You can also buy cake boxes and boards in bulk at Sams Club for a VERY good price. The boxes are extremely sturdy and end up costing about 50% less than Wilton boxes and boards. I really think that if you plan on SELLING your product, you need to box your cakes in food-safe packaging. It's unsanitary and unprofessional to send a cake out without proper packaging.
I think that depends upon who you are and what your cakes are like. I myself have yet to find "professional" boxes that work with my cakes. My cakes are always covered some way some how while traveling. I don't worry about packaging for storage because all of my confections are delivered on site when the 'event' is to begin. 99% of my cakes are custom, carved and tall.
I find it quite offensive how many cc'ers here are putting down those who don't spend the money on 'professional' looking boxes that would have to be altered anyhow just to fit the cake.
I actually wasnt trying to be offensive in any way, shape, or form. It's CYA thing. I would be disgusted if something like a bug or who knows what ended up one of my cakes because it wasnt properly covered... - Just a matter of running a business and following health department guidelines.
Amen! I'm with you Chef!
snocilla Frequent Member
Joined: Jun 17, 2009
Posts: 260
Location: Hampton Roads, VA
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:12 pm
Quote:
Snocilla- what type of board was the star cake on? I noticed in your gallery that many of your cakes are on a cardboard cake board. Sometimes you'll have to use a double or triple thickness of these boards and cover them together as one for added stability. Just a thought.
Yes, I do normally put them on cake boards or cardboard... Another lesson learned... From now on I will double or triple them.... or use something else.
Last edited by snocilla on Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:13 pm; edited 1 time in total
costumeczar Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Oct 18, 2007
Posts: 2593
Location: Henrico VA
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:13 pm
Ruth0209 wrote:
Pookie59 wrote:
Personally, for a kid's birthday I would not use the wedding cake serving size as a guideline. Consequently, I think an 8" cake is way too small for 20 people. She was likely expecting to be able to serve a healthy wedge to each child rather than a tiny dessert size piece. (With my relatives, if I tried to serve a wedding size piece of cake at a family birthday, they'd think I was nuts. They expect a good size piece and probably want seconds.
...and we wonder why we have fat kids. When my children were small I used to serve big pieces of cake to the kids at their parties. Invariably, I threw away half a slice of cake on nearly every plate. It was just too much cake for most of them. A serving of 1 x 2 x 4" is more than ample for kids. And even if it's not, it's really all they need.
Wouldn't an 8" square serve 32 if it's wedding-sized servings? Remember we're talking about a square here, not a round cake.
I totally agree with Ruth about the serving size, too. When my son was in 1st grade I took a cake to his class and was cutting the pieces according to the wedding chart, NOT the party chart. They were so big I started cutting them smaller, no little kid needs that much sugar and fat. They might WANT it, but they don't NEED it.
While I agree on a PERSONAL level that kids dont "need" that much sugar, I dont think it's my business or my right to tell others how to treat/feed their children. Really it's a matter of what size/standard you plan on setting for your cakes and going with that. I choose to follow the Wilton party chart for birthday cakes because I find that it is a size that people like/expect. It doesnt matter that *I* think that 1x2x4 is adequate, it matters what the customer thinks. Now, if I TELL my customer that my standard size for all cakes is 1x2x4, then they have no room to complain- I just dont want them to expect one thing and get another and feel ripped off. That being said, NO ONE should feel ripped off getting a carved, custom cake for $40 WITH delivery!!!!
Texas_Rose Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Feb 26, 2008
Posts: 3975
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:41 pm
chefjulie wrote:
DakotaDesigns wrote:
chefjulie wrote:
You can also buy cake boxes and boards in bulk at Sams Club for a VERY good price. The boxes are extremely sturdy and end up costing about 50% less than Wilton boxes and boards. I really think that if you plan on SELLING your product, you need to box your cakes in food-safe packaging. It's unsanitary and unprofessional to send a cake out without proper packaging.
I think that depends upon who you are and what your cakes are like. I myself have yet to find "professional" boxes that work with my cakes. My cakes are always covered some way some how while traveling. I don't worry about packaging for storage because all of my confections are delivered on site when the 'event' is to begin. 99% of my cakes are custom, carved and tall.
I find it quite offensive how many cc'ers here are putting down those who don't spend the money on 'professional' looking boxes that would have to be altered anyhow just to fit the cake.
I actually wasnt trying to be offensive in any way, shape, or form. It's CYA thing. I would be disgusted if something like a bug or who knows what ended up one of my cakes because it wasnt properly covered. If you look through my cakes, I also dont do many cakes (sheet cakes) that have "standard" size boxes, BUT I do have cake boxes that I purchased online that are MADE for my tiered/ taller cakes. It's actually NOT a matter of cost, since I reuse the same boxes over and over again- Just a matter of running a business and following health department guidelines.
Is there a lot of difference between a clean cardboard moving box and a box made for a tiered cake? Other than about a twenty dollar price difference? I usually bake for my relatives who live out of town and I don't get my boxes back, so the large moving box that I buy at home depot for $1.29 seems like a good solution to me.
Mensch Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 19, 2009
Posts: 702
Location: The Diogenes Club
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:44 pm
Most types of corrugated boxes are NOT food-safe. Many types harbor plenty of dust and crap in the wells.
Texas_Rose, my comments were directed to the people who dont use ANY packaging or who reuse moving/shipping boxes that have been around the country 18 times in the back of a nasty truck For me, I prefer the "cake" boxes because they do fit my cakes better AND I like *KNOWING* that I've done everything I can to make my product as safe as possible. Plus, I'm lazy and it's easy
julitre1 Junior Member
Joined: Jul 09, 2006
Posts: 94
Birthday: Dec 28
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:48 pm
I have been working at a grocery store bakery and they just carry standard size cake boxes. For any cakes that are tiered or shaped (which aren't many) they put them in banana boxes and cover them with Saran Wrap.
I am very sorry this happened to you also. I know, even at the grocery stores, you have people that you just can't please.
I'm going back to doing cakes out of my house, the 2 jobs was too much, so I need some good places to get cake boxes that don't cost me an arm and a leg. So far from this post, I've gotten Sams Club and brpboxshop.
Chefjuli-where do you get yours?
What I don't like about Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby cake boxes is that they don't really fit the boards. Suggestions?
I go to Sams for pretty much all of my "standard" size boxes. Global Sugar Art sells boxes made by Bakery Crafts http://www.globalsugarart.com/.....ke%20Boxes . You can find them at other places online- but that's the easiest one for me to link to
__Jamie__ Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Aug 16, 2008
Posts: 5033
Location: The less seriously you take me, the better off we'll all be!
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:56 pm
Banana boxes? Barf!
Mensch Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 19, 2009
Posts: 702
Location: The Diogenes Club
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:57 pm
Banana boxes? Man, that is just not right. Banana boxes are so gross.
Texas_Rose Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Feb 26, 2008
Posts: 3975
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:59 pm
chefjulie wrote:
Texas_Rose, my comments were directed to the people who dont use ANY packaging or who reuse moving/shipping boxes that have been around the country 18 times in the back of a nasty truck For me, I prefer the "cake" boxes because they do fit my cakes better AND I like *KNOWING* that I've done everything I can to make my product as safe as possible. Plus, I'm lazy and it's easy
I didn't want to argue, just wondered if there's a difference, other than that the cake boxes I've seen open on the side and the moving boxes open from the top. I tell the relatives to bring a knife and cut the side of the box when they get where they're going. But it would be funny to tell some of them that they had to buy a $20 box to put their "free" cake in
cownsj Frequent Member
Joined: Feb 26, 2008
Posts: 229
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:07 pm
I'll have to go with a friend on their Sam's Club membership and check out their boxes.
Last edited by cownsj on Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:23 pm; edited 1 time in total
julitre1 Junior Member
Joined: Jul 09, 2006
Posts: 94
Birthday: Dec 28
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:09 pm
yes, I know, the banana boxes are gross, but surprisingly, not one complaint about them. and just so everyone knows, I was the "new" cake decorating peon, and had no say-so in anything. lol so glad i dont' work there anymore! oh and i did a guitar cake that was about 3 ft. long, so i could find no box to put it in. I transported it to the party myself and everyone loved it. but other than that, i put all my cakes in a cake box.
Texas_Rose Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Feb 26, 2008
Posts: 3975
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posted:
Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:11 pm
cownsj wrote:
sillywabbitz wrote:
Actually even as a hobbiest, most of the cakes i make don't fit in boxes, they're the wrong size..too tall etc. I find it very frustrating to try and find a box that works:) Mostly I end up "making a box" taping it up and open and then covering it with press n seal or saran but I hate having to do it.
For all my tall and carved cakes I just buy Home Depot boxes. I can get a 12 x 12 x 17 box for 67 cents. A larger box is about 20 cents more. I've yet to have anyone complain about the box it comes in. In fact, some make jokes about how "their" cake needed a "special" box to fit it in. They seem to feel a bit more special that their cake doesn't fit in a traditional box.
Apparently they come in handy for cake smuggling too I always use Home Depot boxes for the same reason you mentioned, and weekend before last I made a cake for my sister who didn't tell me where it was going. She said when she carried it into the Cheesecake Factory they asked her what it was, and she said it was a birthday gift (because it was her gift to her best friend's daughter ). Then she took it to the table and unpacked it while all the waitstaff stared.
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For me, I prefer the "cake" boxes because they do fit my cakes better AND I like *KNOWING* that I've done everything I can to make my product as safe as possible. Plus, I'm lazy and it's easy 
