Made this cake for a first birthday party.
First attempt at zebra stripes, 2 tier and fondant.
What do you think? Besides it being off center.

I am working on my skills and plan to start a small business.
On a side note, what should I charge for a cake like this? A friend wants to order one and I do not know what to charge. It will be perfectly centered of course.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/img]

Great first cake! I am new to pricing cakes too so I am not the best person to give advice. I usually figure out how much it cost me to make, and how long it took me to make, and go from there. Checking out the pricing at your local bakeries is a good idea too. You don't want to short sell yourself or charge way too much. Good luck with your business!

Welcome to the caking world!

You cake is very cute! The colors really pop and the zebra stripes look very clean! One thing that will make it look a little taller is to roll your fondant for the decorations a bit thinner. The zebra stripes are standing out far above the white fondant and this could be a great effect at times, but would look more realistic thinner. On that note, the big dot in the front there just begs for a monogram or name or something--or needs to be smaller to not pull focus. I would also make the top boarder either smaller or placed on a larger cake and make the top tier taller.

I would practice quite a lot on many cakes before deciding to open a business. No two orders are ever the same and one must always continue to learn. Therefore--start armored with much knowledge and experience before trying to take on the business end. I have been doing cakes for a few years now and it gets easier and harder ever day. I am mostly a hobby baker but I have fought with picky brides and unsatisfied "friends" over cakes.

I can't tell how big this cake is, so it is hard to help with pricing. There are some formulas out there to help-- x(number of servings) or whatever you find works for you.

Good luck!! Look forward to seeing more photos!

'Thank you! That is great feedback!
I do agree the fondant stripes should have been rolled thinner. A name would have been perfect in that middle bubble!
I am by no means ready to start charging for cakes but am looking forward to when I can.
My hubby won't let me buy ingredients to practice or "give away" cakes to practice so I am a little bummed...

Great job!!
Be proud of yourself!!

Nice cake. Yep I agree fondant needs to be thinner and the borders would look much better if they were smaller!
Also try getting each cake as straight as possible when doing the crumb coat and that way you won't have that slant in the top tier!
Overall good job.

Very nice for your first cake! Well done.

Unfortunately, no one on a CakeCentral forum can answer the question: How much to charge for this cake? There are FAR too many variables.
Read all of the information in the following thread, and you will have a better idea of how to establish a pricing structure.

Here is a superb thread with information on pricing cakes. Please see the post by vgcea, and read all the links she so kindly provided.

How much to charge:
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-7308992.html#7308992
-------------------
Practice is the ONLY way you can improve your skills and your timing. I hobby bake and do not plan to sell cakes. Although it is an expensive hobby (I give all my cakes/candies/etc. for free), it gives me great pleasure.

You can practice using buttercream over and over and over on an upside down cake pan or practice board. You can purchase a few styrofoam cake dummies (get the kind with contoured rounded edges for fondant work), and use those to practice fondant applications. However, the frustrations of working with REAL cake, REAL filling, and everything that goes with it is essential.

Good luck to you.