alternative for them.
I also agree I would rather cut a sheet than a round.
I think most of us agree that we wouldn't do single layer sheets to supplement wedding cake, but what about all those brides who took the advice they saw in a magazine or something and ended up buying cheap sheet cakes from Costco or Sams Club? Do they really think their guests don't notice the difference?? How insulting!
A sheet cake is generally one layer of cake with no filling that is approximately 2" tall and is rectangular in shape.. a kitchen cake is an undecorated cake that is 2 layers of cake (more if torted) with filling and is approximately 4" tall and can be any shape. They are actually quite different in my book.
I make kitchen cakes like peacockplace does..torted and filled so there is four layers of cake with three layers of filling iced smooth with buttercream and if the main cake was covered with fondant then the kitchen cakes are too. I want them to match the main cake in appearance so that once cut no one will know that their piece didn't come from the main cake. I make squares since the only sheetcake pan I own is a 11x15 and the squares allow me to get closer to the amount of servings. Kitchen cakes are $3/serving for buttercream and $4/serving for fondant and are only available when ordering a minimum of 100 servings.
I think most of us agree that we wouldn't do single layer sheets to supplement wedding cake, but what about all those brides who took the advice they saw in a magazine or something and ended up buying cheap sheet cakes from Costco or Sams Club? Do they really think their guests don't notice the difference?? How insulting!
That's why many decorators (myself included) have it in their contract that no other cakes are allowed from any other source. It's to protect the reputation of the baker.
I think most of us agree that we wouldn't do single layer sheets to supplement wedding cake, but what about all those brides who took the advice they saw in a magazine or something and ended up buying cheap sheet cakes from Costco or Sams Club? Do they really think their guests don't notice the difference?? How insulting!
That's why many decorators (myself included) have it in their contract that no other cakes are allowed from any other source. It's to protect the reputation of the baker.
Oh, I know! Actually, I meant how insulting that is to the guests to think they won't notice the difference. But it's insulting to the baker, too!
I also thought the purpose for these cakes were to cut the cost for the wedding cake.
If you have different pricing for wedding sheets vs. wedding cakes, it might be cheaper. But since mine is the same price regardless of the shape, the bride saves nothing by getting chinzy looking sheets to hide from her guests in the back room. For the same money, she can have the grand wedding cake she's always dreamed about.
LOL KoryAK.. I may have to make rounds from now on.. 
Thanks so much for the response ladies.
In my area sheet cakes are single layer and are to supplement the cake and are less expensive to keep cost down.
My price for them is $35(can't really charge much more in this area)
My wedding cake pricing for basic flavors is $1.75 and premium flavors $2.25 I have my kitchen cakes priced at $1.25/serving.
My kitchen cakes are round or square 8 or 10 inch cakes ices with plain borders to supplement the main cake.
I currently offer sheet cakes for wedding cakes over 250 servings but am wondering if that is too high???
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