500 mini 2 tier cakes!!! YIKES! I have a possible client who is wanting to have this done for her wedding.
They will be served as the dessert at her wedding, so they can't be ridiculously tiny, but not too big either.
Worst of all, she wants each tier to be one flavour (I'm thinking that's not going to happen for 500)! Can you imagine doing a 1" and 2" tier 500x? So scary!
Anyhow, I predict to have them done nicely (covered in fondant) with even the simplist decoration, this will be a weeklong job. I estimated $8 per cake minimum, but I think more like $10 per.
What do you think and what would be the best way to make them all (so it's fast and efficient?
my goodness! 500??? wow. i get stressed out making just a few of those! For me, they are hard to manage. I have the mini tier set... i think the pans are 4, 3 and 2" BUT, what if you did one mini tier in cake and the top tier as a dipped oreo? I've seen this before. let me see what i can find.......
i think this is more like a @ week job! you'll be baking for days!!!
ok... what if the bottom tier is actually a fondant covered cupcake??
(thinking out loud here)
oh.. and DEFINITELY $10 at the very least.
You could bake a sheet cake and then cut 1" and 2" rounds anf then cover them in fondant... faster than baaking each individual tier!!!
http://www.countrykitchensa.com/whatshot/minicake.aspx
i found this site. looks helpful!!!! 
500 is more than one person can do alone. Think about it. Think about applying the fondant to the first 50, then the next 50 and the next 50 and the next 50 and the next 50 and the next 50 and we're only up to 300.
Where are you going to put them? How will you package them? Think about packagining up the first 50, then the next 50, you know where I'm going with this.
A different flavor for each tier? She's up to $20 per cake now.
You've estimated this will take you a week. Do you really want to deliver week-old cake?
Unless I had a staff and kitchen space as far as the eye can see, I'd run like the wind from this order. Or charge at least $15 apiece, not including delivery.
Good luck! Can't wait to see what you decide to do!
I would definatelly go with making jelly rolls cutting with your circles and freezing them two weekd in andvance , you could put a nice filling on each circle to give a good flavor, then for the mass production I would have in advance royal icing decorations or something that the bride wants but with a four week in advance, and then the week of pouring fondant, I woudl have two or three people help in pouring fondant over the tiered circles. It can be done, but what you mostly need is organization and planning
with that in mind for $10 x 500 I would definetlly go for it!!
good luckm hope your client decides on your service and I know that you can make it you are the cupcakequeen lol!!!!
Happy baking!!!!
Adriana
that is a lot. 
huge sheet pans, circle cutters and poured fondant.
I have a shop and I dont even think I would attempt to do these without help and I would charge 25.00 each!
Oh, I know, it's absolutely crazy. For sure I'd have to call in the troops for help. I would never take on such a task alone. Would lose all the hairs on my head by the end of it...
Storing them is a HUGE issue (I bake out a commercial kitchen, but even so, where on earth do you store them?
Even if I could convince her to do just single tiered mini cakes (like 2 or 3") 500 is still an insane amount.
The cake would absolutely have to be baked (and frozen) at least a week in advance. As much I love to provide fresh cakes, it wouldn't be doable... especially for the amount and the size of the cakes.
Thanks for all your help! I'll certainly let you know if I decide to take this on or not. Organization and Planning indeed!!
Just thought it was funny because when she had called me, she mentioned that NO one would take the order (not even a family member who owns a bakery)! So funny
is there any way to talk the bride into maybe doing a bigger mini tier (like 6,4,2) for each table instead of 500 cakes? then she could get out of centerpieces! the cakes would be the centerpiece for each table. even then, you're talking maybe 50 cakes but you wouldnt lose as much hair!
Oh I would do it. Just think that is 500 people who will get to see and taste your work! Plus the money sounds great.
I think it would be pretty easy to do if you made sheet cakes and used cutters. Use poured icing and have all the flowers made ahead of time.
I would buy the boxes they have on that web site posted here. Keep frozen until ready to ice. Do several a day for a week and freeze them then thaw out when ready to deliver.
Go for it!
Centerpieces cakes sounds like an good alternative.
Now, even her family member with a bakery wouldn't touch the order...you have to realize that 500 mini cakes are more than the bakery can handle..that's like..1,000 little cakes if they are 2 tiers even.
Not working out of your own kitchen would make me feel that I wouldn't be able to give the 500 mini cakes all my attention to detail to do a good job.
But, if you decide to do this...Iwish you luck and please post the pics!
Cupcakequeen -
for what you will be earning, you can afford to rent a freezer for two weeks. Do the job, by all means. What sizes are you going to make the tiers? How tall will they be? Must they be decorated, or just covered with some type of icing? If you are decorating these, or putting them on gold boards or providing boxes, you definitely need to charge more than $10.
Theresa
I would do I mock up of say 25 cakes to see how long it would take, how much space, cost, etc. Then you would have a better estimation of what it would take and what you should charge.
Does the bride have any idea of where she would put all these cakes at her reception??
I really like the centerpiece idea. I would definitely do the fondant decorations ahead of time.
cakesbykellie...I like the alternative of having cake centrepieces. Still a lot of work, but certainly a teeny tiny bit less tedious 
anorris3, that's a great idea to try it out.
The poured fondant thing seems faster, but the cakes would still have to be crumbcoated smoothly to hide any imperfections. She mentioned that her sister tried to make them covered in ganache and it just didn't look nice. (because of all the imperfections you can see through if not iced smoothly).
The money would sure be nice...if any of you lived in my neck of the woods up in Canada, I'd hire you to help out just for the event! LOL.
if there were centerpieces, the banquet staff would cut it. they are probably charging her a cake cutting fee anyway no matter what the cake is (except for the wee little tiered cakes). Think of this, try decorating 500 cookies..... TEDIOUS. I just cant imagine 500 mini tiered cakes.
if you decide to do the mini tiers, definitely dont go less than $10/each especially since no one will touch this order! if she has her heart set on this, you may be her only hope!!!
Oh wow! I can't imagine doing 500 mini cakes! Please let us know what you decide.
Holy Cow! 500 of anything is tedious. A center piece cake for each table or sheet cakes cut with circle cutters, would be the least time consuming. I don't know, a bright smile and "No" might be very difficult but in the end, the best thing to do. Maybe she could divide the order between two bakers?? Best of luck with whatever you decide.
I'm a sucker - I'd probably do it. Do a trial run, bake 2 sheet cakes, one of each flavor, then see how long it takes and how many you get out of a set of sheets. Then you should be able to see if it is do-able. Maybe they can be slighty larger and make 250 and the couples at the wedding split them? Single guests get a bonus I guess!
Use the large icing tip to do the sides and I bet you could get an assembly line going. Oh boy good luck!
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