I would love to see that cake here on CC.
But she has to be loaded to afford this cake.
Good luck, hope to hear how it goes. 
So, what's the problem? I'm sure you could make that cake in 1/2 an hour for $50 or less even.....
NOT!!!
Oh my gosh, I have no doubt that you can make this cake and decorate it as beautifully but I agree with everyone else. It's a LOT of time and effort that you need to account for and charge accordingly. If she runs, she runs. If she can pay then just book yourself out for two weeks and do it. But you have to charge what the cake is worth and I think $10,000 for a cake of that calibre is fair.
Let us know how fast she runs or how fat her purse is. 
Ok, I do not agree. There is a lot of gold painted on that cake, and let's face it, I doubt that MB is going to use anything but 23K gold dust painted on. You are looking at a price tag of at least $20 per serving, or $6000 for 300 servings.
Theresa 
That is a great cake, but would be expensive to recreate for such a large number of guests.
I'm curious to know what the bride decided after you gave her a high price tag.
I have not doubt that you can duplicate or comethisclose to replicating it. But I also agree, it's not that you can't do it, it is the amount of time and maybe even extra help that you are going to have to get to help you with it or handing you the vodka shots. In all seriousness, though, should you decide to do this cake, I would definitely not charge less than $6,000 to $7,000; hell, if MB starts at $10,000, then I really feel (in all honesty) that you should go with that price - hell, the bride wants a duplicate of that exact cake, then you have to pay the exact duplicate of what the original costs! Also, if this bride can afford that kind of price, please make sure to get 1/2 of the total cost of the cake at booking! Good luck and keep us posted!
I guess I'm the only one who doesn't think it would be THAT hard...
Perhaps I'm crazy. I think I'm going to do up a dummy cake just to see how long something like that would actually take. Looks like so much fun!
I guess I'm the only one who doesn't think it would be THAT hard...
Perhaps I'm crazy. I think I'm going to do up a dummy cake just to see how long something like that would actually take. Looks like so much fun!
I know I won't be able to do it, But i bet there more than 2 hand full of people from Cake Central that can pull it off!
Nothing like dreaming big! It's a beautiful cake - I was looking at that book this weekend - I love the book! There are step by step directions on the cakes in the back of the book as well as instructions on all of the techniques. It's not an inexpensive book but it's well worth the price. It was one of the first books I bought. I say - pick a price you're comfortable with and if she goes for it great if not - oh well. You can do it!
Debbie
Nothing like dreaming big! It's a beautiful cake - I was looking at that book this weekend - I love the book! There are step by step directions on the cakes in the back of the book as well as instructions on all of the techniques. It's not an inexpensive book but it's well worth the price. It was one of the first books I bought. I say - pick a price you're comfortable with and if she goes for it great if not - oh well. You can do it!
Debbie
I guess I'm the only one who doesn't think it would be THAT hard...
Perhaps I'm crazy. I think I'm going to do up a dummy cake just to see how long something like that would actually take. Looks like so much fun!
Well, I think HALF the battle of this cake is carving it - making a dummy cake would be easier.. do you see how much of an hour glass some of those layers are? So, to make it that SHAPE and to keep it from buckling would be a challenge. Then, each of those detailed decorations - they are't piped on, but put o later... all those color variations. This would take a LOT of concentration and time no matter HOW talented you are. I don't think there is anything that isn't overly difficult in each element (except the carving), but it's the AMOUNT of it that is time consuming.
Melissa
ETA: there is no WAY I would ever have the talent to do this, but I can appreciate the detail!
I can see it being a 2 day project - but 2 weeks?!?
Maybe I'm dreaming - or maybe I'm just too cocky. LOL! Either way, I guess I'll find out. Project MB Replica Cake starts WEDNESDAY! Can she (I) do it?!? We'll see...
Now, back to your regularly scheduled program.
Ok, I actually replicated one of the cakes from this book, which was probably the least complex. It was the hand painted homage to linoleum cake and each layer took me about three hours to hand paint. I agree that it really isn't complicated, but time consuming. To be honest, there is not a whole lot you can do ahead of time. You can make the chalice, pearls and perhaps the Ursala's at the base in advance. This cake has a lot of detailed piping work and then she goes back and paints it all by hand. In fact, I am sure most of us would airbrush the color on first and then proceed with the piping, etc...but she doesn't. She does it all by hand. In my opinion, for what it is worth, do not charge anything less then $10,000. I would even go so far as to do a dummy cake before hand for practice. I know for myself, it always takes more time then I think when I am attempting something for the first time. Good luck.....this sounds like a great opportunity.
I do have the book and I don't find that it gives CLEAR instructions.
The things that are in the book are kinda generalized and then she tells how she adapts them to the cakes.
The book is more about her trip to ( I think Italy) and how the art inspires her.
Buuuuuuut. I think that any qualified and patient decorator could replicate one of the cakes, but my advice ; I always tell someone that brings in a photo or cake for me to copy that I cannot do it exactly as the photo since I am NOT the person that made that particular cake. If they want that particular one, they need to contact that particular cake artist and pay that Cake Artists prices.
That they will get my "VERSION" of that cake and at a more "realistic" price.
It would be amazing if you took the commission for this cake as it would be the crowning glory in your ( or anyone else's ) portfolio.
PS: I have been eyeing making one of her cakes as a display model, Good luck and post!!
I'm just thinking there is NO WAY this bride is going to order this cake.. I thik she'll try a few other places, see it's IMPOSSIBLE on a budget and then will come up with another fantastically difficult cake... to be shot down again... What do you want to be she ends up with a very simple cake??? LOL
Melissa
I AGREE WITH EGGSHELLS. I always tell my customers that! It covers my butt! I too found her book lacking in instruction. In fact the cake I made gave pretty much no instruction.
Cakewalk gives instructions for each of the techniques and then in the back it shows which techniques and in which order will be needed to make the specific cake. I thought it was a lot like Collette's last book.
Debbie
Wow - amazing cake!! I would quote her an honest price. (not one set high just to scare her...) Whatever you feel your time is worth. If that is too much, offer her the other option again of a smaller cake with sheet cakes for serving. This is a wonderful chance to show off your skill and an amazing cake for your portfolio. Keep us posted!!
Well, I've gotten her to scale down some of the work on the cake. The cake wont be carved, it will be just one color of fondant (no orange), and no topper. She still very much wants the gold hand painted decorations, but I think I can talk her into scaling down the amount a bit. She has changed the size to 250, with a 50 serving groom's cake. I'll see if I can get her to lower the number to 200 if I can convince her not all her guests will stay and eat cake. She still wants it quite grand as she wants to display it as the center piece of the reception. She did reserve the day with me, but the wedding isn't until May, so there is plenty of time to keep working out the details.
But what is her budget? Or what did you tell her for price?
Melissa
Sounds like you are going to make the cake . . . I'd love to read a daily blog about creating it! I bet you will learn a ton just by doing it.
Good luck!
Just saw this cake pop up in the pictures . . . it looks like a Margaret Braun design w/ Colette Peters colors!
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_27096.html
I hope you charge one hundred million dollars.
L.
O.
L.
let us know what price range you gave her would be intrested in knowing congrats on the order
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