Client Wants The Most Extravagant Cake I've Ever Made!
Decorating By Alana7 Updated 25 Apr 2012 , 3:26am by Alana7
So I got this request from a good client who always pays more than I quote and whom I've had the pleasure of making cakes for since I started. He wants me to make his grand-daughter's baptism cake as extravagant as I can, "make it a show stopper and don't worry about the price" he said.
Most often than not, I try to accommodate a clients budget by making it smaller or less elaborate than I would like to go with. With this much free reign, I'm actually stumped. I thought the best place to pick some creative brains would be here on cake central 
So if you had to make this cake, what would you do?
First Step: Have a contract. Treat this as a business transaction. Design the cake, provide a SPECIFIC PRICE QUOTE to the client, and get it in writing. Get 50% deposit 2-4 weeks before the cake is due, and the remaining 50% BEFORE the cake is delivered.
Are you doing any of the above at this point, or just having verbal transactions with payment on delivery?
The actual cake "design" comes AFTER all the business part is done correctly.
Then, go to the CakeCentral Gallery and do a search term: Baptism
You'll get 4309 cakes to use as inspiration.
I would say golds and pinks and maybe use stencils, that to me always makes the cake look very classy and extravagant. Maybe some gumpaste flowers wouldn't hurt either.
I was thinking also you could make a gumpaste chalice and do very detailed piping.
I personally think you can't get much more elaborate than a Lambeth-style cake, if that's a style he'd go for and something you're willing to do (and assuming price REALLY isn't an issue!) Surely he'd be excited to see something that's normally done for royalty?!!!
I was thinking also you could make a gumpaste chalice and do very detailed piping.
I like how you think 
I was leaning towards a bible and cross but was wondering if that was too communionish.
Apti - lol, I do that. And I did check 12 pages of the baptism cakes here on cc but after awhile they all tend to look the same ( although some are very nicely done I might add) and I've done very similar ones too.
I'm looking to do something a little different - something worthy of an unlimited budget.
I personally think you can't get much more elaborate than a Lambeth-style cake, if that's a style he'd go for and something you're willing to do (and assuming price REALLY isn't an issue!) Surely he'd be excited to see something that's normally done for royalty?!!!
I like that. I've never done it before but since the baby isnt even here yet, I will have a little time to practice (I might need a LOT of practice). Maybe i'll try a collar too. How well does a cake with string work travel? My royal icing has proved to be fragile the last few times I've made it.
I have no idea about traveling with stringwork, but if the baby isn't even here yet you'd definitely have time to practice and figure it out...I'm just a few months in to cake decorating so won't be much help other than the idea! I love the look of gold on top of the royal icing (like on this cake: http://sifbeth.dk/blog/?page_id=2)...I think it makes it look so regal, elegant, and 1920's-classic (is that even an appropriate description? lol!)...I'm thinking like a dusty rose pink with gold on top of the royal icing would be a show stopper for sure!!!
Seems to me that if a Bible and Cross are "too Communionish," then a Chalice would be Communionish in spades.
Seems to me that a baptismal font, styled to match the one in the church where the event is to occur, would be more appropriate.
"It varies, depending on a variety of factors. For example, have you just been born, or were you born again?"
-- Miss Manners, on the proper age for baptism.
Maybe instead of a chalice, it could be a baptismal font made out of royal icing. There's a lot of Lambeth that isn't stringwork (although that is impressive) - the overpiping of scrolls and baskets is nearly as impressive (IMO). You can see a lot of variation by searching on "Lambeth cake" in Google Images.
You could also do fondant figures of the parents, grandparents, baby in Christening gown, and minister/priest standing next to the baptismal fondant. The figures plus the Lambeth work and some gumpaste pink rosebunds around the bottom?. Is that complicated enough for you?
You could also do fondant figures of the parents, grandparents, baby in Christening gown, and minister/priest standing next to the baptismal fondant. The figures plus the Lambeth work and some gumpaste pink rosebunds around the bottom?. Is that complicated enough for you?
That IS a lot of work - my head's spinning.
But seriously, all good ideas and it got me thinking. I like the idea of angels and maybe a backdrop with trellis work....
Thank you and keep 'em coming!
I just googled bapism cake and came up with some really nice ones, but there is one shaped like a baptism font that is incredible. It looks like it's a total of five tiers. It's done by AJ's Moonlight Bakery. The link is http://ajsmoonlightbakery.net/blog/tag/custom-baptism-cake-palo-also/ if it goes through. I'd be impressed with this cake.
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