My Little Pony Cake

I don't really post tutorials, and I'm not about to break that streak.

This is more like a post that happens to have progress shots, because I'm sure you're pretty curious.

I've been wanting to make a My Little Pony cake for my oldest daughter's birthday since two birthdays ago, but 1) I didn't have the time to, and 2) I didn't have the experience. So this year I finally did it.

Obviously, to make a standing, sculpted cake, you need something to support it. Originally I was going to use PVC piping, but even the smallest widths were too big. I didn't need to make a big cake because it was just me and my daughter eating it. I used wooden dowels instead.

I used a dense-ish double chocolate cake (which tasted amazing) for the body and head, since they're the biggest parts. I then used rice crispy treats for the legs, neck, and ears, and I also used them for the bottom of the body and head.

The buttercream is purple just because that's what I had leftover from making her entire class cupcakes. I only made a double batch, but it was still more than enough. (48 cupcakes and a pony. Oy!)

To even everything out, the bumps and whatnot, I covered the entire thing in a thin layer of buttercream. I personally don't like a lot of frosting, otherwise I would've added more.

I used a 50/50 mix of purple modeling chocolate and white fondant to achieve the color that I wanted. The detail - her cutie mark, eyes, and hair - were cut out of varying ratios of fondant and modeling chocolate.

 I hope you enjoyed seeing my few progress shots. I also hope it inspires you in case you ever need to do something like this. Feel free to post any questions. Obviously I left a lot to the imagination, not because I don't want to reveal my "secrets," but because I believe true art comes from instinct and imagination. Plus, if a first-time cake sculptor can figure out how to turn a 2D pony into a 3D cake, I'm sure you wonderfully talented, much more experienced, and good-looking cake artists can figure it out, too. ;)

Cake Memes

I haven't posted in a while because I've had a lot of family stuff going on. I also haven't made too many cakes recently besides a tiny smash cake for a friend, and a birthday cake for my daughter.

I love memes, and I'm kind of surprised no one has made cake memes before. Here's two I made recently:

 I know, I know, "bitches" isn't exactly eloquent, but I'm just going with the language of memes, ok?

Some decorators are quite handy at making small cakes, but if you only need to feed a small amount of people, don't expect your decorator to be able to give you a 5 to 7 tier cake. Also, you're going to pay for the complexity of that cake no matter how small.

I'll make more eventually. They're quite fun to make. :)

A Custom Luxury Item

Do you know why custom cakes are called CUSTOM cakes? Because they're made just for you. Cake artists don't have plastic decorations standing by like WallyWorld does. They don't have a set book of designs to choose from; they usually come up with the designs themselves, which is why they're called cake ARTISTS.

Let's take a look at some other things that are CUSTOM made for your special event:

Succulent wedding favors. A set of 15 costs $109.00. Have 100 people at your wedding? That'll be $763.00 please.

Sound wave wedding rings, set of 2. Fork over $1,345.00.

Custom dance portrait painting. A 16"x20" portrait will be about $165.

You say, "But I'm just ordering a cake for my 3-year-old's birthday! It's not as big of a deal as a wedding!"

Well, your toddler's birthday must be pretty darn important if you're wanting a custom cake. Anything custom is going to be considered a luxury item, so if you can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars on a cake, then there's really no shame in going to the grocery store for a sheet cake.

Remember, a cake artist is making a cake JUST FOR YOU, so they'll expect to be compensated for taking time out of their lives to give your cake 100% of their attention.

Artwork in Perspective

Here's some food for thought:

If this framed print (not painting, just a print) sells for $45 online,

It's a 15" x 21" poster in a frame.

why would hand-painted, teeny-tiny cookies be anything less than the cost of a work of art?

Via Sugar Rush Custom Cookies

Please remember, when you're asking for someone to hand-paint intricate details onto a cookie, the cookies aren't going to cost the same as grocery store cookies. They are literally works of art on an edible canvas. You're going to EAT their artwork. They spent hours painting your cookies to perfection, not to mention the baking and icing, and you're just going to eat it. Cookie artists are going to expect to be compensated, so don't go insulting their work by trying to only pay $2 per cookie.

Why Does My Custom Cake Take SO Long To Make?

I've talked about price a lot. Mainly because many people don't understand why custom cakes cost as much as they do. They don't understand that home bakers and cake shops don't operate like grocery store bakeries, expecting to pay little-to-nothing for a cake made just for them.

For home bakers and little cake shops, it's not only about money; it's also about time. Many ask customers to inquire two weeks ahead of time, sometimes a month, and even several months. This is very different than going to a grocery store the day before and asking them for a simple phrase piped onto a sheet cake with a few balloons on it, and most people don't understand why.

Cake artists usually start off by scheduling appointments with their customers. To the customer, an hour or hour-and-a-half appointment may not be much, but the to the artist, all time is valuable. They could use that hour to finish the details on a cake being delivered tomorrow, or to bake some cake for the rest of the week. Instead, they're sitting with the customer, drawing out their vision in hopes of making their event as special as possible.

After the design is set, flavors decided on, and all the details are sorted out, they have to go shopping for supplies if they don't have a bakery stocked with stuff. That's probably another hour out of their lives, not including things that may be special order, like "bling" or molds. Special ordering may also take time, apart from ordering it, like the time it takes to get from the supplier to the baker (1-4 weeks).

This is a 7 quart KitchenAid mixer.
It holds 28 cups of stuff, but you
definitely don't want to overfill it.
Picture via Love From The Oven.

After all of the supplies are gathered, it's time to bake! Professional bakers do much more than add eggs, water, and oil to a cake mix. Sure, a person could probably whip out a boxed cake in as little as an hour. A professional, however, can't go about cake that haphazardly. Ingredients must be measured out carefully, whether on a scale by weight, or in measuring cups by volume, or else chemical reactions in the cake may not go as planned. Some cakes require beating egg whites for 10 minutes or so, some batters require adding ingredients in alternative manners, rather than just dumping everything into a bowl.

Box mixes make approximately 2 1/2 cups of batter, enough for a two-layer 8" cake (12 servings, according to the box, but it can feed more, really). If a customer ordered a three-tiered cake (6-8-10), they'd need 23 cups of batter. TWENTY-THREE CUPS. And that's if the baker makes tiers with two layers. Some make their tiers with three layers. That's THIRTY-FOUR AND ONE-HALF CUPS OF BATTER. (That's nearly 14 boxes of cake mix, by the way.) Not only will it take a while to make all the batter, but a home oven can probably only fit four pans at a time. My guess is that it will take an entire day of baking, if the baker has no distractions, such as everyday life.

Now we make the frosting/filling! American buttercream is pretty easy to make: cream everything together but the sugar, and then add powdered sugar a cup at a time. Other frostings take more time, though. Swiss meringue and Italian meringue buttercreams involve heating egg whites, and whipping the buttercream until it becomes super silky, which can take up to 15 minutes, depending on the amount. Other fillings, such as fruit filling or fresh fruit will also take time, whether it be just cutting up the fruit, or mashing/blending the fruit and boiling it down until it becomes a compote. The frosting may not take TOO long, but it'll take longer than opening a can of pre-made frosting, that's for sure.

Filling the cake takes time because the baker needs to keep the layers even and keep things consistent. When fruit is involved, or any filling that could potentially leak out, certain techniques are used that are more time-consuming than just slapping on frosting. Then the baker will crumb coat everything to keep crumbs from showing up in the outer layer. Many bakers will fridge the cake between steps for stability, which does take up more time, but definitely helps the baker turn out a better cake.

There is no one way to cover the cake in its final layer. Whether the cake is going to be covered in fondant or not, it still needs to be super clean and have nice, sharp edges, which mean it can't look like this:

This actually looks yummy, but not what you're looking for from a professional. Via Cooking With Abandon.

Professionals use different tools, techniques, and lots of time to achieve a smooth finish with buttercream or ganache. It's not an easy feat, nor can a person do it in two seconds (although experience can greatly reduce the amount of time that goes into it).

Look at those beautiful edges, the smoothness of the sides, and the wonderful speckling from the vanilla.
Via Yuma Couture Cakes.

The application of fondant involves much more than those silly Pinterest pictures. For one, there's different types of fondant that act differently under different circumstances. There's also many different things to worry about when working with fondant, such as it sticking to things, wrinkling, rolling it out too thick/thin, not having enough to cover the whole cake, re-applying it if you mess up, etc. If any of those things happen, it'll eat away at the baker's time trying to fix it.

I think it's sort of common sense that any decorations will take LOTS of time. A cascade of gumpaste flowers can take DAYS to cut, mold, form, dry, paint/dust, and assemble. A figure, such as a person or animal, can take hours to mold, days to dry, and a couple more hours to paint.

No, a cake like this cannot be recreated in a day. Don't even think about asking your local cake artist that question.
Via Kara's Couture Cakes.

Custom cakes take time. Lots of time. Professional home bakers don't sit at their computers or phones waiting for people to order from them. They don't have cakes ready to go in the freezer, or cans of pre-made frosting waiting to be slapped onto a cake. For a quality cake, made with care and consideration, order weeks ahead of time. You'll be glad you did.

Settling for Less

Stop it.

Just stop it.

Stop settling for cake crap just because you, yourself, couldn't do any better.

If you ask your decorator for this:

I've used this picture before. If you want the link, see my post "R-E-S-P-E-C-T."

Don't settle for this:

"But that's better than what I could do!"

It really doesn't matter what your skill level is. You hire a mechanic to fix your car, and if they did a sub-par job, you'd complain, aside from possibly ending up in a ditch. Although a bad cake isn't life-threatening (unless you get food poisoning from a questionable baker), why would you accept a cake that looks much worse than what you asked for? You paid for professional services, and your cake should look professional.

"But it's better than anything I could do!"
Why do you eat out at nice restaurants? It's either because you don't want to cook (special occasion, convenience), or because you want a nice meal and you can't cook for one reason or another. With cakes, you order them from bakeries because you either can't bake, or you'd rather not.
Now, are you a professional chef? Did you go to culinary school, work as a cook, caterer, or have any experience in food service (not including being part of staff that did no food-preparing)? If you said "no," then why would you care that your food is sub-par? So what if the steak had no flavor? Why does it matter if the plate is dirty? "I didn't pay for mediocre food and presentation!"

Do you see my point yet?

If you're paying for professional services, don't settle for a cake that is "okay" just because you can't do any better.

Just because you can't pull this off:

No source. If you know who made this, leave a comment!

 Don't accept this for your party:

I'll go to Wally World. Thanks.

"The Best in Town!"

I've heard this exclamation all over the place, about all sorts of things, uttered by many different people.

If you're asking family, friends, or social networks, it's hard to know what they think is "the best." They could have grown up with dry cake all their life, or grocery store cake, or maybe their grandma was the best baker on the east coast. Whatever their preference, the person recommending this place or person will always be biased, so it's really hard to know who to choose.

Pretty cake board!

When a person says, "Go with so-and-so. They're the best," ask them why.

Why are they the best?

Was it the presentation?
If it was presentation, what about the presentation made you like it? Cleanliness of the work? Was the board it was sitting on plain, covered in aluminum foil, or did it look like the rest of the cake? Were there wrinkles in the fondant or gumpaste?

Was it the taste?
What kind of cake did you get? If it was chocolate, was is rich and dark, or more light and milky? If it was fruity, did it taste like the fruit was frozen, from a boxed mix, or fresh? Did the buttercream actually have a buttery taste, or was it mostly sugar?

Probably shouldn't eat that.

Was it the texture?
Did the cake seem dense, or was it more like a sponge? Was the cake falling apart as you were trying to eat it, or did it hold its shape well? Did you feel like a glass of milk would've gone nicely with it? Was the buttercream airy, creamy, and melt-in-your-mouth-y, or did it leave you with a greasy feeling in your mouth?

I know it seems like these questions are what judges at a cake show might ask, but if you're getting a cake for a big event, it's important to ask these questions so you know what to expect. If the people you're asking can't answer these, or at least one, then you probably shouldn't trust their judgement when it comes to cake.

Sometimes you can't get any sort of legit information from people. They'll say the phrase "best in town" like they literally could not have lower expectations. When that happens, it's always good to ask your cake decorator/artist if they offer tastings. Especially when it's a wedding cake, many bakers will have tastings available so you can sample what they have to offer, as well as what they think are good combinations of frosting, filling, and cake flavors.

I know, I know... most people out there aren't pastry judges or connoisseurs of food, but if they're going to make such a bold statement, they should be able to back it up. You can't possibly take advice on what luxury car to buy when this person has only driven lemons from the junk yard.

Why Does My Custom Cake Cost SO Much?

I've talked about this before. I've outlined what exactly goes into cake, such as the ingredients, the time, the expertise, etc., but still some people think, "It's just cake! We're going to eat it, so why pay so much?"

When you buy a cake from the grocery store, it's not a work of art. It's a frozen piece of blank canvas that came from a factory and has butt-ercream piped on it which took 20 minutes at most.

Ready for an edible image.

So now I bet you're thinking, "How can cake be art? There's molds and cutters for everything, right?"

Yes, there's lots of molds and cutters out there, but what if you want something like this? (Warning, the next image, while delicious, is kind of gruesome.)

Via Sideserf Cake Studio

Um, no. There isn't a mold for severed heads that look exactly like the bride and groom.

Now, this cake is what we like to call a work of art. The detail is fantastic: the hair, the eyes, the skin, the blood. All of it is fantastic. In no way is this "just cake." 

So how much can this possibly cost? Well, let's pretend that this isn't cake. Let's pretend that you're actually paying for two bust sculptures made out of cement, stone, or plaster. Keep in mind that these busts will look like you and your counterpart. Here's the price of one custom made bust:

Via Etsy

Yeah, that's right. Over $5,000 for one bust, made out of stuff that is made to be sculpted with.

Cake, on the other hand, wasn't really made for sculpting. It falls apart if it's too dry. It won't hold it's shape if it's not dense enough, but make it too dense and it's inedible. Covering the sculpture to hide the fact that there is cake underneath is another job in itself. Sure, there's modeling chocolate and different tools to make it easier, but keep in mind that this stuff is perishable. If the cake artist doesn't keep everything fresh while simultaneously creating a masterpiece, then it's all for nothing. Cake artists have an incredible task, especially in today's art-heavy culture.

So no, it's not "just cake" when you want something of that magnitude. There are no molds or stencils when creating something truly unique. A cake artist will spend countless hours to create a masterpiece, so they deserve the appropriate compensation. Custom cake is not meant to be cheap. Correction: custom ARTWORK is not meant to be cheap. 

For A Good Cause

Charities, fundraisers, and special events are very common and easy to promote, especially with social media. More often than not these events require things to give back to the people donating to the cause, or something to showcase. An easy thing to hand out? Cupcakes or slices of cake.

If you're running this sort of event and you're thinking of asking your local bakery/home baker to do something for it, think about what you're asking first.
1) Is it a a huge event with 100+ people, or something small for less than 50?
2) Will you reimburse them in any way, or is it tax deductible?
3) Can you make them yourself?

What sort of event are you planning/coordinating? Is it a run? Is it just a thing with booths everywhere? Is it being held in a tiny room in your local library? Depending on the event, any number of people can show up, and you can't always guarantee the outcome. You may think that it's going to draw hundreds of people, so you ask the baker to whip up 300 cupcakes (I say "whip up" sarcastically, because 300 cupcakes is no easy feat), but only 100 people show up. Sure, every person might eat 3 cupcakes, but what if there are other booths with food? What if not everyone likes desserts? No event has a set number of people attending, so there's no way to know how many people you will need to serve.
It could also go the other way: you're expecting 40 people to show up, but over 80 people show up. Well, now the baker only has enough to serve 50 or 60, and some people are left out. Not only does this look bad on the baker, but it makes you, the event planner/organizer, seem lacking in control.

When it comes to most charities or volunteer events, you, the organizer/coordinator, don't have all the funds in the world. It's a volunteer event, after all. Now you have to provide desserts, so you ask the local baker you have in mind to donate baked goods (and usually their time handing them out) for your event. Some times, if business has been good to them lately, and they really care about the cause, and they have time and ingredients to spare, they may say yes. Other times (most of the time), though, local bakers aren't in those sort of circumstances. Baking and caking aren't cushy jobs. Thank goodness the work is rewarding, otherwise why would people do it? Long hours, working most weekends and holidays, barely enough pay, and it's really messy work. So don't be surprised if they turn you down. Yes, it may be a wonderful cause, and it may make them feel good about themselves, but feeling good doesn't pay the bills. You may be inclined to tell them that it will get them a lot of exposure by presenting their product to people and getting their name out in the community, but you must realize that so will a paying job. Also, "exposure" is only useful if the community has to pay for the product because, let's get real here, a free cupcake is a free cupcake. They don't care where it comes from or who gave it to them, they just want to eat it and move on.
Some big programs will actually provide some sort of compensation, whether it be tax-deductible or straight up payment for the baker's services. Obviously the baker will be more inclined to help if that is the deal.

Now, I'm all for using local bakers for events because it stimulates the economy for your area, but if you're on a budget or you just don't have $400+ for 200 cupcakes, I'd say make them yourself. Yeah, 200 cupcakes is a lot, but if you're giving them away for free, don't spend all of your own money. A box of cake mix is $1.50, and it can make 24 cupcakes. A whole package of liners is probably $10, and some frosting is also $1.50. You'll spend approximately $35-$40, not including your time and gas/electricity for your oven. That's better than hundreds of dollars, plus when the cupcakes are free, most people won't care about the quality. If you don't have that sort of time, ask a friend to do it, another volunteer, or a family member. Trust me, mixing up, baking, and frosting 200 cupcakes is not a quick thing. You'll probably need to dedicate an entire day to it, if not, two.

Kudos to you for volunteering your time and effort for a good cause. Many people will be very grateful, and you can feel good that you made a difference in someone's life. Bakers are all for these sorts of events. They're not heartless or lacking in empathy. However, you must remember that you're asking them for a big favor by lending you their services, and most often they're already booked with paying orders, which will take priority over a non-paying gig. If you can pay them, that's wonderful. If not, don't be shocked when they say "no." Just move on and look for alternatives.

Beauty and the Beast

When it comes to your wedding, a budget is absolutely key. How you decide to split the budget depends on what you think is the most important. You could use most of it on a designer gown, an amazing photographer, or an extravagant cake. For some brides (and sometimes grooms), a beautiful cake is a must, but your budget isn't exactly unlimited. Therefore you opt for what a lot of bridal consultants and wedding planners suggest: order a small tiered cake, and supplement with sheet cakes either from the grocery store or the kitchen of the venue.

Supplementing with sheet cakes is fine and all, but remember that they're not going to be pretty, and they may just be plain white with a border. Because of that fact, you probably don't want it to be out with your other cake, let alone in the center of our cake table. Let the pretty one stand out because that is, after all, why you got the nicer one.

For example, here's a beautiful white wedding cake

Via Lulu Cakes

Delicate white flowers, elegant white canvas, and clean, crisp edges. Absolutely lovely, and it would be an excellent centerpiece for a dessert table, or standing on it's own cake table.

That being said, don't put it next to this

Plain sheet cake. Yay.

I'm sure the sheet cake tastes fine, and that border is piped on pretty well, but it's not centerpiece material, and definitely shouldn't be on the cake table at a wedding reception.

Even if the sheet cake has roses, writing, or pops on color on it, it should still stay in the kitchen. You bought the elegant tiered cake for a reason. If you MUST have your sheet cake out to present to everyone, put it behind the main cake, put the main cake on a cake stand, pedestal, or plateau, or if you have a dessert table, have the sheet cake all cut up and ready to go (if the kitchen staff isn't passing out pieces of cake) so then your guests can grab it and go with no problems.

Another problem with having both cakes on the table at the same time (if not purchased from the same place) is the fact that most of your guests will assume both of the cakes came from the same place, and most decorators don't want that. Not because they're snobs or anything, but because a tiered wedding cake is a specialty item custom made for your special day. Sheet cakes are more often associated with grocery store bakeries, or local high-volume bakeries. Those types of bakeries aren't inferior or anything, but they're just different beasts, and cake decorators want to keep that distinction.

The best thing to do it keep the sheets in the kitchen. If not, try to highlight the main cake as much as possible. Remember: you ordered the special cake for a reason!

Two For One: A FairyFail Story

Today's post is very special; there are two lessons to be learned all rolled up into one blog post! The best part is that one lesson is for the customer, and one lesson is for the decorator.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, a king was having a birthday. Four or five days before his birthday the queen decided that he needed a cake, and that it has to be in the shape of his favorite building: an airplane hangar.

He's an aircraft enthusiast, okay?

The queen passed the task of finding a cake onto the princess, who decided to go online and ask a Facebook yard sale group for a cake decorator. All the best decorators in the land were either booked already, or it was too last minute for them to throw together an elaborate cake. Many of the subjects recommended going to Ye Olde Wally World, but the princess was persistent. Finally a subject rose up and declared that she would make the airplane hangar cake, for only a few pieces of gold. The princess was overjoyed to find someone, and the subject was very happy to serve the princess.

Unfortunately, the princess did not do enough research. Had she looked through the pictures of the subjects work, she would have (maybe) passed her up.

The subject's first and only fondant cake.

The subject's attempt at a fondant cake was not horrible for the first time, but her grave mistake was this: taking on a cake that she was not ready to take on. Her skill level is that of a beginner. Less than a beginner. The subject never took a class, never read or watched any tutorials, yet she fancied herself a decorator.

Selling your product is not something anyone can just jump into. If you have a natural talent, that's great! Take some classes, watch some tutorials, and do tons of research to hone and perfect your talents. Then take some business classes and get some legal advice on how to start your business. What you shouldn't do is make one cake, call it good, and then accept a job that is clearly out of your skill range. No matter how little you charge for it, the customer will be disappointed.

When the big day arrived, the princess was waiting for the delivery with great anticipation. When it finally arrived she was speechless.

Um...yeah

When you're looking for a cake decorator for an elaborate or special cake, look at their previous cakes. If they don't have any, that is a sign that they are just starting out and have little to no experience. If they do have pictures of cakes, look for bulging sides, the "melted" or "deflated" look, uneven lines, and bad cuts. Those are all signs that they either doesn't have any "real" training (tutorials, classes, workshops, etc.) under their belt, because the basics should be mastered by the time they are selling cakes, or that they don't take the time to hone their skills. If they exhibit any of these signs, pass them up.

If you're running out of time like the poor princess, don't just go with the first person that says they'll do the job, and don't go with the person that says they can do it for cheap, either. If you really can't find someone, just default to Wally World. It won't be what you wanted, but that's what happens if you just don't have time. Chains have cakes just waiting to be eaten in their refrigerators, and you can bring in images for them to print out and place on the cake.

Technically this wasn't the princess's fault. She was just trying to do what the queen said, and with such little time, she saw no other way. With an inexperienced decorator to "help" her, though, no one got their "happily ever after" ending.

So what are the lessons to be learned? Decorators: don't take on a job you obviously can't handle. Customers: you get what you pay for. See? Two for one!

The End.

As Specific as the Pacific

When planning a party, event, or gathering, some people put a lot of time and consideration into every detail. This means doing everything ahead of time, such as finding a venue, figuring out what food to serve, and looking for a nice and tasty cake.

Usually there are two types of people in this world: the people who know exactly what they want, and those who don't. Sometimes a person can be both at the same time, but that's another post.

For those who don't know what they want, it can be a struggle. Almost every cake you see (that fits the theme) looks good to you, so picking one is tough. Maybe your event doesn't really have a theme, so no cake really fits what you're going for. Perhaps you're a people pleaser, taking in everyone's suggestions, so you've got a lot of ideas for one cake.

However, just because you don't know what you want, does not mean you can contact a decorator and ask the question, "How much for a cake?"

For real?

Even chains and grocery stores don't work like that, so how can a decorator? They need some information, such as how many people will you be serving, how elaborate you wish the cake to be, or just the date of the event. Ideally, you'd provide them with all of that information, and then some, but sometimes you just don't know where to start.

Again, don't start with, "How much for a cake?"

That's like going to an online dating website and writing that you're looking for "a man," or "a woman."

He's what you're looking for, right?

When contacting a decorator, be as detailed as you can, but don't be a copycat. Give them the theme or the colors, the number of people you think are gonna be there (Use a maximum estimate. If the initial quote is out of your price range, you can dial back the number of servings after an overestimation, bringing down the cost.), what sort of flavors you or the host are into, the date, and anything else that would be helpful (such as an allergy). Your decorator will thank you, and it'll speed up the process, making that one less thing to worry about.

Taste is Relative

Personally, I'm getting quite tired of people who say, "I hate the taste of fondant," or "I've heard that fondant is gross, so I don't want it on my cake."

Novice cake decorators go to Wilton for all of their cake decorating needs, and rightfully so; Wilton is all over the craft stores, the tools make decorating (nearly) dummy-proof, and the stuff is "cheap." The only problem is that nowadays people's first interaction with fondant is, unfortunately, Wilton's fondant.

Wilton fondant isn't that bad. It's rather stiff, so it's great for decorations such as figurines, flowers, etc., and it can be combined with other types of fondant for a more pleasing taste and texture. However, Wilton fondant on its own is not recommended. The taste leaves a lot to be desired, and it's hard to cut into. Overall, it leaves a bad taste (pun intended) in everyone's mouth. This is when people make snap judgments and assume every type of fondant is the same. I like to call those people "WRONG."

Let me tell you a tale of first impressions...
My husband and I went to a restaurant one day and he was craving steak. He ordered it and was thoroughly disappointed. A majority of the steak was fat, it was rather bland, and it wasn't cooked the way he wanted it. He vowed then and there that he would never eat another steak again, claiming that all steaks are horrible, fatty pieces of cow, and that all steaks must be the same.

That last sentence was a lie. He loves steak, and would never turn his back on it. Do you see my point, though? Not all steaks are the same: porterhouse, New York strip, filet mignon, etc., and they're not all prepared the same way. Same goes for fondant. There are a large number of brands, as well as different recipes for homemade fondant. Some taste like buttercream, some taste like chocolate, some people roll out a very thick layer to cover their cake, and some roll it out so thin that you don't even realize it's there. How many brands of fondant is there? Let's see...

So much fondant!

This isn't even all of it, plus there are many recipes for homemade fondant, as well. Marshmallow fondant is probably the most popular, and it's great for novice decorators and professionals alike. The great thing about MMF is that it tastes like marshmallows, which is always a plus.

I realize that first impressions are critical, but in the food world, everything deserves a second, third, or even tenth chance. I'm not saying that you'll grow to like Wilton if that's the only fondant you try. I'm saying don't give up on fondant altogether, because fondant won't give up on you.

Any Way You Slice It...

As a cake artist, nothing irks me more than being told that my cake won't serve all the people they want, or that they payed way to much for a cake so small.

I then realized that  most people don't understand how to cut a cake the proper way, ensuring enough cake for everyone, even if the cake looks "small."
There is a method to servings and pricing, so trust your baker when they tell you how many people a cake can serve.

Round, square, heart, and hexagon cakes have guides for cutting. Cutting a cake isn't rocket science, but since decorators usually price cake by the serving, it's considerate to your guests to look up how to cut a custom cake.

The thing you need to realize is that everyone uses different servings guides. There's a few basic guides, like Wilton's and Earlene's, but there are a lot of bakers that come up with their own cutting guides. If you ask, most decorators will provide you with a chart or guide for slicing up your cake, or they will at least tell you how to cut it upon delivery or pick-up.
If it's a wedding cake and you have a rented venue that serves food, they will usually cut the cake for you. They may go off of Wilton's wedding cutting guide, which many people find to be stingy. They may even slice pieces thinner than that, so there will be plenty of leftover.
(On a side note: beware of venues' servers stealing part of your cake. They may even go as far as stealing an entire tier, just to eat it themselves. I don't have first-hand experience of this, but I'd suggest sending someone to watch the slicing of the cake, like a bridesmaid.)

Here's an example of how a certain bakery may slice and price their round cakes:

You may notice that there is two different ways of cutting: wedding and party slices. Note that not every bakery will differentiate between party and wedding cakes when it comes to pricing a cake because the same amount of work will go into each.

Bakeries and at-home bakers usually price per serving, which can vary from $2 per serving to $15 per serving, depending on the area, what decorations you want, the different flavors of cake and frosting, and the individual baker's experience and skill level.

Don't be too generous when serving cake; most people don't want a huge piece, anyway.

Oh, and when ordering your cake, be sure to remember that you WILL be slicing into it. Be mindful of what you order.

A Whole Lot of Back and Forth

Negotiating is a part of life. You negotiate with your children for a longer/shorter bedtime. You negotiate with your neighbor about the property line. One thing you shouldn't ever negotiate is the cost of a cake, however. Especially if it's from a small business, especially if they work from home.

Why? Two reasons:
1) They are a small business. They're not paying a CEO. They're not paying for million dollar commercials on TV. They're paying for their mortgage, soccer gear for their kids, food for their table, and their way of living.
2) Your cake is their paycheck. Would you want someone negotiating with you for your paycheck because it's not in their budget to pay you? I didn't think so. It's rude and disrespectful. You're asking them to provide you with a service. Be courteous.

So let's say you want a cake for 40 people, and your budget is $100. You ask Julia McCaker for a quote and it's (gasp!) $200. You REALLY love her cakes, and you couldn't possibly go without one for your event. WHAT DO YOU DO?!

Don't respond to Ms. McCaker by saying, "That's WAAAY too expensive! You expect me to pay for THAT? It's just cake! Why can't you do it for $100?" Say that, and Ms. McCaker will automatically respond with, "I apologize, but I am fully booked for that day," or "Then I cannot accommodate your request." Most decorators have carefully calculated out how much they need to charge based on materials, experience, labor, and ingredients. Being told that they're too expensive not only undermines their business, but also makes them look at you in a different way. As in, they'll look at you as a potential "black list" customer and will not want your business in the future.
Instead say, "That is a little out of my budget. Is there an alternative that could fit my budget?" Be reasonable and don't go ballistic. They may suggest things like only getting a portion of your guests cake, and getting other desserts as a substitute. After all, not everyone likes cake, or some may share a slice. They may suggest a simpler design, or a cake that takes less labor. They may even suggest another decorator that is more comfortable working with a tighter budget.

Julia McCaker and most other decorators want to help you obtain a beautiful cake. Keeping a level head (on both ends) and being respectful is the best way to go about business, with both parties coming out on top.

The Cost of Custom

Cake has gained so much popularity in the past few years thanks to TV and social media. There's Last Cake Standing, Ace of Cakes, Cake Boss, The Food Network Challenge, Amazing Wedding Cakes, and Bakery Boss. There are hundreds of cake artists on Facebook from nearly every country, both hobbyist and professional. These sites and shows feature beautiful works of art and extremely detailed work. It's no wonder that the general public wants to get their hands on their very own custom made cake. However, there are a lot of things you should consider when it comes to purchasing a custom cake. For now, though, I'll just cover the costs.

The one thing the general public needs to realize is just how pricey a custom made cake can get. I'm not talking about a cake from Wally World that has your name piped on and plastic toys stuck in. I'm talking about those cakes you see on the TV shows that blow your mind.

<---- Not what I'm talking about.

THIS is what I'm talking about!-------->

By Rosebud Cakes

See the difference? One was made in a factory, sent to a store to be decorated further, kept in a fridge until bought, and probably took a total of an hour to make. The other was made in a bakery, hand-carved, hand-painted, hand-everything-ed just for a special someone, and probably took an entire week to put together, plus an extra few weeks for the miscellaneous decorations to dry. One costs less than $30, the other (probably) costs upwards of $1000, depending on the size.

Yes, you saw that right. A thousand for a cake, give or take a few hundred. "Why?" you ask, "Why in the world would someone pay crazy amounts of money for cake? It's just cake, after all!" No, it's not just cake. Wally World cake is "just cake." Cake from a box mix is "just cake." The custom cakes you purchase from cake artists are never "just cake." Let's go through the costs, shall we?

Supplies aren't cheap. Here's an overview:

Ingredients (flour, eggs, sugar, flavors, butter, etc.) - $80 (We're going for high-quality stuff, ok?)

Supports (cake board, structure, cake box, etc.) - $10

Costs to run a shop (ovens, A/C, lights, refrigeration, etc.) - $100 (Just an estimate, for the time it takes to make the whole cake)

Delivery and insurance - $30

Total: $220

Now for the time that goes into making it:

Setting up a consultation, sketching, and emailing or calling back and forth - 2 hours

Baking (mixing, waiting, washing dishes, etc.) - 4 hours

Setting up (filling, frosting, carving) - 2 hours

Decorating (covering in fondant, painting, airbrushing, texturing, adding supports, etc.) - 8 hours

Extras (flowers, objects, people, animals, etc.) - >2 hours (plus the time it takes them to dry)

Total time: 18 hours of work, minimum x $18/hour = $324

Combined we have a total of $544. Now you're asking, "Why does it end up costing $1000, then? $544 seems adequate." Realize that the $544 is just breaking even. There's no profit in that. You're also paying for the artistic talent that went into your cake, the years and years of experience that allowed the baker to make it for you, the guarantee that it is quality work from a licensed business owner, and everything else you couldn't possibly imagine the decorator went through.

The next time you're out "shopping" for custom cakes, realize what you're asking for. Don't go looking for a custom Mercedes with all the bells and whistles when you can only afford a used Jeep. Custom cakes are made with time, consideration, and heart. Wally World sheet cakes are made on conveyor belts. Their prices are reflective of those facts.

The DIY Wedding: Making the Cake Yourself

These days it’s both budget-friendly and trendy to do most things yourself, even your own wedding. Things that are probably cheaper to do yourself (while adding a nice touch): centerpieces, invitations, favors, even the playlist. Things that probably should be left to the pros: photography, flowers, and the cake. Especially the cake.

If you're a bride on a budget, a bride who likes to do everything yourself, or researching for the first time, you're probably thinking, "Why NOT do my wedding cake myself? I've baked a cake with my grandmother before. It CAN'T be that hard!" In all truth, baking a cake isn't hard at all. If you're doing something small (less than 100 people), the venue isn't over-the-top elegant, and your budget is less then $5000 for the whole wedding, then have at it! Go forth and make your own cake! 

Actually, let a bridesmaid take care of the cake. Seriously. Do you want to worry about baking, frosting, and decorating your cake the day before the wedding? Transporting it to your venue while you're getting ready with makeup and your dress? No. Let someone else do it. Especially if you're feeding a lot of people.

"I'm only having 80 people there!" you say. Have you ever baked for 80 people? A tiny little 9"x13" glass pan serves 12 people. TWELVE. PEOPLE. You need to bake and decorate at least 7 cakes to feed them all. Let someone else deal with that. Please.

"I'll just buy birthday sheet cakes and redecorate them!"

If you plan on having a professional photographer photograph your cake-cutting ceremony, don't be surprised if your cake cutting ceremony pictures don't turn out the way you expected. Cutting into a sheet cake, in my opinion, is sort of a let down for you and your guests. They're expecting a beautiful tiered cake, a beautiful cutting ceremony, and an elegant slice of deliciousness. Instead they get an underwhelming cut into a slab of cake, and a chunk of grocery store mediocrity.

Flowers are usually a staple for weddings and the cake, but unless you know how to do it safely, do not, DO NOT put real flowers in your cake. Even if they aren't covered in pesticides, waxes, and preservatives, they're plants. Living organisms. And you're sticking them into your cake. Sounds very appetizing. (That's sarcasm.) Putting silk flowers on? Just remember that silk flowers sit around for a while, so they accumulate dust. Also: silk + frosting = yuck.

Below is an example of a DIY wedding cake made from a birthday cake you'd find at the store. You can find the tutorial here. It's an OK looking cake, and if you're on a budget, or if you only need to serve 10 people, then this may be perfect for your wedding.

Now, if you're not a bride on a budget, meaning you'll spend whatever is necessary to make your special day AMAZING, hire a pro. Please don't attempt to make your own wedding cake. I already mentioned how stressful it is, and honestly, that's about the only thing that you need to take into consideration. Stress will take a huge toll on you, and you're trying to look and feel your best on that day.

Get a professional cake artist. Actually take the time to look up a reputable cake artist or two. It's the only food that gets its own special ceremony, and you want it to be perfect, like everything else.

Now this is a real wedding cake. Tiered, elegant, and the colors are lovely. This magnificent creation was done by Jay at Jay Qualls Cakes.

This is truly a work of art, and personally, I think I'd have a hard time cutting into it if this were my cake. I will bet my bottom dollar that even a cake-artist bride couldn't pull this off on her own wedding day. Not because she lacks the talent or skill, but because the stress of it all will just be too much and she won't want to make it.

For the most part, DIY wedding cakes should be a no-go. It's only acceptable in certain situations, and those situations are extremely limited. If you've got an unlimited budget, or at least a desire for the best, go all out. Get the dress of your dreams, find the perfect venue, and order a cake that not only looks amazing, but tastes magnificent. You only get one wedding, after all.