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CNN's report today on "fake cakes" to SAVE $$$$ - Page 2

post #16 of 104
7/7/08 at 10:52am
Thread Starter 
Back last summer, I had a bride to call regarding a "fake" cake. She had been told that she could save lots of $$$ by choosing this option. She tried to read me the riot act when I told her that I charged the same for cakes...real or fake. She didn't like that much, but you know what, it's MY business, MY time, MY energy, and MY name on the line. If you start the whole "cheaper version" of the wedding cake, it's the same as a good referral. The word will spread, and actual wedding cakes (THE bulk of my business) will go to pot.

A letter writing campaign may be in order....I don't remember who suggested that, but it's a great idea!!! thumbs_up.gif
Wife of Audy since 9-12-92

Mama to Ethan (7-19-96) & Gracie (11-08-00)

Proud owner of a licensed home bakery since 2006
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Wife of Audy since 9-12-92

Mama to Ethan (7-19-96) & Gracie (11-08-00)

Proud owner of a licensed home bakery since 2006
Reply
post #17 of 104
7/7/08 at 10:53am
I would really like to know where they get their 'information'.

If they are talking to someone like Sylvia Weinstock - yes I think a fake cake with kitchen cakes could cost less than a real cake. Because you could be talking about 100+ hours of decorating time... even without flower making say - 40 hours of pure assembling and decorating with a real cake would need to be done in the last few days prior to the wedding. That could mean a LOT of overtime for staff. It is a fake cake you could spread that time out over the whole week, therefore saving overtime labour - but also increasing labour for the additional kitchen cakes.

For the average bride who's entire cake can be completely by one decorator in say 20 hours - there is NO saving.

The Knot should speak to decorators that cater to the average bride... not the decorators that cater to brides where price is no object - you are basically comparing apples to oranges (not based on quality but based on time spent)
"It is hearsay upon hearsay, and I do not chose to rest my belief upon such evidence" - Thomas Paine
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"It is hearsay upon hearsay, and I do not chose to rest my belief upon such evidence" - Thomas Paine
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post #18 of 104
7/7/08 at 12:24pm
My local station ran a similar story just today. I'm writing the reporter and saying:

"Ms. Sweeney,
Just FYI. I read your article online and I know this is mentioned to brides often as being a money saver, but fake cakes are not cheaper. There are still sheet cakes that have to be baked and iced to serve the same number of guests. There is still a "cake" that has to be lavishly iced, decorated and assembled. Then you're adding specially made styrofoam pieces. So it's more icing and more supplies. This does not make for a cheaper cake."

I don't know if it will help any, but something has to be said.
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post #19 of 104
7/7/08 at 12:58pm
I'm new to the whole fake cake notion, but what puzzles me is that over here, one big photo moment in a wedding is where the bride & groom get to cut the cake. If it's a rental, what happens?? Surely it can't come back with a big old knife wound in it??!!
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post #20 of 104
7/7/08 at 1:01pm
I sent CNN an e-mail. Not only are they doing a great disservice to bakers, but DJs too!

OMG! "Plug in an iPod"?!?! Who's going to do announcements? On what system?

The two things that should NEVER be scrimped on are food and entertainment. Why aren't they recommending the elimination of wedding favors? Something that's feasible without affecting the "quality" of the event?
PSA: There are laws that regulate the sale of food items - these laws are different in each state/county. Please familiarize yourself with your local laws before selling your amazing baked goods.
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PSA: There are laws that regulate the sale of food items - these laws are different in each state/county. Please familiarize yourself with your local laws before selling your amazing baked goods.
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post #21 of 104
7/7/08 at 1:22pm
We do fake cakes all the time But each cake is made for that bride and usually the top tier is real to cut for photos. Then they can have sheet cakes with more flavors and filling choices because I will not do a refrigerated filled cake. My fake cakes are a tad cheaper than a real but that is only if they return the cake after the wedding.

In the humid Iowa summers I trust stryofoam a lot more than real cake at an outdoor reception. I can also decorate a fake cake alot faster than a real so for me it does take less time when they are fake.

Sorry to be the baker with the opposite opinion.
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post #22 of 104
7/7/08 at 1:23pm
I got married almost 3 years ago, and the cake was part of the package at our venue. They had just gone from a fake cake to real cakes a couple of months before our wedding.

For them, the fake cakes were cheaper because they had 5 cakes that they re-used over and over. They decorated them each one time and used them for like a year or more (it wasn't real icing, not sure what it was)- just replacing the top layer with real cake for the cutting...

So this information isn't totally off base if you're not using an original design and freshly decorated cake.
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post #23 of 104
7/7/08 at 1:30pm
It's okay to do fake cakes.. I have nothing against them. It's the proliferation of the notion that they should magically be SOOOO much cheaper than a real cake. Someone charging $75 for a 4 tiered styro cake and providing sheetcakes for next to nothing is a problem. Charging a dollar less per serving or something like that.. not so much of a problem. And if you are renting out already made styro-cakes then that's a WHOLE other ball game.
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post #24 of 104
7/7/08 at 1:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkalman

And if you are renting out already made styro-cakes then that's a WHOLE other ball game.



A lot of us have dummy cakes sitting around. I know mine will fade in color, they will yellow, they will look aged, they will get dusty, they will get some damage in transit to demos and bridal shows.

So how does a place use the same cake over and over without incurring add'l labor expense to re-do them? Are they made with spackling compound or something, then run thru their commercial dishwasher? icon_confused.gif
Cake Cutting Guide: http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/cake%20comb
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55969028@N00/
www.cateritsimple.blogspot.com
http://debiswritingcollection.blogspot.com/
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Cake Cutting Guide: http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/cake%20comb
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55969028@N00/
www.cateritsimple.blogspot.com
http://debiswritingcollection.blogspot.com/
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post #25 of 104
7/7/08 at 1:47pm
That's what I always wanted to know indydebi. I had a dummy sitting around and after a few weeks it looks dusty and fondant doesn't dust well (fyi). icon_smile.gif
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post #26 of 104
7/7/08 at 1:48pm
I don't normally post on this side of the forum as I am not in the decorating business, I just joined here two years ago when I wanted to make my daughters wedding cake.
I saw this post today and had to respond.
I ended up making our daughters cake because the only two bakers in our area would only make a cake that had one edible layer, the rest ALL styrofoam and we had to order sheet cakes for serving. I could NOT get them to make the entire cake as an edible...that was not their policy!!
So...I joined here, talked a lot, practiced and learned and she had a beautiful one of a kind cake and I have a new hobby.
Good luck trying to get people to understand...they just won't.
Taigen
P.S. just wanted to add that no I do not sell cakes to anyone, I only make a few cakes a year just for the fun of it and to keep practicing. Maybe one day I will but I really didn't like the stress of it much.
Don't walk ahead of me...
I may not follow
Don't walk behind me...
I may not lead
Just walk by my side...
and be my friend
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Don't walk ahead of me...
I may not follow
Don't walk behind me...
I may not lead
Just walk by my side...
and be my friend
Reply
post #27 of 104
7/7/08 at 2:04pm
When you view the video, there is a link to post your opinion and comments. Now is the time to voice your opinion! We may be able to do fake cakes and sheet cakes slightly cheaper, but it's not a substantial difference as The Knot wants to put out there. They make it sound like a bride will save hundreds of dollars. I wouldn't have a problem with the option being put out there for brides if the price was accurately reported. And I don't understand exactly what The Knot gets out of reporting this misinformation. Do they really sell that many more magazines or something? icon_confused.gif They've been reporting about this for quite some time.
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post #28 of 104
7/7/08 at 8:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by metrocakes

When you view the video, there is a link to post your opinion and comments. Now is the time to voice your opinion!



They added mine! thumbs_up.gif
Cake Cutting Guide: http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/cake%20comb
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55969028@N00/
www.cateritsimple.blogspot.com
http://debiswritingcollection.blogspot.com/
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Cake Cutting Guide: http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/cake%20comb
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55969028@N00/
www.cateritsimple.blogspot.com
http://debiswritingcollection.blogspot.com/
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post #29 of 104
7/7/08 at 8:59pm
I didn't see the comment option, so I sent them a very "friendly" e-mail. icon_smile.gif
PSA: There are laws that regulate the sale of food items - these laws are different in each state/county. Please familiarize yourself with your local laws before selling your amazing baked goods.
Reply
PSA: There are laws that regulate the sale of food items - these laws are different in each state/county. Please familiarize yourself with your local laws before selling your amazing baked goods.
Reply
post #30 of 104
7/7/08 at 9:04pm
debbie! can you tell us your comment??...the page won't load for me anymore icon_sad.gif
It's not "just" cake...it's my life!
WI State Representative for Icing Smiles...start 'Baking a Difference" today!
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It's not "just" cake...it's my life!
WI State Representative for Icing Smiles...start 'Baking a Difference" today!
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