Who is responsible for the groom cake? Does the bride-to-be order it and surprise the groom or does the groom's mother order it? I've read that the groom’s family is responsible for the groom cake, but the bride usually orders it when she orders the wedding cake.  I have a bride-to-be who wants to order it and surprise her groom and a mother of the groom who also wants to order it.  I don't want to get in the middle of it.   

wow cool problem

hmmmm....i know--ask the groom to draw straws

no no no no no just kidding

wow

sell two groom's cakes!!!!!

I usually dread groom's cake requests, but I did a really small one recently, and it was the FUNNEST (yes I just said that) cake ever! A life sized sandwich on a cheesy plastic plate. So dang fun! 

The bride ordered it as a surprise, by the way.

That's an idea.  Two groom cakes.  One for the wedding and one for the rehearsal dinner.  Oh no, what am I thinking?  That means another cake! 
 

I always thought it was the bride's gift to her groom.  But the groom's family is responsible for the rehearsal dinner and the groom's cake is frequently served there.

Yep, sell TWO cakes.

hell i don't care who pays me

and multiple times??? not a problem

I would tell the bride that her future mother in law wants to wreck her surprise Seriously, tell the bride, and let her decide what to do. You could offer them 2 cakes though.
 

Grooms cake vary by region. In the south, it's generally a chocolate cake decorated in either a masculine style or in something special to the groom like a Golf theme etc. I've noticed grooms cakes becoming more eloborate and a lot more fun. I agree tell the bride but ask her if she will touch base with the groom's mother because otherwise you have are in the middle.

Like Sillywabbitz said I think it varies by region.  Around my area the bride orders it and it's decorated to reflect a hobby or interest of the groom.  I've done a few of them and they are always fun.  Come to think of it all of them have been chocolate cake too.  In my case it was just because that was the groom's favorite flavor though, not because of tradition.

It depends when it's being served. At the rehearsal dinner it's the groom's parents. At the reception it's the bride's parents (or the bride.) Selling two cakes isn't a bad thing, I've done that before.

I once had a bride whose future MIL found out that she was planning on getting her fiance a groom's cake for the receptiuon. The MIL went and ordered the SAME CAKE to serve at the rehearsal dinner. Bride got wind of it and called me to make a groom's cake for the reception that would be bigger and better than the rehearsal dinner one because she was so mad at the MIL. The whole thing involved lots of spying to find out what the rehearsal cake was going to be so that we could do a more impressive one from the bride for the reception. These things can get ugly.

What a great opportunity to suggest the BTB & MIL show their love & mutual respect for one another by collaborating on the cake. Bet the HTB would be thrilled  that his mom & bride worked together to make him happy.

But, if that don't work...get paid, make 2 cakes, then crash the wedding & watch the show (be sure to take pics...it'll probably get interesting).