Sorry I just have to make a comment....I've seen SO many posts on here about doing free cakes as a favor and then getting taken advantage of. I have also done free cakes or discounted for family and friends. And seriously when people think its free they will get as much out of you as they can and as much as you allow. It is rude. It takes all the joy out of it! It's just not fun. I think when we offer to do a cake we should be firm in what we are offering. If someone is on a budget and you're helping out, put limitations. I did a wedding cake for family. I told them I would do the cake at a discount of $1.50 a serving. At least you cover your expenses that way. With this one cake the groom's parents were paying and the bride calls the week before the wedding and decided she wanted different flavors than originally agreed upon. With another family wedding cake I did I gave them the discounted price and I threw in an extra tier for free.
I don't think people realize how much work goes into making a cake and they just think you can whip one out or just add a couple more tiers and it's no big deal. I've heard this comment before, "after all it's just a cake!" If you let people walk all over you, I guarantee they will!

I do 4 free cakes a year... My mom, my dad, my sis and my niece. Thats it. Everyone else pays. The only person that has a say on what thier cake looks like is my niece in that list of freebies.

I do give a discount to family but only once a year as a stated on another post... (and thats only super close family... most still pay nearly full price)

Sometimes if a friend requests a cake and its small enough i will give it as a gift instead of a present.
(only if the gift price was to exceed the price of the cake anyway)
But I never tell them until I get to the party so they don't start adding things lol

Sometimes if a friend requests a cake and its small enough i will give it as a gift instead of a present.
(only if the gift price was to exceed the price of the cake anyway)
But I never tell them until I get to the party so they don't start adding things lol[/quote]


I do the same!

We very rarely do free cakes. We do give away a lot of stuff at our church because I bring leftover "experiments" and such just so they don't sit around for me to eat! But that's mostly stuff like cookies, brownies, etc., not decorated cakes.

We occasionally discount cakes for close friends and family, but they still pay something. We gotta make a living too, ya know!

I only do free cakes/desserts if I offer to make it for something such as a potluck. If I'm solicited to make a dessert I charge full price for family, friends, and coworkers. If it's too short of notice or I'm too busy I don't feel bad about saying no. It's not just the cost of the materials to make the desserts but your time and expertise that people need to pay you for.