My baker says I can't do this cake in buttercream because of the way it's stacked. I hate fondant. What do you all think? Should I go with a different design or a different bakery?

Who's asking? You or your client?

I don't see why not. You have to have support with each tier not matter if it is fondant or buttercream. You could do the tier separation with dummies covered with the ribbon and have dowels or bubble tea straws supporting each dummy/tier and you could still get a dowel through the middle also.

If I have totally missed something on this and am totally wrong though someone more experienced please chime in.

I certainly say you can. Don,t understand why she says no. Beautiful cake!!!

I think of course you can do it in buttercream! I only do buttercream (not a professional, mind you) and there hasn't been a cake yet that I've said I couldn't do w/o fondant.

Of course it can be done in BC. Keep your design. Find a new baker. Good luck. And congratulations!

What kind of buttercream?

While I think it can be done, each baker can set his or her own boundaries. If this baker doesn't feel comfortable, or just plain doesn't want to, then move on and find another baker. You don't want to talk the baker into it only to find out at the wedding that the baker's stacking skills are less than stellar.

I want the old tried and true buttercream of 1/2 crisco and 1/2 butter and powdered sugar. I think I'm going to look for a different cake artist. Besides telling me it can't be done in buttercream, she also gave me a price of $5 a slice, a $100 design fee, and a $75 delivery fee. I think the per slice is a little steep and what design fee? I'm giving her the design. LOL

yeah, while I don't know about the pricing in the area, it almost sounds like she just doesn't want to do the cake. But I am of course just making an assumption...

......... each baker can set his or her own boundaries. If this baker doesn't feel comfortable, or just plain doesn't want to, then move on and find another baker...........

Definitively agree. You would be wise to seek another baker. That design is sooooooo totally do-able in b'cream.
And I think those prices are way over the top.

I don't think the prices are way over the top. I don't understand the design fee, since it's just jacking a Pink Cake Box design, but her prices are her prices.

I don't get teh design fee at all since she hasn't had to design ANYTHING. I've heard of it, but then there is actual design work involved.

I did a cake that was stacked VERY similar to this. I used styro cake dummies as separators, but it was completely done in butter cream.

First? The cake in your photo was probably $17-20 per serving. Just for perspective. Next, did the price per serving include all the sugar flowers?

The prices your baker quoted you are almost spot-on to what I would charge (except I'm more expensive per serving based on where I live). I calculate the base price of the cake, which only includes a border and some basic decoration, then I estimate how long it will take me to do the design, multiply that by my hourly rate and charge it as an additional design fee. I charge $25/hour, and I'd probably estimate 4 hours to do that design (including flower placement). I also charge separate for sugar flowers, based on the sprays on that cake it would be another $100-200. Some cake studios just add both those things to the base price of the cake, so instead of charging 5/serving and then itemize the extras, they charge a flat 9.50 per serving and lump it all together.

If your baker isn't comfy attempting this in buttercream then find someone else because it can be done, but it will take some skill. It's simplicity makes is a hard cake to execute, especially if the bakery isn't used to working in modern buttercream.

Good luck!

Where is your wedding venue? Perhaps a CCer that lives in the area, would be able to make it for you. Just a suggestion.

Bull Crap!!! Unless she lives close to the equator buttercream can and will hold up in warm weather and travel at a distance greater than a 30 minute trip. I live in Alabama and I set up complete buttercream cakes outside in July without incident.

I don't find the design work and I mean the icing on the side of the cake to be overly detailed enough to require a design fee. Fondant cakes cost more that buttercream so it may be a selling point for her.

This baker doesn't sound buttercream savvy. I would suggest looking for another baker that could meet your needs.

The design fee may be for something other than the aesthetic design of the cake. The internal structure of the cake calls for something beyond the usual pillars and plates so perhaps that's why the baker adds that additional costs.

I'm usually hesitant to fault the fees of another baker. I figure customers are free to go elsewhere if the cost is not to their liking.

The cake is lovely, but then all Pink Cake Box designs are. And I'm sure you'll find a baker to do it in buttercream.

Ok. So I did my own cakes this past weekend. I'm posting pics. The ribbon wouldn't do exactly as I wanted, so I did away with it and actually liked the look better than with it. I used the SPS system with the CakeSafe. I drilled 2 inch holes in the plates and the masonite board underneath to accommodate the cakesafe. The entire cake except for the top tier traveled safely in the safe for over 5 hours!! When we arrived with it, all I had to do was place the handmade gumpaste flowers and pipe around the top tier. I'm so glad that I went ahead and purchased the CakeSafe!! Now I can hardly wait until the next challenge.