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What would you do?

post #1 of 20
10/19/12 at 8:45am
Thread Starter 
I have a cake due tomorrow. I have been really sick all week, but am working through it, so my mind is not exactly 100% right now. The client wanted a 4 tier topsy turvy "purple" fondant cake. Well after 3 days of hoping the purple would darken, it just won't. In the beginning and middle of waiting for this order to become due, the client had expressed concerns about the cake looking "barney" color ( I told her from the start that trying to match fondant to a fabric color swatch, may not be an exact match). We had talked about doing the tiers black and just the top one purple,so it would pop, rather than it being the whole cake. The accents color is silver. I have tried to contact the client since yesterday, with no reply.Weird cause she has been in very constant contact since the beginning, even bashing the other baker in front of me before she hired me. Hince the reason I need advice on what to do. I have text her for the last time, stating in my best jugement I will make the cake black with silver and have the top purple since I feel the color would not be what she is looking for.

What would you do with no contact from the client? I did have her sign a disclaimer stating, that in a cake disaster, I would refund all but a % and supply a bakery cake, but I am not sure this really counts as a disaster. I am willing to do whatever it takes to make it right for her, but with no contact, I am at a loss.

Thanks ladies!
Kimberly

BE HAPPY, BE SILLY , BE YOU!
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Kimberly

BE HAPPY, BE SILLY , BE YOU!
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post #2 of 20
10/19/12 at 10:22am
Has this cake been paid for (even a deposit)? If so, you need to make the cake and make it as originally ordered since she hasn't contacted you back about potential changes. Her phone could be lost and she hasn't received any of your messages - you just never know. I'm assuming you have also tried to contact her through any other means you have? Email, phone call, look up her home number in phone book, look her up on Facebook?
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www.superstarpastrydesign.com
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post #3 of 20
10/19/12 at 11:01am
I am not sure if you tried this or not, but..... I had a wedding cake last weekend and had a hard time getting the purple the right color. It was more of a dark eggplant color. I added black to the purple. I was surprised how much black I had to add to make it right. It turned out perfect.

Good luck!
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post #4 of 20
10/19/12 at 1:50pm
Adding black would be my suggestion as well.
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post #5 of 20
10/19/12 at 2:16pm
If you're using only Wilton colors, go out and buy Americolor instead. Then try using their purple, if it's not the right shade, add a bit of burgundy. If still not right, try a bit of black. Just do this on a bit of fondant or buttercream, not all, until you get the right shade. Don't be afraid to try adding little bits of other colours too, like blue or red, or green until you get the right shade. Good luck!
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post #6 of 20
10/19/12 at 2:21pm
I agree, try adding some black to the purple. I've gotten a dark purple fondant before, so i know it's possible. It does take a LOT of coloring though, so don't give up too easily!
Before you ask- I'm licensed, inspected, insured, and all that jazz.
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Before you ask- I'm licensed, inspected, insured, and all that jazz.
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post #7 of 20
10/19/12 at 3:07pm
The pH is off in the fondant - add some baking soda then add more color. You will be AMAZED at how well this works.
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post #8 of 20
10/20/12 at 3:14am
If you can get Sugarflair colours (from the UK) their purple is beyond compare. It has no bad taste and the colour depth is better than Americolour or Witlon.

The other I could suggest is using a spray can of edible colour or airbrush the tiers to get the right depth of colour.

Life's too short to make cake pops.
___________________________________
www.sweetperfection.com.au

www.sweetperfectioncakes.blogspot.com.au/
www.facebook.com/sweetperfectioncakes (come visit sometime!)

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Life's too short to make cake pops.
___________________________________
www.sweetperfection.com.au

www.sweetperfectioncakes.blogspot.com.au/
www.facebook.com/sweetperfectioncakes (come visit sometime!)

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post #9 of 20
10/20/12 at 7:56am
I think sugarflair has to be bought from the UK, I've never seen anyone carry it (online or otherwise) that is based in the US - I could be wrong so links to someone would be rad. I WISH we could more easily get it, I took a class where the teacher has some (she bought when teaching abroad) and it is indeed fantastic.
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post #10 of 20
10/20/12 at 9:02am
FromScratchSF - if you know you're going to be working with purple or any other deep red tones, should one just add 1 tsp of baking soda per pound ahead of time?

Jeanne
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post #11 of 20
10/20/12 at 12:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JWinslow

FromScratchSF - if you know you're going to be working with purple or any other deep red tones, should one just add 1 tsp of baking soda per pound ahead of time?

Jeanne



Unfortunately there is no formula as each batch of commercial fondant (and each brand) ends up with a different pH. The brand I use I start with a baseball size and add a pinch of baking soda, kneed it in then add some color. You can generally tell right away of the color is going to fade because it will be "off" from what it should be. Like, instead of red you have a weird orange, instead of royal purple you have a weird barney color etc. I then add another pinch, then more color. I keep going until the color seems saturated and true to what it's supposed to be - if you get to that point it will not fade. That then gives me an idea of how much baking soda I'll need to add to however many pounds of fondant I am going to use. I've had batches where a pinch is all I need, I've had others that need quote a bit.

I also always color my fondant at least one day in advance to make sure the color really develops.
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post #12 of 20
10/20/12 at 5:11pm
Thank you Jennifer for the information. I'll add your test to my regular fondant routine when using color. It will save me from most of the "What the ......." moments icon_smile.gif

Jeanne
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post #13 of 20
10/20/12 at 7:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF

I think sugarflair has to be bought from the UK, I've never seen anyone carry it (online or otherwise) that is based in the US - I could be wrong so links to someone would be rad. I WISH we could more easily get it, I took a class where the teacher has some (she bought when teaching abroad) and it is indeed fantastic.




Yhat's right...I forgot about that. I think its because the type of red used in red/pink/purple/orange/brown etc Sugarflair is not permitted by the FDA in your country.

Life's too short to make cake pops.
___________________________________
www.sweetperfection.com.au

www.sweetperfectioncakes.blogspot.com.au/
www.facebook.com/sweetperfectioncakes (come visit sometime!)

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Life's too short to make cake pops.
___________________________________
www.sweetperfection.com.au

www.sweetperfectioncakes.blogspot.com.au/
www.facebook.com/sweetperfectioncakes (come visit sometime!)

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post #14 of 20
10/20/12 at 8:06pm
I'm not sure if this will help this late in the game but if you made your fondant from scratch try added some unsweetened cocoa powder, that helps darken it before adding an entire bottle of black/purple to the fondant. I just tried this with my MM fondant to get a nice deep black instead of that purple/gray color and it came out better than I expected.

I would agree with others though, add some black or even a deep blue. Play around with it, you'll get there! Hope it all works out for you!
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post #15 of 20
10/20/12 at 9:51pm
Evoir, I agree with you. Actually I saw this done on Amazing Wedding Cakes, Christopher Garren was having a problem with the purple fading, so what they did was cover the cake with the color they had already made and then airbrushed it to get the exact purple they were trying for. And, VOILLA!! problem solved.
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