For all of the work that went into that cake I don't think it's that crazy a price. My hubby is a union plumber and makes nearly $50 an hour, would you say that all of his training and years as an apprentice and constantly going in for different certifications aren't worth what he makes? I know there are starving people in the world, but talent is talent, and art is art, and when you cut out the arts it only leads to more poverty and more hungry people. Besides, I'm sure that that resort has given MANY people jobs - which has probably benefitted that community.

I am not trying to pick a fight, but plumbing and cake making are two very different things. A cake is eaten in a matter of minutes, no matter how long it takes to make it is gone, woosh, like that! Plumbing is meant to last for years and years. There are some things that warrant a high price and some things in my opinion that don't. And yes, there is such a thing as over pricing things. I guess it just comes down to what people are willing to pay. Even if I had all the money in the world I would not pay 60 dollars a slice for a piece of cake. Not when I could take that same money and give a homeless person a place to live for a year with that same money. Everyone I am sure will differ in what they believe is acceptably priced and what isn't. That was just my 2 cents on it.

No, no, I"m not trying to argue with you either! Please take no offense! (However, as a cake maker, I believe memories last longer than the actual cake - even if it is eaten in 2 minutes, and I never think about the pipes in my walls!) My 2 cents is simply that if you take away art - high priced or not - poverty will rise. Fact.

I think it's a great cake. I don't think it's a crime to produce a fabulous cake for an upscale resort that probably hires lots of people to provide services for these wealthy people and charge a lot of money for it. So if you think of it in that light, that 12,000 probably did provide a job for someone and kept them from being homeless. Sort of a hand up, not a hand out! Big picture!

LOL after having 2000 dollars worth of damage in our bathroom from a leaky pipe, I surely think about them quite often LOL. And that was the price with having my cousin do it. I can't imagine if we had to hire out of the family EEEKS =0) (no offense taken by the way, my back is fairly slippery. as in things roll off it easily, I do shower! tee hee)

I really need to learn how to use those little smiley faces to soften my words! Have a good night!

The post about the plumber made me think of a wedding cake I made a couple of years ago. When I was in the midst of it, we had a service call out for our annual cleaning of the furnace and air-conditioning unit. The first day the service technician arrived and I was making pew bows for the church. He was here a few minutes and got called away on an emergency and returned the next day. The next day I was lustre dusting my fondant roses, he had a problem with out thermostat and had to return again the next day. The next day I was decorating the stand with my sister, she makes crocheted wedding bells for me, we were doing the organza ribbons for the stand, I had a few other cake things I was doing in preparation. Bear in mind, I had the cakes all baked aready, had baked and frozen them earlier in the week, had made up my icing, it was in the fridge, I had spent three straight weeks making over 200 roses, and a few hundred leaves and fondant pearls.
When the technician was done, he came in the kitchen and started to tell me that his mother used to do wedding cakes but was retired. He said he had watched me work for three straight days and that wasn't even on the baking or decorating of the cake. I did fresh roses arrangements for the cake the day of the wedding too and the table set-up. The technician's comments were that because of his knowledge of his mother's decorating day he knew that I would be making way below minimum wage and he thought that was terrible. Well this cake was a gift and it cost me $360 to make plus it cost me $200 to buy the stand that I would use again. The cake was for 200 people. And it took a full month of work. On many of those days we did eat take-out or heat and serve meals because I don't have much counter space and have to use my kitchen table a lot.
I don't have any qualms about people getting whatever price they can charge for their work at all.
I do tend to think that the amount of money many young people are spending on their weddings, could be spent on a down payment for a house. Yes that money could feed a lot of starving people or help a lot of people but it is not my place to tell others that. It is their day and their wishes and their money.
If a decorator can ask $60 a slice and get it, more power to him or her. The market supports supply and demand. We live in a time when the president of a country earns less than the CEO of many companies. Doctors earn less in their lifetime than an athlete does in theirs. That is just the way it is.
Hugs Squirrelly

SquirrellyCakes, you always have the nicest stories!

Tastycakes I totally agree with you. I did not post to this thread to ruffle any feathers but I felt I had to post simpy because I felt this person's hardwork and effort was being criticized solely based on the price being charged. I just found it a bit hypocritical, especially in light of the fact that we are always encouraging Cake Central members not to undercut themselves. If the lady that designed/decorated that cake can command those prices then good for her. We all aspire to be the best we can be and one of the perks of being the best means not being afraid to ask the price we think our work is worth (coupled with what our market can bear).

I am one of those who didn't understand what it was about that cake that commanded a $60/slice pricetag. Not because I was criticizing or questioning the maker/designer's hard work or the price being charged....but simply because most of the cakes I've seen in that price range have very specialized or hard-to-find ingredients or are decorated with 24 karat gold somewhere or something along those lines. The majority of cakes that I have seen that have that kind of price are generally 'over-the-top' in design and recipe. While the cake is beautiful, as well as all of the gumpaste flowers, most cakes of that caliber (that I've seen) don't claim that kind of price, unless they're twice or more the size of the one in debate.

So maybe others who thought the same as I did weren't being judgemental or hypocritical, as you seem to think they were. Maybe they just were wondering the specifics of the cake that brought it to that price, other than them charging what they do just because they are a high-end resort. Likely, the cake designer herself had little to do with designation of the price of that cake...probably was the responsibility of the food-service or catering end of the resort.

Well said Jenn

So, at $60 a slice, do you suppose the cake cuts itself?
Kidding Princessy Poo, couldn't resist!
Hugs Squirrelly

Anyone got a clue as to what one of those Roland Winbeckler life size mamma's woulda cost? Just curious..I have never seen a price associated with em...but I could understand a tremendous price there..plus they would prolly serve thousands, I am curious what they would have run.

Hey if you got the money, why not...I would .. to some people money is no object. As long as it's hard earned money and not drug money. Unfortunately the less fortunate are very fond of making the very privileged and wealthy feel guilty when they splurge and spend their wealth. I really do not see why ? to each it's own. it's a free country right ?

I happen to not be one of the underpriviledged and would still feel dirty for spending my money in that manner. I didnt ever say that anyone shouldnt be able to do it if they please..simply that it wouldnt be my choice. More power to peoples right to do what they wish! And also voice their opinions!

Just the opinion of someone who pays taxes...not gets a refund.
But still finds it wrong for politicians to use gold toilets and Jim Baker to aircondition his doghouse with PTL dollars

I think we all pay taxes , even the very rich like Bill Gates, unless they are tax evaders .. Cameron Diaz just bought a $3,000 pair of sunglasses.. she works and earns her money. More power to them too..

NO, not everyone pays taxes....and they dont have to evade. As a reference was made to the "less fortunate" I would have thought that it would have been understood that their are those "less fortunate' who get a refund of all their paid taxes.....(with the exception of their SS tax)....and those who make enough money to OWE the government.

Was simply clarifying that I couldnt see spending that much money on a cake but that doesnt mean that I don't have it. There are those of us who could but wouldnt.

like you, KayDay, let them spend their money on $60 slices of cake but I surely couldn't do it. I live on such a tight budget and I am in awe of they way people spend money sometimes. That cake cost more than I draw a year in SS Disability!!! I took up cake decorating to supplement my income and found that I couldn't hold up to it enough to do it. I just do for family and fun as I can't promise to do it and then be unable to come through.

I don't think the very privileged and wealthy would feel guilty about anything us commoners on CC have to say.

Diane

that's what mean by "to each it's own" , some will, some won't ....

Exactly diane! I never said it should be illegal to do what you want with your money..Just stated my personal preference. There are a few decorators here on this site..that as i look at their work and read the recipes (such as godiva, boween, and a couple of new pros) that some of their cakes equal in my humble opinion as pretty as I have ever seen and from their recipes I am sure knowing they are scratch and wonderful sounding recipes HAVE to be excellent tasting. I find it hard to believe that any cake anywhere would tempt me to pay 10x what these ladies get...if someone else wants to ..so be it. But to me beyond a certain point of excellence ...it is all just show. If you care to throw money around on the NAME of your decorator...then by all means go ahead..me I will add onto my house of help someone less fortunate. Just my darned bleeding heart liberal way..lol

See when I was planning our wedding seeing price that would have made me laugh. 99% of the brides reading that magazine could not afford that cake oncesoever. Its the same with the dresses, most of them being thousands and thousands of dollars. There is no bridal magazine for the average bride which is unfortunate. The cake is very pretty to look at, but the price would be impractical to all but the extremely wealthy. Its catering to a very small market. (as many celebrities as there are, they are still a very tiny portion of population). Someone that would be able to afford such a cake, would be able to afford a wedding planner or have at their disposable the host of their reception site taking care of a lot of the details.

I agree with the person that said, as much as cake is art, its also meant to be eaten. None of those flowers would be eaten whatsoever. As beautiful as the cake is, I would be more concerned with how it tasted, what is in the cake, how fresh and delicious are the ingredients. Maybe the flavourings were exotic. Who knows. But I have seen cakes just as beautiful in my mind in the galleries here. If someone wants to spend that much, thats obviously up to them, I don't think anyone is disputing that or trying to make wealthy people think they should be feeling guilty. And I don't think someone spending 12,000 on a cake is going to be feeling guilty that they can afford to spend that much either.

It is true that you can use these expensive cakes for inspiration to make something similar, but at a fraction of the cost(which is probably what most brides do). It is just too bad that these magazines don't feature goods at different and affordable price points.

INSANE TO PAY THAT.....INSANE TO CHARGE THAT.

Here's a thought that I haven't seen yet. Here's the scenario; what if the designer was actually only charging the resort like 12-20 bucks a serving and the resort is the one who tacked on the extra 40 bucks onto the cake price?
Hmmmmm, interesting thought there.

And I can also bet that the resort will not let brides bring in their own cake contractors either. huh huh huh how much you wanna bet???? LOL

I can give you one of my $12-to make-16-cupcakes I have in my fridge for free Squirelly!

LOL, well its $7.70 to make them, and the extra is for a box and board! I envy people who can sell em for a buck, cuz obviously it would have me in the poorhouse! (Now what I want to see is a $60 cupcake!!! )

K, I am still wondering why we are doggin the designer when it might not even be her fault at all? hmmm. Still thinking, well darn, think I'll get me a cup of joe and go sit on the ol' confused couch again! LOL