I Guess We Don't Offer A Special Service
Business By cai0311 Updated 20 Apr 2010 , 10:54am by JohnnyCakes1966
Wait....WHAT??!! Anyone can make a cake??? Have they SEEN Cakewrecks?? Whatever, some people just don't get it!
P.S.- This is one reason why so many people think they can go into the cake business illegally!!!!
There seems to be a bit of contradiction in the first half of the article. She suggests that people take classes and practice, practice, practice. That takes time and money and time. If you are in a hurry find a qualified cake decorator--they are well worth the price!
lol... yeah they start by saying so simple anyone can do it... then they say... just with a few classes u can do it... the it's ohh btw... pratice practice practice.... wait a minute..... so the anyone can do it means.... TAKE CLASSES.... PRATICE... then make it... ok so then BECOME A BAKER.... lol talk about talking without thinking!
The article really isn't THAT bad. Take this quote, for example:
"At a wedding -- or even at a big anniversary or birthday -- cake is more than plush layers and sweet frosting. It is an edible symbol of the beauty of life, shared or just well-lived. Making it requires construction, artistry and experience. Leave the job to the pros when you're expecting a lot of guests.
But not every occasion is large -- or formal. For a more intimate or low-key affair, a homemade cake might not be as forbidding as it sounds. "
I mean they have a point--not every occasion DOES require a fancy, custom creation made by a professional. I mean if we didn't make cakes, how many of our kids would actually have these amazing creations for their seventh birthday? I know mine wouldn't (I couldn't afford my own prices, frankly lol ). Not to say I don't think my work is worth every penny, but not every occasion needs the bells and whistles--and my daughter prefers ice cream cake from Coldstone anyway lol. And how many of us got started in decorating for this very reason??
This passage is also good:
" 'If you're already a baker, there isn't any reason you can't do it,' said Shaffer. The same could be true, she added, for someone who loves baking and picks up some solid skills in cake classes. That's where you can learn which cakes and frostings can be frozen or refrigerated ahead of time, how to put together a production timetable and gather equipment.
Practice, practice, practice can be delicious, delicious, delicious.
'You have to have a degree of confidence," said Shaffer. "It's a special occasion.' "
The author isn't saying anyone can open up a box of betty crocker and turn out something as good as Sylvia Weinstock, just that if you have a few skills or are willing to practice, you can still make yourself or your family a pretty nice cake.
I still don't understand why its such a crime to pay good money for what took a cake decorator HOURS of work...but nobody ever complains about paying the dressmaker, the wedding planner, the caterer, the florist, the DJ, or even the ice sculptor!
I mean for all that..have grandma sew your dress...have your sister plan your wedding....have your mom cater...your aunt do the flowers...your uncle be the DJ and your cousins be the band...and have great grandma bring her secret recipe cake to the reception.
If you DON'T want to do that...then don't complain about paying the professionals...because they ARE professionals!
lol Kita Technically... U CAN DO EVERYTHING fo ryour wedding or party... so why pick on the cake...
u can buy a pattern and make ur dress...
get recipes and cook the food...
buy crafts and make the party favors....
pleaseeeee gimme a break
hey don't go on a honeymoon... just fill ur tub with water and call it a date....
Its like two people took two contradicting articles, folded it together like shuffling a deck of cards, and called it an article....?
"...cakes are getting taller and taller....also trends toward simplicity..." ---wow, that covers a lot of ground, so cakes can be big OR small...wow, ok....good..
" ...sugar letters can be bought, or can be made..." ---NO WAY....you can make OR buy them?...they don't just appear??
"...cupcakes can be made at home....or purchased from specialists...." ---WHOA....again?? make OR buy, the key here is that cupcakes are ...a ...desert... Excellent!
"Or just buy a plain, frosted cake of good quality..." Is there such an animal?? 
TJCanadian: HAHAHAHAHA too funny!!! I am just having a blast with this...
I'm feeling a little punchy this morning hehehe...here for your entertainment pleasure.
But not every occasion is large -- or formal. For a more intimate or low-key affair, a homemade cake might not be as forbidding as it sounds. "
[/i]
FORBIDDING as it sounds? Shouldn't journalists be . . . oh, I don't know . . . LITERATE? I guess at least they're practicing what they preach - anybody can write a news article, anybody can make a cake . . .
Eh, Forboding, Forbidding. Same diff.
"Usually, it's $5.99 and up, depending on the kind of cake," said Bev Shaffer, cooking teacher at Mustard Seed Market and author of the upcoming, "Cakes to Die For" from Pelican Books.
I live in NE Ohio. Granted, not in Cleveland where the article is based, I did get married in downtown Cleveland three years ago. I called several bakeries in the area to find out their pricing. Only one charged close to what the person being interviewed said is the usual. It is only the usual because she works at Mustard Seed and they charge an arm and leg for everthing.
In all honesty, I think the article is one of the better of its kind. At least it mentions that classes are a good idea and practicing is a must. What I hate is when I get a request for a cake for a small gathering only to be told they are instead going to try it themselves because they read an article about how easy it is to decorate your own cake. Then the day before the party the woman calls me back crying because, you know what, it isn't that easy to decorate a two tiered cake with fondant ladybugs, grass, caterpillars, butterfies and flowers when you have never done any of those this before and wants to know if I am still available to do the cake. Sure, but instead of the $100 i quoted you it is now $300 because I will up all night making the cake for the party tomorrow.
Did anyone read the tips for dressing up a simple cake? here's on of them " Decorate with fresh flowers. Use only edible and organic blooms. Cut a hole in the cake wide enough for a shot glass that can hold water and the number of stems you'd like to use. Or find streamlined plastic holders for individual stems at craft stores selling Wilton brand cake-decorating products."
Can anyone see the cakes falling apart from so many shot glasses jammed in the cake? lol
I did a blog article about how much it would cost to do your own wedding cake, and once you add everything in it wasn't any cheaper than hiring someone, and you have to add the stress of doing it on top of that.
I just had one bride email me and say that she had thought about making her own cake, but after a couple of tries she's hiring someone. If people try they'll change their minds fast if they really can't do it. Then we can charge them a rush fee
But not every occasion is large -- or formal. For a more intimate or low-key affair, a homemade cake might not be as forbidding as it sounds. "
[/i]
FORBIDDING as it sounds? Shouldn't journalists be . . . oh, I don't know . . . LITERATE? I guess at least they're practicing what they preach - anybody can write a news article, anybody can make a cake . . .
Eh, Forboding, Forbidding. Same diff.
um...no, it's not. Not to hijack the post, but one of my jobs is in the food media as a journalist.
fore·bode /fɔrˈboʊd, foʊr-/ Show Spelled [fawr-bohd, fohr-] Show IPA verb,-bod·ed, -bod·ing.
verb (used with object)
1.to foretell or predict; be an omen of; indicate beforehand; portend: clouds that forebode a storm.
2.to have a strong inner feeling or notion of (a future misfortune, evil, catastrophe, etc.); have a presentiment of.
for·bid·ding /fərˈbɪdɪŋ, fɔr-/ Show Spelled[fer-bid-ing, fawr-] Show IPA
adjective
1.grim; unfriendly; hostile; sinister: his forbidding countenance.
2.dangerous; threatening: forbidding clouds; forbidding cliffs.
I cannot explain how difficult it is, at times, given my assignments, and my energy level, to meet the needs of the space, the topic and my editors. I just felt like somebody had to be the champion of this journalistic human.
Here's another thought I had after reading this article: The journalist is addressing brides, not cake artists and not cake-shop-owner-wannabes. Her article is not really contradictory from that standpoint. She is pointing out the options for wedding cake, especially if you might not have adequate funding, which, in today's economy, many couples do not.
If I have the choice between going into debt, that I may not have a way of covering after I say, "I do", then I have to make choices somewhere. If my priorities don't lie with the cake, but I still want to have a cake, what are my options? I think this article was fair from that perspective.
"a mock wedding cake for display and serving a budget-friendly sheet cake that is cut and plated in the kitchen." Some use decorated faux layers at the base and a real cake up top for cutting."
Why do people continue to spread this lie? I'm pretty sure we all have read indydebi's article on that one
Every time she mentioned something, my brain went, "cha ching!"
Classes=$$$
Practice=$$$
Specialty cake wrappers=$$$
By the time the big day arrives, more money will have been spent than if they paid a professional to make the cake.
There's another article on there. The description of how to stack books for a cake stand is amazing. Please don't try this with cake unless you have someone standing by the table at all times to catch it:
http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2010/04/tips_for_dressing_up_a_simple.html
Also notable in the article is how the suggestions add cost to the "simple cake."
Cake stands- cha ching!
Fresh flowers- cha ching!
Crystallized flowers- cha ching!
I want to know how they're going to get flowers to stay in a shot glass.
I don't have an issue with a proficient home baker making their own little simple wedding cake, for their small wedding held in their backyard or whatever.
My issue is that reception venues do not serve products that aren't from licenced vendors, so a home-made job is not going to be allowed in most cases. I only wish the journalist had made this important point, in order to save a bakin' bride some potential future grief.
....I just had one bride email me and say that she had thought about making her own cake, .....
i was in my cake shop about 3 weeks ago and there was a young women with a magazine page torn out and buying up everything from numerous pans to a spatula, this was the cake picture she had. she was up to about $300 when i left the store, i felt like tapping her on the shoulder and telling her she might not save any money but she would save herself ALOT of stress to hire a professional
The article really isn't THAT bad. Take this quote, for example:
"At a wedding -- or even at a big anniversary or birthday -- cake is more than plush layers and sweet frosting. It is an edible symbol of the beauty of life, shared or just well-lived. Making it requires construction, artistry and experience. Leave the job to the pros when you're expecting a lot of guests.
But not every occasion is large -- or formal. For a more intimate or low-key affair, a homemade cake might not be as forbidding as it sounds. "
I mean they have a point--not every occasion DOES require a fancy, custom creation made by a professional. I mean if we didn't make cakes, how many of our kids would actually have these amazing creations for their seventh birthday? I know mine wouldn't (I couldn't afford my own prices, frankly lol ). Not to say I don't think my work is worth every penny, but not every occasion needs the bells and whistles--and my daughter prefers ice cream cake from Coldstone anyway lol. And how many of us got started in decorating for this very reason??
This passage is also good:
" 'If you're already a baker, there isn't any reason you can't do it,' said Shaffer. The same could be true, she added, for someone who loves baking and picks up some solid skills in cake classes. That's where you can learn which cakes and frostings can be frozen or refrigerated ahead of time, how to put together a production timetable and gather equipment.
Practice, practice, practice can be delicious, delicious, delicious.
'You have to have a degree of confidence," said Shaffer. "It's a special occasion.' "
The author isn't saying anyone can open up a box of betty crocker and turn out something as good as Sylvia Weinstock, just that if you have a few skills or are willing to practice, you can still make yourself or your family a pretty nice cake.
I agree with you Pink. I think the author has some good points, but that it was a badly organized article with an even worse title.
"Wedding cakes are an art form, but almost anyone can do it" Thats like saying painting the Sistine Chapel is an art, but almost anyone can do it. Yeah maybe anyone could paint the Sistine Chapel, but probably 9 out of 10 times all it would be would be a bunch of stick figures.
Maybe the author needs to add an asterisk. "Wedding cakes are an art form, but almost anyone can do it*"
*As long as you don't care what the cake looks like
I love her reply! I think she summed it up perfectly! 
Thanks 
I felt that since this article came from my own backyard--Cleveland, OH--I wanted any local readers to have a bit of the other side.
I could see some reasonable points in the article, but the biggest danger I see is the minimization of what WE do.
I know that if I have the impression that ANYONE can do something, I might be inclined to try it--or worse yet, feel that it should be CHEAP.
A current example for me is that I'm going to get my DIL a beaded mother's bracelet for mother's day. I don't bead (and I better not start because I know that hobby can be addictive, too!). I saw bracelets that I liked and they ran about $60 w/s+h. I will admit that it crossed my mind to just run to Michael's and buy the supplies. I figured with coupons and tax, maybe $30-40........but I can see this also having AT LEAST a $20 frustration factor built in........
So, I'm trusting this one to the professional and I'm delighted not to have to worry about it 
AND ANY SMART BRIDE WOULD FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT HER WEDDING CAKE 
Off the soapbox--for now!
Rae
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