Tis the season for graduation cakes and I just have to laugh!! "Ok... he's into soccer, jazz, swimming and loves to read. He's graduating from (insert school) but he will be going to, (insert next school) Oh, and his favorite teacher was his first grade teacher Mrs.(insert name). No, I don't need a big cake, it's just family so a cake for like 20 people will be fine." (insert crazy laugh here) Lady, that cake will look like someone with ADHD made it!! (no offense intended) And how in the world am I suppose to get all of that on there?? Where did I put that magic wand...........

I always struggle with that too! I'm a people-pleaser and want to give people what they want. A few times I've made the over embellished, busy cakes, and as I knew I would, I ended up hating them and didn't even bother to photograph them! But then I decided, "I'm not going to make an ugly cake!".

And now I try to steer people towards a less involved design for small cakes. What I've found is that usually they just give you all that info in hopes that you'll find inspiration somewhere, and get a "feel" for what the recipient likes. I might gently suggest that all of those details would get lost on a small cake and ask what elements they really want included and go from there.... or sometimes I will have some inspiration and suggest it, focusing on only some of the details...

Of course, there will always be some people who really do want all that stuff!!

I really don't enjoy graduation season. People want to include so much into a small cake or they are mostly sheet cakes. I agree I try to suggest focusing on the more important things to them on the cake or it looks like a jumbled mess.

True story. Luckily for me grad season is over here. Here is one I really liked, the "letter jacket letter with pins of all the crap you like" is a muted way to execute it. (she later called and wanted the 3D stuff added)

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/582142_10150825841488212_794275708_n.jpg

I love that idea! What a great way to take care of all the wants, but in a well put together way!
For me the issue is I work at a bakery during the day and run my business nights and weekends. So I get hit from both sides with the graduation cakes.

This sounds a lot like an upcoming cake I have to do. The client wanted a two tier (6" heart on 10" square cake), with hearts and stars and jewels on wires, and writing, and a large 25, and polka dots and stripes on the cakes layers, and oh, do you think you can incorporate a lighthouse and beach theme into that too? Ya, just let me stand back and throw everything I own at that cake! lol!