Customer Wants Grey Colored Icing And Black Roses...

Decorating By Kiddiekakes Updated 16 Nov 2010 , 7:59pm by 808hedda

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Kiddiekakes Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 2:22pm
post #1 of 21

I have a customer whose Gala theme is silver and black...She wants the cake to be grey BC icing..(Which I will attempt to spray silver with my airbrush.)I told her several times that the metallic silver will not look like it does on fondant.She does not want fondant or to pay the price of fondant.. icon_rolleyes.gif so I am sure it will look okay but she also want black roses..I tried to deter her from that as I said it reminds me of a funeral..I suggested white...Absolutely not....No White...so what can I do so this cake doesn't look so morbid...I'm not doing black BC roses..At first she wanted the whole cake black BC until I told her all their teeth would be black... icon_razz.gif I am going to make fondant leaves and either spray or paint those silver but any more ideas.??It is a very simple cake with not much embellishment...just border and flowers..


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20 replies
-K8memphis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-K8memphis Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 2:31pm
post #2 of 21

I don't know. I was watching the Just Desserts Top Chef tv show competition between pastry chefs and one chick did a grey anniversary cake for SLYVIA WEINSTOCK OH MY GOSH.

I mean it's food. Grey food is not appealing. Sylvia said 'battleship grey'. But interestingly enough the chick won the challange because the others stunk a little more in other areas. Hers tasted great. And was truly awesome looking, just grey. Sylvia wore a grey suit when she got married 61 years ago.

Anyhow--so long as you have advised how dismal it's gonna look-- go for it! It's what she wants.

I mean she wouldn't be swayed over to brown would she? That's what I always try. But if not--make it the coolest grey cake ever! What about marbled?

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Classycakes Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 2:58pm
post #3 of 21

Two weeks ago, I did a wedding cupcake display. The bride's colours were grey and a mixture of lime and dark green. I thought the display was going to look horrible but I was really surprised because the grey buttercream swirl was beautiful. It actually was one of the nicest displays I've done to date.

I just added a touch of black to my buttercream to get the grey colour, didn't spray them but added silver dragees.

Sometimes you picture a colour combination in your head and you think it's going to be awful. But when you get all the finishing touches on, it looks just beautiful. You might be surprised!

I guess the bottom line is if that is what she wants, you just do your best to provide it. I'm sure you will do an amazing job!

Good luck!

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vagostino Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 3:20pm
post #4 of 21

I will do a very pale gray, kind of stainless steel gray (but not metallic), the black roses, and then I will pipe very delicate dots or borders in silver, to add sparkle. Also, i would ask her if she wants non edible crystals and maybe you can add those center crystals pins that they have in bouquets sometimes. They are metal pins so you need to be very careful that they know to remove them.

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Unlimited Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 3:22pm
post #5 of 21

Maybe she'd go for gray roses that are tipped black.

You could use a black icing plug in your pastry bag to prevent the black color from mixing with the gray.

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Classycakes Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 3:42pm
post #6 of 21

Black fondant roses would be beautiful too - just another option!

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cakesmart Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 3:51pm
post #7 of 21

Perhaps adding a little silver luster dust to the roses would liven them up a bit.

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Win Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 3:52pm
post #8 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiddiekakes

I have a customer whose Gala theme is silver and black...She wants the cake to be grey BC icing..(Which I will attempt to spray silver with my airbrush.)I told her several times that the metallic silver will not look like it does on fondant.She does not want fondant or to pay the price of fondant.. icon_rolleyes.gif so I am sure it will look okay but she also want black roses..I tried to deter her from that as I said it reminds me of a funeral..I suggested white...Absolutely not....No White...so what can I do so this cake doesn't look so morbid...I'm not doing black BC roses..At first she wanted the whole cake black BC until I told her all their teeth would be black... icon_razz.gif I am going to make fondant leaves and either spray or paint those silver but any more ideas.??It is a very simple cake with not much embellishment...just border and flowers..


Thanks icon_wink.gif




I am just wondering if it is not wisest to simply give the customer what she wants? You can certainly go light on the grey/silver (personally, I would not attempt to use my money on spraying the cake with metallic silver --like you said it's just not the same on buttercream.) Remember it darkens as it sits, so stop a shade or two lighter than you think you need. I see no problem making the roses black. It's a sharp contrast. Make the border black as well. Rather than a bunch of small roses, why not a few large roses instead? "Statement Roses," --that's what I'd call them. When it's finished, use hologram disco dust and sprinkle it all over to give it a bit of shine when the light catches it. It could be gorgeous...

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mareg Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 4:05pm
post #9 of 21

I made a pewter color RI and BC for a wedding cake. The RI I dusted with black luster dust and the BC was black with a hint of violet. It came out really pretty. Granted the whole thing was not grey but I was happy with ( a s so was the couple) with the colors.

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newmansmom2004 Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 4:22pm
post #10 of 21

I say give the customer what she wants. Period. You've already tried to suggest other options and she's not interested so go with the gray icing and black roses.

It's hard when they ask for something that you feel will be a disaster, but if they're paying for the cake they should get exactly what they want.

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SummerSweets Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 6:45pm
post #11 of 21

You might try putting some of that beaded floral wire in with the roses. That might help make it more elegant and less funeral looking. I also would try some silver luster dust on the black roses. And some pearl accents or boarder. I think it will actually turn out looking really nice.

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sweetooth0510 Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 7:00pm
post #12 of 21

I've done a few wedding cakes with black roses and black ribbon, they look quite stunning. To seperate the 'black mass' look of the roses I have threaded white pearl beads in between to lift them. Since your client has a silver/black theme you could put a bit of thin silver ribbon in amongst the roses, I think you will be surprised how good it looks. I would also maybe add a black satin ribbon to the base of the tier to cut the grey.

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playingwithsugar Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 7:10pm
post #13 of 21

We had black piped roses on my sister's wedding cake. Just a few, placed here and there. It was lovely.

Are you using a crusting bc? And I am wondering if the gray frosting behind the silver would make it too dark.

I would experiment briefly with a cake board, white frosting on 1 side, gray on the other, then spray and see which looks better. JMO.

Theresa icon_smile.gif

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Chasey Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 7:35pm
post #14 of 21

Would she compromise with fondant ribbon roses made out of silver and black and some completely black?

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=711183

You could use some grey fondant and black fondant to make the ribbon rose and then brush the finished rose with silver luster dust.

Could you marble the buttercream to a mostly grey with white? Would she go for that and for some two toned roses? It would add dimension to an otherwise stark grey vs black accented cake.

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Kiddiekakes Posted 15 Nov 2010 , 11:29pm
post #15 of 21

Thanks everyone...Some great ideas and suggestions!!I guess when I do it I will play around.I mught make some easy fondant roses in black and see how they work out.

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Michelle84 Posted 16 Nov 2010 , 12:16am
post #16 of 21

Why should the customer have to compromise? She's paying for the cake, and it's not like she's asking for something insanely hard or impossible. Make her a grey cake with black roses - I really don't see the big deal?
icon_smile.gif

-K8memphis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-K8memphis Posted 16 Nov 2010 , 1:01am
post #17 of 21

The big deal is that grey food is seriously unappealing. We eat with our eyes first.

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theonlynameleft Posted 16 Nov 2010 , 1:18am
post #18 of 21

I reckon that it could potentially look really stunning, maybe try & keep the grey a lighter "dove grey" type shade. You have given her your professional opinion that you don't think the colours will work so she can't say she wasn't warned LOL!

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TexasSugar Posted 16 Nov 2010 , 7:06pm
post #19 of 21

I've made some cakes in gray and no one had a problem eating them. I think it is a theme that could be done well.

In the end, if the customer doesn't want to change their mind, you either do what they want or you pass on the cake.

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silverdragon997 Posted 16 Nov 2010 , 7:40pm
post #20 of 21

Here's a cake that's all dark grey but still looks stunning:

celebration generation. com/BlogPics/Goth1.jpg (without the spaces)

Granted, it's done in fondant. Black roses on it instead of grey would probably make it look a little more goth, but I don't think it would look like it belonged at a funeral.

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808hedda Posted 16 Nov 2010 , 7:59pm
post #21 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unlimited

Maybe she'd go for gray roses that are tipped black.

You could use a black icing plug in your pastry bag to prevent the black color from mixing with the gray.




Sorry to interject, but what is an icing plug if you dont mind?

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