Sheetcakes: To Do Or Not To Do

Business By becca0709 Updated 3 Jul 2009 , 3:38am by ButtercupMama

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becca0709 Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 5:45pm
post #1 of 36

I was wondering how everyone feels about doing standard sheetcakes as part of their business offerings?

I know that not everyone wants an elaborately decorated cake, but does anyone else feel that doing sheetcakes could potentially affect your business image?

Any thoughts/discussion would be greatly appreciated!

35 replies
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jammjenks Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 6:09pm
post #2 of 36

Sheet cakes are a least 1/4 of my business. I am quick with them, so I actually like them. If I didn't offer them, some of my customers would choose something else, but I'm afraid I'd lose quite a few. Lots of people like the simplicity of cutting sheet cakes and are just out of their comfort zone otherwise.

Ultimately it is up to you and what YOU want to do. There is no right or wrong to it. I gladly do them.

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cylstrial Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 6:10pm
post #3 of 36

I don't think sheet cakes are going to affect the image of your business. They are generally something that people want. Some of them are actually pretty cool! I know IndyDebi charges the exact same amount for a tiered cake (per slice of course) as she does for each slice of her sheet cake. But really it's up to you!

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CakeForte Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 6:11pm
post #4 of 36

I don't offer sheetcakes just because I don't have time/ space right now for smaller orders. I have to have a certain minimum since I rent kitchen space.

If/when I do offer them, they will still be custom designs. The shell borders and buttercream roses are best left to the grocery stores and walmart as MY business image is custom work, not found in stores, and gourmet flavor combinations.

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matthewkyrankelly Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 6:12pm
post #5 of 36

I agree. Make what you want. However have a price structure. I wouldn't charge less for a sheetcake.

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cakedout Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 6:14pm
post #6 of 36

I guess you would have to elborate on what your consider a "standard" sheet cake! icon_lol.gif A friend of mine does an amazing home business with lots of sheet cake orders per weekend-in addition to her amazing wedding cakes. And let me tell you- her sheet cake designs are definately NOT "standard"! icon_eek.gifthumbs_up.gif

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MikeRowesHunny Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 6:17pm
post #7 of 36

I do them, but I charge the same as any other cake - minimum $3 per serving depending on flavours/design/skill etc!

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littlecake Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 8:44pm
post #8 of 36

they pay my rent

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Mindy1975 Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 9:17pm
post #9 of 36

I can't imagine NOT doing them every week. I'd be broke!

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ThreeDGirlie Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 9:28pm
post #10 of 36

Will I do sheet cakes? Yes. Do I do many of them, even of it's what someone asks for? Nope!

People come to me and ask for a sheet cake because it's what they've had in the past. I then come up with several designs and their pricing - usually 1 or 2 sheet cakes, and 1 or 2 other designs. They always pick the non-sheet cake. Just giving options makes it easy. While I've seen some really nice sheet cakes, there's only so much you can do with them...

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loriemoms Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 9:36pm
post #11 of 36

I do fancy sheet cakes...but not the three BC roses on this corner and four on that corner and happy birthday Sally with combed sides. I wish I could as people are wiling to pay double what walmart charges easly, because they want a good tasting, fresh, not made with a ton of crap, cake. I just dont have the time or space. Maybe one day when I get more space I will offer them and have one of my employees do them.

I do offer kitchen cakes though...if they have a wedding cake for over 100 servings, they can purchase a kitchen cake, which is just buttercream on it, for about 75% of the price (it is also four layers and looks like the wedding cake when cut. I dont get why anyone orders a single layer sheet cake with thier wedding cake. Who gets the single layer cake and who gets the nice filled cake, but thats a different subject!)

I agree with the other posters...do what you think is best! It doesnt "lower" your business or anything if that is what you are asking...

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indydebi Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 9:53pm
post #12 of 36

I'm not sure how they could (negatively) impact your business image. icon_confused.gif Thanh Thanh, for example, makes exquisite sheet cakes.

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djs328 Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 9:54pm
post #13 of 36

If any of your cakes require refrigeration, the customer may not have space to fridge a tiered beauty...but a sheet cake will almost always fit in someone's fridge!
Someone posted a while back: a sheet cake is just a different SHAPED cake. No different than a round, a square, or otherwise. If anything, sometimes can be more challenging to ice those corners than on a round!
Do what works for you!!!

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cakesbyamym Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 11:34pm
post #14 of 36

I'm not sure how making a sheet cake can be negative for one's business, but speaking for myself, I can't imagine NOT doing sheet cakes. icon_sad.gif

Sheet cakes are quick, and relatively easy to do for me. I don't make the "typical" grocery store sheet cakes of just roses. THAT, I don't care for, but if it's the customer's request, then that's what I'll do for them.

As Indydebi pointed out, Thanh Thanh's sheet cakes are perfection, and I've learned through her photos that a sheet cake can be just as unique as a tiered cake.

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__Jamie__ Posted 24 Jun 2009 , 11:43pm
post #15 of 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

I'm not sure how they could (negatively) impact your business image. icon_confused.gif Thanh Thanh, for example, makes exquisite sheet cakes.





Yes she does. She's amazing!! Her stuff is art I tell ya'! icon_smile.gif

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littlecake Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 12:00am
post #16 of 36

i can do them in about 15 minutes...so that's really not bad money.
i'd kinda like to get them buying some more small tiered cakes though, i guess i need to make some models, but many of my customers are only feeding like 25 peeps so a tiered cake would be too big.

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FromScratch Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 1:19am
post #17 of 36

I don't offer them. I have no desire to make sheet cakes. To me they go against my business image of out of bounds custom cakes from a boutique bakery. The only time I bake sheets is when I'm building 3-D cakes or sometimes for kitchen cakes. I think there are different schools of decorating, and sheet cakes play a huge roll in caking as an industry. People shouldn't stop making them, I just choose not to.

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dorie67 Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 1:32am
post #18 of 36

I do sheet cakes but this is not my passion. I truly enjoy the tier cakes even if it is for a simple event. I do not believe that by making a sheet cake the integrity of your business would be compromised though. princess.gif

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littlecake Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 2:02am
post #19 of 36

i think it would be great to be able to make a living doing only fancy cakes.....i gotta make about 2K a week in sales to stay afloat.....i guess if you just make fancy cakes, you don't really have to make that many...what is the average price of a boutique type cake...like 400.00? then i'd only have to make 5 cakes a week...wow....that would be great.

i was thinking today how rare the very amazing cake makers are, i guess people will really travel to get something so cool huh?

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kellertur Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 2:33am
post #20 of 36

About sheet cakes ~ I guess I'm a bit confused. I thought sheet cakes were 1 layer, no filling, but I recently learned many people torte them.

Do people pay the same for a 1 layer sheet cake as they do a 2-layer cake? Is the pricing the same?

I'm obviously missing something... icon_redface.gif

Thanks.

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FromScratch Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 2:38am
post #21 of 36

Not that I think of myself as some superstar awesome caker (because I know I'm not), but I just got a inquiry from Derby, CT (that's about 3.5 hours from me). We'll see if it comes through. And I have a cake to deliver to Springfield, MA which is 2.5 hours away. People will travel for what they want. I like being able to make $2000 in a weekend on 5 cakes. Now if I could only do it every weekend... LOL... but I am just really starting out on this journey. I am finally getting inquiries almost everyday so that's cool. I have the luxury of being able to take it slow though since I am a legal home baker. I feel very fortunate in that respect. If I had a shop right now I'd be making whatever cake anyone asked for... I'd have to.

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indydebi Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 2:43am
post #22 of 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by K2cakes

About sheet cakes ~ I guess I'm a bit confused. I thought sheet cakes were 1 layer, no filling, but I recently learned many people torte them.

Do people pay the same for a 1 layer sheet cake as they do a 2-layer cake? Is the pricing the same?

Thanks.



No. A 2 layer cake is twice as much cake as a 1 layer cake so they should be paying twice as much.

A single layer cake that is torted is NOT the same as a 2-layer cake. It's a single layer of cake that's been cut in half and put back together ... it's still a single layer (2" tall) cake that's had about 1/4" of filling put in it.

A 2-layer cake is TWO 2" tall cakes that are assembled into 2 layers. Twice the cake as in a single layer cake.

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kellertur Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 2:49am
post #23 of 36

Does it count if they call you and live 750 miles away, but are getting married in your state? icon_rolleyes.gif ... probably not, huh. (Oh well...)


And Jeanne~ you are a superstar caker! icon_cool.gif

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FromScratch Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 2:56am
post #24 of 36

LOL... I have 2 cakes for people from California this year too who are having their wedding (and a birthday) out here... that made me feel pretty cool so I say it counts!! icon_wink.gif

And don't make me blush... I am far from a superstar, but I feel honored that you feel that way. icon_redface.gif

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littlecake Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 5:01am
post #25 of 36

DUDE! that kitty cat cake you made was every bit as cool as anything they have done on the foodnetwork....and better than most, your work is real clean too, like amazing mike.

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littlecake Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 5:30pm
post #26 of 36

for those of you who missed the joy of the kitty cake....did i mention it's a bobble head?




go from scratch!

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__Jamie__ Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 5:33pm
post #27 of 36

Jeanne!! Wow! That was so cute! Awesomeness!

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FromScratch Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 6:33pm
post #28 of 36

icon_redface.gif oh gosh... thank you so much for the kudos. I did love making that cake. It was for my daughter's 8th birthday.

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MandyE Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 6:44pm
post #29 of 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by littlecake

i can do them in about 15 minutes...so that's really not bad money.
i'd kinda like to get them buying some more small tiered cakes though, i guess i need to make some models, but many of my customers are only feeding like 25 peeps so a tiered cake would be too big.




I have one I'm doing this weekend that was for 25. I told her if she wanted a tiered cake (that's all I've ever done really - no one has ever asked for a sheet cake) that the smallest I can do would be 30 servings. And she is paying for those 30 servings. Usually they don't mind. Just a thought.

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kellertur Posted 25 Jun 2009 , 10:23pm
post #30 of 36

Holy Schneiky, Jeanne!! I just looked at your new photos. icon_eek.gif

If you do end up coming to help me in August ~ I'll consider it the equivalent of Colette Peter's giving a class. What an honour!!
Seriously, I'm impressed! icon_surprised.gificon_smile.gif

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