Call Me Crazy, But I Sent A Challenge To Charm City Cakes!!
Decorating By Cakenicing4u Updated 12 Feb 2007 , 5:03pm by MrsMissey
Ya, I mentioned to my coworkers that If i look at my cell phone and pass out, to take the call, and kick me till i get up... 
They are all rooting for me too. They know what I can do, and want to see the throwdown--Heck, I have customers rooting for me too. I tell them all, check out the video on the food network, and if you take it the way that I did. Tell them about me, and encourage them to take the challenge.
I was on a makeover show a few years ago, and it took them forever to decide that we were in the show, but once that happened, it was a week and they were here. I'm sure it's going to be the same with them, 
Thanks again for all your support, everyone!
I need all the good news I can get... remember last post I mentioned that the manager was out sick? well, the assistant manager cut his hand last night, so he's out too. 
For the next week, I'm the head honcho and one of three full timers in a $20,000 a week bakery. Help!!
Also, A member mentioned to me that my statement "In case Mary-Alice come snooping around again" could be found offensive. It was not meant in any mean way. I believe that she may decide to Google "Ace of cakes" or "Charm city cakes" and see what people are saying about the shop.... and so she checks it out. They are not coming in here looking for answers to questions and giving responses to questions. So to me, that's like snooping around. That was all that I meant by it. My apologies if anyone thought that it was rude.
Diana
Ok, still nothing from Charm city..... but I'm not willing to let this go just yet!
I sent emails to our radio station and newspaper too......
I'll get a response one way or another! 
went to the food network cant find the comment video about your bakery. where is it????
Wanted to let you know that I couldn't care what anyone would say!
Hey! if you know that you are a talented decorator, who cares what anyone says.
I too work at an ice cream bakery,but fortunately I can take my time and do anything I want,unless I have many orders and very limited time,and than I have to speed up and stop paying attention to details as much as I'd like to .
Let me tell you that I think you shouldn't worry too much about any one's opinion if you know you are GOOD at what you do,although I can understand your feelings got hurt,don't let it get you down and keep up your great work!
I don't think Duff had such a rough start. That's not the way I heard things but who knows? I refuse to argue whether he is worth his pricing. I had that argument on here in another forum. I just know that my neck of the woods would never consider buying at those prices.
Diane
As you stated, it's different in different areas of the country. You guys have to look at where Duff is. Although I'm not in Baltimore, I alternate btwn living in DC and the DC suburbs. To get a decent studio around here is $1000 easy! So cakes, and things of that nature? It's through the roof! I never thought that $2k for a cake was a lot
but I'm from his neck of the woods, and the cost of living is different, etc. I still say he's excellent, and that any successful bakery owner is equally as amazing. BTW, here's the pricing for CCC incase anyone was curious - "Our tiered cakes start at $6 a slice, and average $8-$11/serving. Smaller cakes start at $200.
At our store we start at $1.75 a slice I need to rethink things here... 
At our store we start at $1.75 a slice I need to rethink things here...
Holy smokes 
Where are you located? Now that's a dream come true lol. Come to this area and you would get plenty of customers for that kind of money
At our store we start at $1.75 a slice I need to rethink things here...
Holy smokes
Where are you located? Now that's a dream come true lol. Come to this area and you would get plenty of customers for that kind of money
Saline Mi Baker's Nook is our store name. You can see some of our cake pictures at TheBakersNook.com
went to the food network cant find the comment video about your bakery. where is it????
It's in a video clip under the Ace of Cakes tv show section... it's a video clip titled "How we got here". It's a five minute clip, and it's towards the end... it's the two girls they usually show working, the one that did that rat cake this week, and I think the one that did the owl cakes.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_db
Mortified ... I still can't believe that that's one of the words they used.
I feel your pain about working in chain stores thats how I got my start I was hired as a baker and thrown into a cake decorator's position because I was caught playing around one day makeing 60 cakes a day is a big job you have to make stock cakes and cake orders not to mention eclairs and brownies and puffs and ice creme cakes plus take customer's orders and deal with the insane one's I ended up leaving the store after being constantly asked to help in the deli as if I didnt have enough to do it was the final string when the manager asked me to go outside and bring in the carts as a matter of fact that store lost all 3 of there decorators at the same time I got the final laugh though because i'm pretty well known around here and while im just learning about fondant and gumpaste and custome work I can whip a stock cake up for cheap in no time so I get a lot of buisness that would otherwise go to the store. good luck getting duff's attention I wish you all the best luck as talented as he is I bet he would have to cut back on extragance If he had the work load a store decorator has.
Ok, still nothing from Charm city..... but I'm not willing to let this go just yet! I sent emails to our radio station and newspaper too......
I'll get a response one way or another!
So what answer would satisfy you? Is it just a response you want? Or TV time? What would make you happy?
Saline Mi Baker's Nook is our store name. You can see some of our cake pictures at TheBakersNook.com
They look very precious! It looks like I'll be ordering a cake from out of town if I ever get married, instead of putting down $2k 
What did she say? I didnt catch it.
They are talking about the girl saying she didn't want anyone thinking she made the ugly cakes at Giant when she put cake decorator on applications.
Diane
Ooh, ooh, the gloves are on, and the main event is about to begin!
Introducing, in this corner, the challenger from Pennsylvania, coming in with 120 pounds of Bettercream, cakenicing4u.
And in this corner, the champion, wearing the cutoff jeans, Duff and his Charm City cornermen!
Do I have time to get popcorn? What time does the first round bell go off? How much are the tickets? I'm nearsighted, so keep a seat up front for me, I'll be there! Oh, damn, too much soda, I have to pee! Don't start until I get back!
Theresa
YOU ARE TOO DA** FUNNY!!!!!!
Maybe I didn't pay enough attention, but when I saw the clip, I heard one of the girls mention Giant, but it didn't sound negative or as an insult.
And not to sound like a punk or anything, but as long as you you know what you can do it's all that matters. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE (absolutely LOVE) Ace of Cakes and would love to do work like them, but who cares what they say about other cake decorators. Because it's not like they pointed you out directly - that would be a different story. Plus as we all know, not everyone is going to like every cake we do. Also it was just one employee - it's not like she speaks for everyone at CCC.
I guess I'm riled up about it because there is this local bakery-not a chain bakery-here that I would never want one of my cakes to confused with her (and I know I still have a long way to go). I've seen both 'everyday' cakes and wedding cakes from her and I am not impressed. So I guess I can kind-of relate to what that one employee said, although I know that is just by little ol' opinion. 
Also, if you think about it, it's most likely two completely different markets that the cakes are being sold too.
(Sorry this was long. I guess I just went on a little rant thinking about that local bakery
Ok...i just watched the clip too and i have to say I'm not sure why that is so offensive. I mean its no different than the millions of threads here about how grocery store cakes are ugly, dry, blah blah blah. I understand if you work at Giant, but if you know your cakes aren't ugly whats the difference? It was just two girls sitting there talking sharing their opinions.
I personally don't know what the big deal with grocery store cakes is....maybe my stores are just different, but i don't think they are that bad. In fact I bought my dd one for her birthday..(GASP ) and it was pretty and tasted good(double gasp!!!)
I just really don't think its anything to get all riled up about
Ok, still nothing from Charm city..... but I'm not willing to let this go just yet! I sent emails to our radio station and newspaper too......
I'll get a response one way or another!
So what answer would satisfy you? Is it just a response you want? Or TV time? What would make you happy?
I am looking for the chance to stand up for what I do. Not all of us can work in those charming little bakeries. I want to, I dream about someday having one.. but until the, I'm a Giant cake dec.... I'm proud of it, I'm good at it... and I deserve a little credit. Not just me, but all the decoraters that have to do what I do. If you're ashamed to put down that you're a cake decorater then you should come up with a new name for yourself. I am not ashamed of where I work or what I do, so I'll stay a cake decorater. If they want to call themselves cake professionals, or overpriced cake designers... then they can. But, I'm a cake decorater at Giant and I'm happy with that.
As for contacting the radio and paper, my intent is just to get some local exposure. Our local stores were named the "Berks County People's Choice for Best Grocery Store." I'm a part of that, and I'm proud of that too. I thought that if I could get some local exposure, it would help me in my quest to challenge Charm city cakes to a throwdown on cake quantity.......Cause it's not about talent, it's about speed and production. 
I never said I had their talent... I just have my own.
I just listened to the clip and I guess if I was a cake decorator at a Giant Store I may get offended at first but if I knew I was good at what I was doing then I would have to get over it .......the girls were speaking in "general" ..I guess the Giant store(s) in their area have a bad reputation for not so good cakes maybe? Just like w/ everything else. For example: Maybe the cake decorators at your local grocery store produce awesome cakes but maybe they aren't so great at my local grocery store. I don't think you should take their comments so personal but that is just me.
Cakenicing4u, I don't blame you for being offended. I would have taken it the same way you did. You don't bad mouth the work that other people do just because you think yours is superior. I felt like the way she stated that she didn't want anyone thinking she worked at Giant was a real slam. I'll almost bet she puts her pants on one leg at a time just like you do!!! JMO
Diane
Ok, still nothing from Charm city..... but I'm not willing to let this go just yet! I sent emails to our radio station and newspaper too......
I'll get a response one way or another!
So what answer would satisfy you? Is it just a response you want? Or TV time? What would make you happy?
I am looking for the chance to stand up for what I do. Not all of us can work in those charming little bakeries. I want to, I dream about someday having one.. but until the, I'm a Giant cake dec.... I'm proud of it, I'm good at it... and I deserve a little credit. Not just me, but all the decoraters that have to do what I do. If you're ashamed to put down that you're a cake decorater then you should come up with a new name for yourself. I am not ashamed of where I work or what I do, so I'll stay a cake decorater. If they want to call themselves cake professionals, or overpriced cake designers... then they can. But, I'm a cake decorater at Giant and I'm happy with that. As for contacting the radio and paper, my intent is just to get some local exposure. Our local stores were named the "Berks County People's Choice for Best Grocery Store." I'm a part of that, and I'm proud of that too. I thought that if I could get some local exposure, it would help me in my quest to challenge Charm city cakes to a throwdown on cake quantity.......Cause it's not about talent, it's about speed and production.
I never said I had their talent... I just have my own.
Ok. I understand what you are after now.
Just An FYI. When Duff was here in April he mentioned that they were going to Costa Rica with his winnings from the cereal challenge. (in February)
He was paying for his entire staff to go on vacation.
That's right. I recall that too.
I hope they are having a ball!!
OK, I believe all she said is that when people "think" cake decorators they think of a person piping a rose at a Giant store (as she could´ve said Walmart or any other grocery store) ... I don´t think she intended for it to be offensive to Giant´s employees, on the other hand, I believe she was calling "people" in general ignorant for not knowing that a cake decorator can do so much more than pipe a rose. And lets face it, the average american (sadly for us, cake decorators) is used to buying their cakes from a grocery store. Please, don´t be offended... and I must confess, I do like the taste of a grocery store bought cake, they are not bad, at all!! Maybe the decoration is not my favorite, but... that is a commercial cake, so many per hour, they can´t take hours on only one cake.
I wish you the best of luck!
Thanks everyone for all the feedback you have been offering... I've heard both positive and negative, supporting and questioning... and it all helps me to see the situation from all sides. THank you Thank you Thank you.... as it says in the corner, this site is addictive, and I am officially addicted. Not just to the ino, but the members too... Thank you!
I'm sure that if they had said Wallly mart or some bulk store I would never had done this, but because it's my company, it hit a note and therefore the challenge was born....
Charm city.... if you get this far on this message thread after a week of mail piling up, you are such troopers!! I would pick the week that you are on vacation, so good luck catching up with everything.... I would dread coming back to what--600 emails a day, 7-10 days gone? Egads...
TGIS... thank goodnes it's Sunday... and a new week is here... I had to put in almost 60 hours in the bakery last week between illness and injuries, and this week isn't looking any better. Add that to my 24 hours at my other job, and it's a wonder that I can still move. 
Cakenicin4u....bless your heart!!!!! I know how working over time ( with NO "time and a half") can be!!!! I work in a hospital lab full time with nothing other than my boss busting my chops all week. We have had 4-5 people off all week which is 2-3 too many. All I have gotten is "can't you..." all week!!! My cake decorating is my refuge!!! Your job is precious!!!!! Thank you for doing what you do and LOVING it!!!! HANG IN THERE!!!!!
Thanks... if it wasn't for my fabulous co-workers, I wouldn't have done it... but they are all pulling together as a team, and I couldn't be more proud of them! They're the ones that keep me going!
Thanks for the support... this time of year makes me nuts, and now with the threat of snow 
in the forecast, people are rushing in already 
now i'm down towards Phila on the big map, so I don't think we're going to get 7ft of snow. We had 27 registers open and still had lines.
Thanks again!
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