I'm sorry, I have to vent.
This is the coversation I just had with a co-worker....

Coworker: So I'd like to get a cake from you for next Friday. It's for my 51st husbands birthday. Can you get back to me with how much you're going to charge?

Me: That's great, do you have any ideas on what you're looking for? How many people does it need to feed and what's flavor (filling/cake) do you want?

Coworker: I was thinking a cake shaped like the *college name* Logo. Do you think it will be under $40?

Me: Cost all depends on the size and ingredients. Flavors/Fills can be found on the left side of my blog. *i give her the link to my site.

Coworker: I don't know, can I get back to you on the 13th? He's out of town and I don't know how many people he's invited.


ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME is all I wanted to scream back at her. For one the under $40 statement really got me.
Secondly, waiting until the week the cake is due to tell me the flavors is completely rude; I typically buy my supplies the weekend before the cake is due.
Third, how in the world do people think I can just blab out a price if I don't know how many people it needs to feed!

Urgh, I feel better now.....sort of.
Blood pressure is still through the roof.

I don't sell cakes, I just make them for fun, but you can always send her here:
http://www.charmcitycakes.com/noflash/index.cfm?rd=faq

They are booked thru May 3rd, plus many other weeks, and the MIN amount they charge is $1000!!

I bet you would look like a dream after that

Tell her your booked and don't worry about it. Why these people think cake is cheap is beyond me. They feel that just because they work with you they get it cheaper. Don't they know how valuable your time is.

I know what you mean so vent away...

So she wants to tell you on MONDAY what to make for that FRIDAY?? Omg, that's ridiculous. You obviously have another job besides cakes...what is she thinking? I am SO sorry for you. Just try to calm down and think about something else.
I know how you feel. I had a lady call me on Wednesday and wanted a 3D cake for Friday. I'm a SAHM, so I divide my cakes up so I don't have to work all day.

some people just don't have a clue. I would tell her sorry, you just remembered that you have too many cakes for the weekend and possibly couldn't squeeze her in

Just a thought..."sure, I can make one for under $40...if it's basic cake, no filling to serve 12(or whatever your rate is). premium cake no filling, same design, to serve 8. premium cake, premium filling, same design to serve 4...4 is basically 4 cupcakes just so ya know. Get back to me before Friday with the number of servings and flavor options you'd like...maybe you could call him?"

Crissy_Cakes wrote:
So I'd like to get a cake from you for next Friday. It's for my 51st husbands birthday.


Man, she really gets around!

Txcupcake...That's freakin hilarious!!

Allforcake I love your suggestion!

I guess the more and more I get into cakes, the more I'm taken back by peoples complete ignorance on how much time we spend on them. For the Coach cake I did last week, I spent 22 hours on it in 5 days just in the evenings after my regular 8-5 job.

Though it's not only time, I mean most people really don't understand how expensive the ingredients can be. Honest to god, I think I'm going to put together a spreadsheet showing just how much basic ingredients cost (down to the ounces of flavoring used) for a 8x8x4 square cake so they can have a D'OH moment.

Sure would make me fill better.

I too work full time and my response to last minute (and this qualifies) is: I'm sorry but since I work full-time and have family obligations (parents in my case), [i]I will need at least two weeks notice. Thank you for thinking of me though.

Ahhh- we must work with the same people!!!! I had a lady today come to me and let me know that's she's probably going to have her son's bday party either THIS Friday or Saturday and she's not sure how many people will be there and not sure what's she's looking for!!! Then she was thinking about having something with a stand up Fondant plaque!! HELLO - these things need TIME to dry and it is MONDAY and if you want it for FRIDAY that gives me what, 3 whole days to design, bake, decorate! And yes, I have an 8-5 full time job on top of it all too. She's realy wishy washy about it and that drives me nuts. Make a decision already!! Plus this is Easter weekend so extra busy week. It's tough when you can't just be done with them b/c you have to see them everyday at work too!! LOL Cake civilians do not have a clue what goes into decorating cakes. But luckily she isn't one that bulks at prices, she just says ok and hands over the $$$ with no complaints! That makes dealing with last minute stuff a little more bearable! Not much, but a little!

I sure can relate Had this customer who walks into my shop and asks for a cake for the next day. My sales girl accepts,calls me and I tell her it is not feasible but I can have it ready on the third day. We agree on 9am and I set to work all day and all night only to get a call at 6.30am third day from the customer. I'm putting finishing touches ready for 9am delivery and they ask if they can come get it at 6.30am.I'm tired, sleepy, cranky, you name it but I just tell them to come at 8.30am only to hear a very loud angry voice in the background saying how incompetent I am not to have finished a cake that was ordered a WHOLE three days ago .Boy was I MAD !I just cut off the connection, went ahead and finished up the cake and told myself some people are just not worth the sacrifice it takes to put a good cake together!! Anyone that is not ready to pay right or order early --NO SHOW!!!!!!!!

LOL.. sorry I'm also laughing at the 51st husband line. I worked for a principal that always referred to a group of staff members as "the mentally retarded teachers" and they always reminded him he should state "teachers of the mentally retarded" Oh, and he never learned.

Please don't flame me for the "r" word. The English language changes rapidly over time. New words are added every year. words that are not offensive in the 60s and 70s raise a few hackles in 2009. At that time in education it was the proper title for that classification, now it is "developmentally delayed." In ten years it will be something else I'm sure.