My cousin is getting married in November and her mom just emailed me a picture of the cake she wants to see if I can do it. The problem is that I hate the cake. It is very old fashioned and all butter cream with swags and stuff. I know some people love this style, it's just not for me. Also, my strength is fondant. That's what I love and that's what I think I'm best at. I don't want to hurt their feelings because they obviously like this style but I just can't do it. Should I tell her that I only do fondant cakes and that if they are set on that particular cake they should just order it from publix (a grocery store where she saw the picture) becaue they would probably do a better job with that particular cake style? Please help!

Edited to say that sending her to Publix is not an insult. We live in a rural and there no bakeries. Only walmart and Publix. Almost every wedding cake done around here is from publix. Mine was.

I would tell her your strength lies in fondant and that you don't think you could do the cake justice since you only work with fondant. Maybe she felt like she should use you first since you are related and did not want to snub you.

I'd be honest and tell her, that you can't make this style of cake. You could always offer her alternative pictures, showing what you can do and see where that goes.

I think the cake she picked is very pretty. However, your cakes are down right breathtaking. Have they seen what you can do?

If you can't do buttercream then I would tell them you are sorry but you can only do fondant cakes and would be happy to try to make them one in fondant that would make them happy.

But if you can do buttercream but you just don't like the cake then I would still do it. After all it's what the bride wants.

If you don't do the cake I would just tell them I'm sorry I can't do that kind. Dont tell them to get it done at some cheep place. By doing so they may think you are being a bit rude.

Joanne

JMHO, she asked if you could do it... you don't feel comfortable doing it, so don't. If she wants to change the medium, then fine, but if her heart is set on BC, then she needs to go elsewhere. I wouldn't add that much stress to my life for anything.

if you were doing my wedding cake, I would want to know...not so bluntly, but if you were to tell me that this style is not your best work and you prefer a different medium, I would be glad that you told me. Especially if its for family, you dont want it to get around how much you did not like this cake.

if you know now that you dont want to do it, dont...the pain will only get greater! good luck!

I have been in this predicament before & I just went ahead with the cake. I figure that I can learn something from every cake I do. On the other hand, there was one I did that with that I absolutely hated & was so glad when I finished!

You have to do what you feel is best, not only for you, but for your cousin. You might start with the bride, see if it's her choice, or her mom's???? Maybe she'd rather have something more "now". Look at this picture of one I did with blue flowers & fondant...see if she might like something like this.

Whatever you do, good luck!

I agree that if you're not comfortable doing extensive piping work then it would be fairer to the couple to tell them that up front.

Please, though, don't "send them to Publix".....this type of cake can be done very well by good bakers/decorators. It doesn't have to be relegated to a grocery store cake just because it isn't the most up to date style. A heavily piped cake done poorly is just as sad as a badly covered fondant cake.

Perhaps there's a good old fashioned bakery in the area that they could look into.

Rae

I totally agree with everything "Seven" said.

A wedding cake is stressful enough, let alone the fact that it is for family and in a medium you are not comfortable with.

Start off by saying how absolutely honored you are that they thought to ask you. Then lead up to the..."I just couldn't do this particular style justice" line.

Then, go to the wedding, relax and enjoy yourself!!!

You should just tell her that you have no experience with this kind of cake and that if she wants you to make it that it will have to be less ugly...oh, I meant elaborate. LOL! Tell her that you do fondant much better and maybe send her a couple of pics of cakes that would compare in fondant. If she's determined to have the traditional then either point her to someone else in your area or the grocery.

Has your cousin and aunt ever seen any of your cakes? Would you believe that I have NEVER been to a wedding where the cake is fondant! We get about 6 invitations every summer and maybe I go to one. So many are my husband's client's children. I really don't like going to weddings where I don't know anyone, so I don't go. Maybe your cousin and aunt haven't really seen a fondant cake either. Offer to show them your pictures or if you have a wedding coming up, have them go with you to the reception site to look at your cake. Maybe they have talked with other people regarding the price of cakes and the difference in cost between fondant and buttercream. Price maybe a factor for them and that's why they went to Publix to look. Otherwise, I agree with the others. Tell them thanks for the honor of thinking of you, but they would be better served with someone who does buttercream work. Maybe you could offer to do the groom's cake.

Thank you all so much for your comments! Just wanted to clarify a few things. When I said that they should just get it from publix I wasn't being rude! We live in a rural area and there are no bakeries here, just walmart and Publix. Getting the cake at publix is like the upgrade. That's where they would get it from if it wasn't from me.

As for the buttercream I have done some buttercream cakes, but I have hated every minute of it! If I do tell them that I'm only doing butter cream and then do another butter cream cake later (only simple ones, not with piping all over) Will they think I was lying or just didn't want to do a cake for them? I don't want to hurt their feelings, but i just don't think I can do this cake in the way they would like it.

Then just tell them, that you cannot do this particular style justice, after all, you want the bride to have the most perfect cake, but you cannot do it. Keep the explanation simple, you cannot do the piping, it is a lot of work, I know, that I certainly couldn't do it

I wouldn't say that you only do BC cakes, just explain that the majority of your work is fondant and not extensive piping- and that's what you feel most comfortable doing. Show them your work and maybe other pictures that you think she might like that you know you can do, and let them decide. Make sure they know you would love to do the cake, just don't feel like it would turn out the way she wants it to and you don't want to let her down, and that if she does decide to go elsewhere, you won't be upset at all.

Man, if you have a Publix that does work of that level I tip my hat to you!
Our Publix stinks at decorating.

Well, this pic was from the publix website. I guess that's why I've had so many people contact me lately. There just aren't many options here. I think they do pretty well though. The taste is not as good as homebaked though. I was happy with our cake, but that was nine years ago before I knew anything about cakes. I think your average bride here is pretty happy with a publix cake.

Say what you just said to us: You do some BC celebration/birthday type cakes but the decorating is simplier. The picture shows elaborate swags and borders and that isn't your expertise. Offer to show pics of what you do do well and tell her it is completely up to her if she would like to go ahead with a fondant cake or have the store do it in BC. Either way the most important thing is that she has the cake she wants. I think saying it this way will get the message across that BC is not an option for you.

Maybe she picked that cake from the book @ publix because that's the only style they had to choose from. She might like one of your cakes better, if she saw the fondant styles. You can always ask her about that, when you're letting her know that you don't feel comfortable w/the BC style for such an important event as a family member wedding.

You have so many beautiful cakes in your gallery.. I would show them pictures of the cakes you have done and explain that you are just better at doing fondant cakes. Maybe they just haven't been exposed to many fondant cakes and once they see yours they might change their mind and want fondant.
Liz

I'll have to say that doing an intricate BC Cake is very challenging, and not everyone can accomplish these type of designs. Fondant is much easier to do. Not everyone likes fondant. You don't like the cake they picked, but it is their choice, not yours. I would see if there are some other decorators in the area, maybe from CC that would be able to do this. I doubt very seriously you could get this cake at a discount store and look like it is supposed to. I am from the old school and I try to accomodate the customer. I f I honestly felt that my talents would not do the cake justice I would let her know, honesty is always best.

I would be honest about your abilities. I would show her pictures of your work and go from there. Perhaps the two of you could come up with something that she'd love to have as much as the first cake and something that you'd love to make and feel confident in doing so. Is she not a fan of fondant? If this is the case, you could perhaps do a dummy fondant cake and sheet cakes with buttercream. I find that most people who choose not to have a fondant cake do so only because they don't care for the taste of it.

I would tell her that your strengths and preference is to work with fondant. Maybe you could come up with a similar design using fondant swags and some fondant flowers or real flowers and present it to her. Suggest if she really has her heart set on that particular cake then maybe she might be better off going to the bakery that can create it for sure.

When I got married I wasnt into cakes. I really just wanted a cake to look nice. If the decorator had some suggestions on how a particular cake could be improved I would be all ears.

Ok... I just emailed my aunt and told her that I don't really do butter cream cakes. I pretty much only do fondant. I told her I don't know if they have looked at fondant cakes but I would be glad to make a fondant one for less than publix charges for a BC one. I also said that if her heart was set on the other cake that she should probably just order it from them. Now I just have to wait and see her reply.

Thank you all for your input!

Ok...so any reply yet from the Aunt?

Well, I sent her some pics of fondant cakes and they picked one that I love and I can't wait to make! I don't know if they never saw fondant cakes before... or just liked how much less I was going to charge them. They seem pretty happy and I am thrilled.

Brilliant news - you'd be suprised at how many people can be persuaded round to your way of thinking once you show them a few photos!

Thanks Emmascakes! I looked at your website and the cakes are beautiful!

if you cant make that cake then you cant. it shouldnt be that hard to tell someone. Being honest is better than being nice and pretending you can make it. Not being able to make that cake even though you promise you can is a no no.

cake_of_plenty, It's not that I can't make that cake. It just that I really really didn't want to. I know I'm capable of doing it, but I hate all that piping. Because I don't like it I don't practice it. It would take me double the time to make an all butter cream cake with all the smoothing and piping. I drive myself and my family crazy trying to make everything perfect. It just takes so long and I put a lot of pressure on myself to get it exactly right. I just decided it was better to do what I love and know I can do the best.

don't be afaid to speak up if you are not comfy doing that cake, i would tell her buttercream is not your strong suit, and you want her to have a nice cake so suggest rolled fondant and if she does not go for it, then send her along....much easier than stressing you out!!!!! i am complete opposite, i am a butter cream "artist", and a customer wanted a fondant wedding cake, i said sure, no problem, how hard can it be???? hahahah ya right, i was soooooo stressed!!! it turned out great after many hours of swearing and crying, but now i know, if i have no background into it~don't do it!!!!