Sheet Cakes...do You Do Them? Are They Even Worth The Time?
Business By Sneezie Updated 12 Jun 2010 , 6:53pm by tracycakes
We are considering saying no to sheet cake orders. Anyone else just "say no" to sheet cakes?
I don't do them alot but they are nice for if you are wanting that little bit of extra for that week. The ones I do are simple and quick. Say if they need it for the next day.
I wouldn't turn them down. You charge the same price per serving as any other cake and they are easier to do. Easy money, in my opinion.
I did a "sheet cake" this week. It was a 12 x 12 inch square, standard 4 inch height, torted just like all my other cakes. I charged the same per-serving price as any other cake. This client happily paid the $225.00 for it. I got to do piped BC roses for the first time in about 2 years. What a blast from the past! While they're not the most creative cakes or the most fun cakes to make, they're definitely quick money.
Yes I do them and like other posters have said I charge the same amount per serving as well. I know I may be in the minority but I think that they can look good as well.
I don't mind doing them for the most part. I charge the same per serving as a party torte, and they are quick and easy to do.
I don't *not* do them, but I will do everything i can to convince my customers to go in different direction! They're not "easy money" for me!! Seriously, they take me FOREVER to get right and I never really like the way they look when I do them.
Why don't you ask ThanhThanh if sheet cakes are worth her time?
Although sheet cakes are not my favorite thing to do (It's all I do at work) it is possible to make some gorgeous sheet cakes. Again, take ThanhThanh for example. In lots of ways I see her work as more skilled and impressive than some of the other six tier fondant cakes I see on here.
I do TONS.....and make quick cash because I can do them so quickly. I get way more requests for sheets than tiered cakes. I guess if I had lots of tiered cake orders, I may have a different opinion. I am not in the wedding cake business, so that is why I don't turn down sheet cakes.
Maybe we're stumbling on terminology. Around here a sheet cake is one thick layer 2" tall, and a rectangle, for the most part not torted, so no filling.
The cake tootie described is a layer cake, and I certainly do those. And when I do a layer cake for a wedding as an "extar" cake, it's called a kitchen cake. Because it's torted, filled and 4" tall, so therefore not a sheet cake.
I prefer not to do sheet cakes. I just prefer the looks of a stacked cake. I have done sheet cakes in the past and only charge $1.50 per serving because I just do the two inch with no filling. If they want a stacked sheet cake then I charge my regular price, which is about $2.50 a serving.
Yes, the terminology may be different. I also think of sheet cakes as a rectangle and usually 9x13 or 12x18. They have one layer as Leah described. Covered in buttercream and decorated on top - they seem to be easy and cost-effective ways to increase your income.
Plus, some people find round, tiered cakes to be daunting to cut. A sheet cake is easy-peasy. Just measure off portions on each side and cut straight lines!
Our sheet cakes here are one layer (qtr sheet, half sheet), but bakeries here split & fill them. Grocery store sheet cakes (here) are not filled.
Not really. My pricing is for a cake artist, not WalMart, and once people hear my price they usually decide WalMart is good enough. Cause whether it's stacked or flat, the price per slice is the same...so stacked 100 slices or flat 100 pieces it's still a starting buttercream price of $2 per slice.
Maybe we're stumbling on terminology. Around here a sheet cake is one thick layer 2" tall, and a rectangle, for the most part not torted, so no filling.
The cake tootie described is a layer cake, and I certainly do those. And when I do a layer cake for a wedding as an "extar" cake, it's called a kitchen cake. Because it's torted, filled and 4" tall, so therefore not a sheet cake.
I thought the same thing when tootie described what she did. Anything that is 4" in height is a standard cake for me.
I don't do sheet cakes (2" tall, i don't care what shape, although typically it is rectangle) If someone orders a sheet cake they want it for the same price wal-mart and the grocery store charge, i can't compete, so why try?
I charge the same amount per serving whether it is one 4" tall cake or it is a tiered cake.
As for the person who said customers aren't sure how to cut round cakes, that's why a majority of my cakes are squares. 8-9-10 are my most popular sizes, and the're easy to cut.
I do sheet cakes and I loathe them, but I do cakes for the local party store here and most people assume that's just all they have is "sheet cakes" so that's what they order.
I charge MUCH less per serving for the sheet cakes (anywhere from $.75 to $1.00/serv.) so people tend to go that route when they want to get a "wal-mart" cake but don't want to drive to "wal-mart" I charge about $10-$15 more per cake than wal-mart does, but mine are "custom" and "made to order" not frozen and shipped in once a month!
People still balk at the prices.......oh well! I still can't get anyone to pay $1.50/serv. for a 4" tall round/square cake! lol
So the MAJORITY of my business tends to be sheet cakes and I really detest them! So much harder to make them look good than a tiered cake!
Plus, some people find round, tiered cakes to be daunting to cut. A sheet cake is easy-peasy. Just measure off portions on each side and cut straight lines!
Actually .......
Round cakes are cut the exact same way. Here's the step by step that many people print off and give to their brides on how to cut the cake:
http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/cake%20comb
I live in a rural area, and have a licensed bakery, and I want people to be able to have budget options when they call me. If they decide that they don't want to spend $150 on a tiered cake that only feeds 20 people, then they always know that they can still get a nice sheet cake to still serve that same amount, but more budget friendly. In the back of my mind, I don't want to lose the sale, without compromising my time, and worth, and I want my customers to know that they have options as well with out totally freaking out just because they think they need a 3 tiered cake every year their child gets a year older, and then they find out the price. And I sure don't want to be known as the cake lady that NO ONE can afford. lol So, it's important to me to set that reputation to new customers and people who are hearing about me from others that I do all kinds of cakes from budget friendly.......to all get out 3D carved whatever you can dream up stuff.
That is what I do more than any other thing. They are very easy. Maybe as I become more experienced I may want not to do them. For now I'm good with them.
I do them because I can usually squeeze them in pretty quickly. It's not my preference and I always push other cakes first. But, if they insist, because of budget, time, whatever, I do try to make them special.
I'm hoping at some point to be busy enough NOT to do them.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%