I have a long list of available flavors. But I don't allow brides to pick out flavors for tastings, because when I used to do that, I ended up with about 13 different flavors of cake in the freezer, because the next bride never chose to sample the same flavors as any other bride! I had to empty out the freezer and give it away (my DD held a driveway bake sale). I couldn't just keep baking and giving it away....and I can't bake for 2 or 3 people with no leftovers. So I offer white and chocolate and a third "wild card" type flavor from my list, plus 3 fillings I think will go well with the selection and my frostings.

I didn't use to charge for fillings, but since I reduced my prices, I needed to recoup a little....I guess I could back off that, but I just checked theknot and all of the other vendors on my page (I'm not up yet) are more expensive than me but one, and she's only 10 cents per serving less to start.

I do have celebration cakes mixed in my photo books....but I have wedding dummies in my tasting room. I thought that would be good?

My cakes are not like pound cakes....but they aren't like mixes, extremely soft and fluffy. I've seen recipes in other books and they all appear to be variations on the butter cake theme. I'll go through my cake books again tonight, to be sure I'm not misrepresenting here...but I don't think my style of cakes are that different from what is in those wedding cake books I own.

I use a slight variation on Sugarshack's buttercream, and also offer a SMBC.

I'm sorry if I seem defensive, I don't mean to be (it sounds like I'm trying to convince you why I don't need to change, and that's not the case at all). I have a lot of family drama going on and I think that is coloring my attitude toward this whole mess. Maybe I'll alter my website to include all the fillings again. Not that it will be the deciding factor....

I think I need to quit thinking about it and hit the rack. I appreciate all of you taking the time to help me. I'll be interested in how the poll shakes out!

Do you like your cakes? (How they taste)...Does your family? Do your friends? I do both scratch and box (plus added stuff)....I only use scratch if I know the recipe is super moist and rich tasting....but the box ones I use if I do NOT know a recipe that tastes better than they do...and so far, so good.

I'm sure your cakes are great! Just trying to have you think through it, I guess. You should love your own cakes, at least most of them..and want to eat them and think they are the best tasting cakes ever, when you are selling them. They should be up there with your favorite cakes in all the world. If you would rather eat a cake from a restaurant, or a nice upscale bakery, than your own cake...its time to try new recipes. (Again, not saying this is true of you!!!! Just thoughts.)

I came up with a kind of solution to the tasting problem. I had brides cancel because they didn't want to pay...OR had them cancel because they wanted to pick flavors. SO now I do both. I offer two choices....."Chef's choice" which is free (comes out of my freezer) and "Bride's Choice" which she gets to pick three cake flavors and three fillings, for $25.

With "Bride's Choice" sometimes its easy and sometimes its a pain, but it evens out...and then I either feed my family with leftovers...freeze for the future (for chef's choice ones!) or dice up and use in trifles for church gatherings or last minute desserts, with pudding and cool whip. AND the best thing is I get more tastings because I get the ones who don't want to pay for a tasting...AND the ones who don't mind paying, get to choose. So theoretically, everyone is happy, except maybe the customers who weren't planning to book anyway.

I hope you get more business!!!!! Sorry things are rough for you right now.

Kita-
I would rather eat my cake! I LOVE my cake. But I'm not delusional. I know that there are those out there with different tastes.

My husband and kids all love my cake, and when I bring samples to work, there is never any left. So if my cakes don't taste good, then someone is going to great lengths to fool me.

Maybe what I should do is offer a choice: I could research some chiffon cakes and genoise. But (and I don't mean to start anything here....just my opinion....) I hate cake mixes. So I can't go there.

Maybe you should ask your repeat customers what it is they like most about your cakes. I'm thinking a wedding cake will roll around, the time just has not come yet.

Just a suggestion here, and I know you say you can't stand "box mixes" - but if you want business, you may want to try this. Bake a few of the doctored mix cakes to serve along side "your" reciepes. You may be surprised. I used to offer both - my "scratch" and doctored mixes. I now do not waste my time offering the scratch ones....NO ONE ever chose them over the doctored mixes. Most people's palattes prefer the mix based cakes. Just an idea - I know it worked for me. Good luck!

I have a question, and I want to clarify before there is any misunderstanding, that I am not being argumentative. I really want to know.

I have tried doctored cake mixes, and I don't like them. I think they taste artificial and the texture is weird. My husband agrees, and won't eat any mixes anymore. He says now that he's been exposed to my cakes, boxed mixes taste like chemicals to him.

How can I offer a product I don't like? How can I feel good about what I'm sending out, or feel confident that I provided a quality product if I don't even like it?

I understand that some people are so trained by Costco and Walmart to expect a certain taste and texture, that they feel that is the "best" option. But I can't stand them. If someone were to come to me and tell me that my cake tasted horrible and they want a refund for their doctored mix...what do I do? Say "yeah, it stinks, here's your $$ back"?

I know that sounds so judgemental, and I don't mean to be nasty. But I'm serious: how do I offer a doctored mix as an option if I don't like them?

Well...I guess you can't....you do have to stand behind your product.

I am pretty sensitive to chemical tastes and I prefer Duncan Hines with added ingredients...I honestly do not think they taste like chemicals and they stay so nice and moist....I don't like the other brands so much.

I make pound cake, a dense chocolate cake, pumpkin cake, and a few others from scratch, but for my vanillas and some chocolate, I use doctored mixes and they get raved over.....

I need to hop out here soon. Maybe I'll grab a DH mix and see what I can do to it. Just for giggles.

karateka,
what kind of advertising are you doing???

Personally- I can't stand mixes. I bake everything from scratch and have converted everyone in my close circle of friends.
If i were looking for a wedding cake I would be looking for a baker like you.

That being said I think you should try a chiffon or genoise to give you a different texture to offer.

I ask about the advertising because maybe you need to hit up a different range of clientele.
Don't go for the common denominator, try to hit up the customer base that is looking for something different.

I don't think you can judge by people at work rating them. I could send something I think is totally nasty to work with my hubby, and it would be gone in one day because it's free. I agree with the others that you may want to try doctored mixes. I think people are used to mixes, and not so much to scratch type cakes. I think you've been given a lot of good advice here and things to look at, but you don't seem to want to hear what they are saying without being defensive. I know how defensive we can all get about our work, so I don't blame you, but you came looking for advice and don't really seem to want it. I think it can be hard to get into weddings, and I agree about not showing party cakes with the wedding consults. People will order from a person for a birthday without blinking, but are much more picky when it comes to their wedding. Good luck! I hope you can find something that works for you!

Have you thought about having a tasting party with some people you aren't related to? make your scratch version of a few flavors, and a doctored version of the same flavors. Give surveys about each flavor and see which people prefer? I have a few I do scratch and a few I do doctored. Good luck in whatever you decide!

Your decorating is very nice, your price points are in line, you are advertising.....you have been given some good advice, I guess it is up to you to decide why you are not booking wedding cakes. You have to stand behind the product you are selling. I personally am not a fan of cake, but by golly, I LOVE to sell mine, and I am usually booked.

I will say I have trouble selling wedding cakes here because so many caterers include it in their package. Maybe that's part of it?

Posting on line is good and those are good sites. However, if you really are wanting weddings maybe going out to shows and in the community is what you need. Visit bridal shops, florists, etc. and start networking. Bring them samples and your cards.

Here is a list of upcoming shows. There is one in Dayton next weekend:

# The Dayton Bridal Expo
Dayton Marriott - October 24, 2010

# The Dayton Convention Center Bridal Show
DCC - January 8 and 9th, 2011

# The Columbus Premier Bridal Expo
The Aladdin Shrine Center - January 20, 2011

# The Buckeye Bridal Bash
Archie Griffin Ballroom at OSU - March 6, 2011

# The Cincinnati Bridal Expo
Savannah Center in West Chester - March 13, 2011

Like I stated earlier, I'm only about 40 minutes away, so if you ever need some cake support just get in touch with me. =)

My experience in baking is very limited, but I have 20+yrs of experience in sales. One of my first bosses taught me that to have a successfull shop, you have to sell what your customers like, not what you like. We were selling jewellery we'd NEVER wear ourselves, but the business was really good!

IMHO if you seriously want to get those wedding cake orders, you should at least TRY offering doctored mixes, in addition to your own recipes. When it comes to matters of taste, we're all so different and what tastes good in one person's mouth, tastes hideous in another's. That's just how it is. If you don't offer what the clientele wants, they'll go to someone who does. Don't take it personally. Business is business.

To go back to what jasonkraft posted, any business, not just cake, needs to have market positioning. You MUST know every competitor's price and their product. If you don't know every competitor's pricing and haven't tasted every one, you can't know where you are in the market. If a competitor's pricing is less than yours, your only choices are to lower your prices or up your skills. What are successful cakers in your area using as cake recipes? Business is about supplying what the public demands. You can offer what you prefer, but many a business has failed with that plan. You want more business... then you MUST make changes. Get a book about market positioning or selling and study it. Many people have given you great advice. You will find that the successful people on this site have their finger on the pulse of the public, not on their own pulse. If you want to pay your bills, find your position in the market based on what the market wants.

I do not want to offend you...that really is not my intention, so I will start by saying this. Your cakes are lovely and your prices seem to be in touch with the area where you are living, don't undersale yourself or your cakes. There are always those out there that want something for nothing. That being said...since you started this post, you have repeated said "I don't like, or "my family doesn't like", or "my friends at work seem to like", but this really isn't about those people is it. You have to find out what your customers like. I'm sorry but family and friends will eat your cake if it is mediocre a customer won't. Find out what the customer wants, after all it is about them. If they want "doctored mixes" then give them "doctored mixes, offer them a choice. You may find that wants you get past what "you like", you may find out what the "customer wants". Please don't take me wrong...I'm not saying that your cake is bad, but it may not be what the customer likes or the texture they are looking for. Just a thought.

If I were a cake decorator , I would probably entertain the thought of using mixes and pre-made cakes too.

I've only read a couple of post, but I agree. Customers seem to like cake box starter cakes. By starter I mean you can basically make them into what ever you want. Everyone loves the taste of my cakes I've never had a complaint, & I use a cake mix to start. I once found a scratch cake I thought would be great. I had negative response to the recipe. I think your prices are correct. I would not go any lower. You don't want to be doing all that work for nothing. It has to be worth your time. Honestly if they don't want to pay your price the only thing there going to find is a cheap grocery store cake.