Has anyone out there done this?! My friend wants to just buy a sheet cake and me make fondant decorations for it. It is a themed cake for bowling and golf for a 70th birthday party to serve 128 people. What would you do in this one instance? Thanks for any help

Why does your friend want to buy the cake from somewhere else? Does she not like your cake? Does she think it will be cheaper buying the cake and then having you decorate (people don't seem to realize the real cost of cake is in the time it takes to decorate)?

I am going to say that 99.45% of people here are going to say that she either needs to buy the cake and decorating from you or nothing at all. You don't want to run into a situation where people hate the taste of the store bought cake and think you made it.

Agree completely...you don't want your name associated with anything that people eat that you can't control the taste of...it's your reputation on the line.

I personally only decorate what I bake. I too, do not want someone thinking a stale grocery store cake was the best I do. I imagine the party chatter to go something like this: "Wow it's too bad she can't bake as well as she decorates....I know...such a shame...I might not be able to decorate as nice but at least mine would taste good..." People won't ask if you baked it as well, they would just assume you did. I would tell your friend, thanks...but it's all or nothing.

I really don't want to just decorate a bought cake either because of the reasons you guys stated above. She probably thinks it will be cheaper for her. Or easier for me. But the really labor intensive work would be the fondant decorations. I won't agree to do it. Doesn't make sense and I certainly don't want anyone judging the cake, thinking I baked it either.

Ya just gotta love "Friends" I personally would not way decorate a cake I didn't bake. The baking time is far less than the decorating and making figures, it may look great but if it taste awful thats what will be remembered for future customers. Best of Luck ! But my vote would be I do it all or I kindly say "Thanks for thinking of me, but I take pride in my work start to finish"

Well I have done it. My friend told me she and her other friends 'love' the taste of a costco cake. So they bought an undecorated costco cake and I did the unique decorations on it. You are correct that the decorating is what takes the time. I let her know up front what it would cost to do just the deco and she was more than willing to pay the price (I have great friends and family, none of the issues you all seem to have). It turned out great, saved me time and I still got paid for the time of the decoration. They LOVED it.

Sweetflowers, I looked at your cakes and they're beautiful. Maybe you want to go into your settings and change it so people can leave their comments? Anyway, thanks for all of your input. She hasn't called me yet today, so I will see what happens. I don't usually do large sheet cakes, so this one time, maybe it would work.

I have done that once before...but not a grocery store cake. A friend of mine is an excellent baker, but not a decorator. She wanted to bake her daughter's birthday cake and wanted me to decorate it for her. I only agreed to do it because I know how good her cakes are. It was actually fun to just decorate without having to bake first!

Thank you Jan! I turned off the comments on purpose, but I appreciate the feedback.

When you talk to your friend, just be very up front, I let my friend know right off the bat that it would be more expensive for her to supply a cake because we all know the decoration is the more expensive part. And it really needs to be something you are comfortable with. Good luck whatever you decide.

Yes, and the other concern I have is not only where she would buy the cake, but the icing and how well my fondant pieces would look on it or how well they would adhere to it. Hopefully, she will ask me do it all. I don't know why this is so hard for me!!

I did it once, also costco cake. For me it was family, and my cousin loves their cake and since it was for her 6 yr old, I figured they wouldn't be cake snobs I also didn't have alot of time for cakes back then so it worked out great for both of us. I probably wouldn't have done it if it were adults eating it though. Good luck. Stick to your instincts!

mayo2222, it sure isn't.. Thank you !!

mayo, I was referring to all the threads I am seeing on here about dealing with family, who won't pay for cake, and friends, who expect it all deeply discounted, as a gift or for free. I see LOTS of those threads on here. I don't have those problems. My friends, family and extended family are great about asking politely, willing to pay and never assuming anything. They know how hard I work so I am really blessed, thus I discount when I can because I love them all, but they don't expect it.

a agree with everyone else, if this was for your family then ok sure but you may not know all the people at the party and like everyone said, you don't want your name attached to a cake that may end up awful.
i had a friend who did this but she was making a cake for her baby sister's birthday, she not serious about decorating and waited till the night before to do everything, she totally ruined the cake and had to run out and buy a plain white sheet from sam's club when they first opened so she wouldn't show up with out a cake.

Whew! So I just got a call from my friend and all is well I am going to bake and decorate the whole cake, so that's perfect. Thanks for everyone's input. I shouldn't have worried so much about it.

Glad to hear that it all worked out. I cake just for fun for family and friends when I feel like it...hobby only.....even so, I wouldn't decorate a cake that originated elsewhere.

Thanks Julie MN. I'm doing cakes for friends and family for a hobby, which I love. Don't think I could do this as a business at this time, but I'm sure enjoying it now. Lots of Grandkids to bake for too 16 as a matter of fact now.

Yes, lots of practice and everyone of them is a guinea pig for me and my new ideas!!! Since they're free, they can't complain.