I did a cake for 400 people with another cake friend of mine. We did a 14/10/6 inch round layers...top tier separated with pillars and flowers in between. I think we had 6 or 8 8inch rounds going around the main cake all with fresh flowers on top. The main cake was raised up a bit as well. Then we also had 3 extra large sheet cakes that were cut in the kitchen.

I did most of the work...and it was really not that hard at all. I baked the cakes ahead of time and froze it. I have lots of freezer and refrigerator space though so that was no issue baking in advance.

Good luck!

You can do it... I'd sell the smaller cake with kitchen cakes option to her. That way you can do a 250-ish servings main cake and two 11x15 kitchen cakes (4" tall and filled).

Whoa, Alligot, and LorieM, and Indy Indy--y'all outdid yourselves--way amazing--And Alli's with the scallops around the bottom--that's how I did my behemoth 600 serving masterpiece that I'd share a proud picture of, but my brother, ace camera-guy, forgot to remove the lens cap. Little terd.

But I mean to me if you're gonna provide a zillion servings show 'em all. If you got it flaunt it, yes?

LorieM, what about an upside down cake???

We did a cake (1 of three weddings that weekend) for 500. But the bride decided to split the difference between the wedding and grooms cakes. But we also have a large oven in our shop.
Pics are on the website www.EdibleEleganceTex.com click on the June picts. its the 1st wedding and grooms on that page. Sorry I don't know how else to put the link.
http://www.edibleelegancetex.com/html/June%202009.htm
I'd say ask friends to help you and go for it. Just think thats 400 people that will see YOUR WORK. Thats a lot of word of mouth. Chasity Russell

I did one to serve 400 last October. http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1272309.html We transported it in our Expedition along with the 400 red velvet cupcakes in boxes for the groom's "cake". I used SPS for the entire cake, stacked the bottom 4 for transport, then added the top 2 once we got to the site....it was really not that big of a deal....which I can say now after spending countless sleepless nights worrying about the darn thing !!! You should definitely go as big as possible...Fabulous for your portfolio!!!!

I did a wedding for a friend over 20 years ago, it was my 3rd or 4th wedding to do. Arranged in a horseshoe pattern, She had a 5 tiered round monstrosity in the center then around that on each side were 2-4 tieired cakes, then on the outside of that 2-3 tiered cakes, then on the outside of those 2 tiered cakes then two single tiered satellite cakes, so a total of 25 tiers the largest tier on the 5 tier was 22" (22/18/14/10/6) then each cake around knocked out the bottom tier so the 2-4 tiered were 18/14/10/6 then the 2-3 tiered were 14/10/6, the 2-2 tiered cakes were 10/6 and the two satellites were 8". Each tier was a different flavor/filling combination. It took me forever to do! Oh and because this was in the mid 80's each one was seperated tiers, super tall! It served over 1350 people and yes she had that many people at her wedding!

Now don't shoot me when I tell you I was only paid $400 to do this cake. The bride was, and still is to this day a close friend infact the entire family is still close friends, and she bought all the ingredients too. Now mind you this was WAAAYYY back in 1984, I was preggers with my first at the time, and prices were much cheaper back then, so I did not feel slighted at all when she gave me $400 over and above the cost of ingredients. By today's standards of my pricing, I would receive from joe blow off the street $8487.50 plus a minimum delivery/set up charge of $150 (more depending on milage)...LOL!

I wish I still had photos of this, but my now ex accidentally threw out the box that had all my cake albums back in 97 when we moved into a new home. He thought the box was trash, and my friend can't find her wedding photos either. She keeps looking though, she thinks they got put in storage.

Here are some of the big cakes I have made. They each will serve more than 250. Add extra satellites or kitchen cakes. It will be a huge amount of work for sure! Good luck w/your decision.

Of course this was not a wedding cake but set-up might give you some ideas: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1383530
This one served abut 350-355: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1370480

This one can be upped from the 356 servings shown by adding a 6" to each satellite for another 20-24 servings: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1357611

265 servings in this one. Add kitchen cake for the difference. One 12x18x4 kitchen cake will serve 108.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=53839

Kristi,

You can definitely pull it off! I'm so excited for you, it's great to hear that word is getting out about your cakes! You're going to be very successful!

Congratulations cake buddy

I did a single cake that served 520, and another single cake that served 600. With a wedding that large, I think you have to go for the drama.

What I do for the bottom tier is jam four squares together to make a bigger square, then cut two rounds to jam up against the sides of the square. It makes sort of a petal and you can add a lot of servings in that bottom tier.

It depends on what I have going on, but I could drive up and help you too girl... you can totally do this!!

Awwww~ you are all so sweet! Although, I'd hardly call myself an "expert".

Right now what I'd really like is a "murphy kitchen", if that's even possible. A few fold down walls with shelving and acres of counter space and a hidden refrig. Wouldn't that be nice?

Sounds like a party..........we can call ourselves "Red Sox Nation Bakers"

If Jeanne comes she'll be our expert Kristi..........auntmamie that was very sweet of you btw!

Auntmamie~ thank you. I hope to make it to your gorgeous state someday soon. Rolling hills and mountains... what else could you ask for?

I'd only had my license a matter of weeks when I got a call for 450 servings, one month away. In the end they added another sheetcake making it 500 servings. We did a 4 tier mixed shape wedding cake that could be delivered already stacked and 5 sheetcakes. It was a TON of cake but even in my tiny kitchen it worked. What helped me was that the sheetcakes had jam filling so they didn't need refridgeration; then I could frost them and shelve them until delivery time. With organization it's possible--good luck!!

At my sons awads ceremony I had volunteered to bring the cake and they requested I feed 250. It's a good thing I over compensate because something told me there would be more...there were 102 kids to start. By the time we added up parents, siblings, grandparents, coaches and friends it was near the 400 mark. We actually had the equivalent of 1 and 1/2 sheet cakes left over and I sent them home with the coaches family. I work from my home and it was a tight fit but it can be done!

I did a cake for 124. . .but had the cake I made been done in all cake, it would've served 412!!! The bottom two tiers and the "barrel" was also 2 12" dummies that were supposed to be real cake. I decided at 11:30 the night before the wedding that there was no way that I could A) transport it successfully fully decorated and B) nor would I be able to pick it up to hoist it in position without disaster as the two 12" individual cakes were so heavy on their own. They were just put in the kitchen when I delivered it.

So you could replace some of the tiers with dummies and make kitchen cakes, if she wants a huge cake, but storage is awkward. You can do all but the top in styro (so they'll have something to cut) and you'll have more time to work on it, depending on the design she chooses.

I attached a pic of the cake I did. . . can you believe all that for 124 guests???

I think my attachment was too big!

If you search Metallic Majesty, you should be able to find it.

I lived in Vermont for a year and I'd agree... gimme the beach. It's a great place to visit though. Burlington is a cool city though.

And if I can make it work I'm totally there. When would this cake be for? August is a tricky month for me since that's our vacation month and we'll be gone for the first two weeks, but I'd love to help you out. All I ask is for a taste of yoru knock out vegan cakes.

Jeanne~ that is so generous, I'd love to meet you. Thank you. I'm not sure I will do this order, but I'll keep you in mind. You can have all the cake you want ~ although from the look of your website, your cakes are fantastic. ** Your flavor section got the "Pina Colada" song stuck in my head for weeks, and my husband would sing it as a joke. I hate that song...it's such an ear-worm.

August is crazy for me too... I think we're going to have to push going to RI until Sept. Luckily though, all these cakes, except one are just local drop offs before noon.

I really (selfishly) don't want to spend my entire summer making cakes every weekend. I want to be with my family... my daughter is growing up so fast. She is now getting interested in my cakes...
She recently told me I was a good cake "arter" and I was great at "arting". (I love that!)

I asked this question a ways back in the post, but think it got lost with all of the amazing photos posted...

What are kitchen cakes, how do you serve/cut them, and how do you charge for them in comparison to the actual wedding cake?

Thanks