Does A Cake Need A Box Or Not?

Business By ladicakes Updated 26 Jan 2014 , 3:10pm by AWG hobby cakes

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ladicakes Posted 23 Mar 2013 , 7:10pm
post #1 of 32

This might be a silly question but I am in a dilemma here. Do you must place a cake in a box when you sell them? I have a friend who doesn't use boxes at all EVER and has been in the cake business for years. Never had a need for them but I see others who must have them. Box or no box????? Thanks

31 replies
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-K8memphis Posted 23 Mar 2013 , 7:14pm
post #2 of 32

i vote yes for boxes to me it's insurance

 

because i have never been sorry for using one

 

but i could recount many stories where it would have been a disaster without one

 

if a client picks up a cake it's yes for sure imo

 

but clearly one can function well without them

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goodvibrations Posted 23 Mar 2013 , 7:26pm
post #3 of 32

I say yes. It just seems more professional. I think customers feel more comfortable with a cake in a box in their car.

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punkin90 Posted 23 Mar 2013 , 7:26pm
post #4 of 32

I vote yes too. I have had people thank me for boxing up their cake well. For me the cake can come into contact with too many things floating around in the air. Bugs, dust, lint, pollen, etc. Of course they have to carry the cake out and transport it in their vehicle. To me it just makes sense.

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Dayti Posted 23 Mar 2013 , 8:16pm
post #5 of 32

Apart from the above, it protects the cake from rain, snow, and bird poo.

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Norasmom Posted 23 Mar 2013 , 8:27pm
post #6 of 32

Box for sure!  They do add a bit to the expense, but they are more professional and protect the cake.  

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ladicakes Posted 23 Mar 2013 , 8:58pm
post #7 of 32

Definitely do look more professional. Just don't think I'll feel right handing a bare cake to a customer. 

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sweet treat Posted 23 Mar 2013 , 9:13pm
post #8 of 32

AMy vote is for box too. N u can also order them in bulk from amazon..( not that much expensive )

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AZCouture Posted 24 Mar 2013 , 1:46am
post #9 of 32

AI deliver in tiered cake boxes from bakeabox.com, but the box goes home with me. I leave an 8 x 6 pink cake box for them to pack up any leftovers.

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tracyaem Posted 24 Mar 2013 , 2:11am
post #10 of 32

Yeah, definitely a box. Just seems gross to hand over an uncovered cake. Like others said, too many things could get on it. Plus, just transporting it someone could stick a finger in it by accident.

 

If I bought a cake and it came without a box I'd be totally skeeved out...

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Embles Posted 24 Mar 2013 , 2:14am
post #11 of 32

AI vote box if you are handing a cake to a customer it needs to be packaged. If im delivering and setting up a cake I may use my own plastic transporters but I wouldnt feel comfortable asking a customer to carry it away especially if the board was fondant covered as it would end up with fingerprints in it.

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costumeczar Posted 24 Mar 2013 , 3:18pm
post #12 of 32
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dayti 

Apart from the above, it protects the cake from rain, snow, and bird poo.

I also have an irrational fear of a bird pooping on the cake as it's being transported, so box it up!

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Chefhotmama Posted 24 Mar 2013 , 3:53pm
post #13 of 32

AI can't imagine delivering a cake without the box.

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MeghanKelly Posted 24 Mar 2013 , 4:01pm
post #14 of 32

ew, it seems gross to not box a cake.  Would you buy it from a store without a box?? no?? then why would you sell a cake without a box??

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Pyro Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 7:25pm
post #15 of 32

If the local ( whatever type of ) food joint gave me my food in a napkin to take home, i'd be pissed. It's impractical to transport it by car if it's not packaged.  There are alternatives to " boxes ", plastic cake domes for example.

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stephdover4 Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 8:10pm
post #16 of 32

where is the best place to buy sheet cake boxes and tier cake boxes?
 

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SherryWebb Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 8:37pm
post #17 of 32

Generally I get mine at the Bulk Food Stores or  "The Paper Place" and sometimes the "Party Place" here in Ontario...same as my cake drums or cake boards if I don't make them myself.  I have also used the covered cake domes for transporting, and regular cardboard boxes lined with tissue paper, cut down to fit the cake board and is a bit tall than the cake...then cover the top of the box with heavy duty plastic taped snuggly to the top of the box..  When doing this I also cut 2 sides of the box down to the base and then tape back together with heavy duty tape.  This was, the customer can take the plastic off the top of the box and then remove the tape from the 2 sides allowing them to get at the cake easily in order to remove it from the box. 

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ladicakes Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 8:48pm
post #18 of 32

Does anyone make them? I have seen templates online for boxes. I have always bought them from my craft stores but feel they can be pricy. I am very limited with space and don't think I'll have the room to big different size boxes in bulk. 

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 10:40pm
post #19 of 32

yes i make my boxes-- for big and odd shaped things that don't fit in regular boxes

 

i should do a video or something...

 

yeah that's not gonna happen!  icon_biggrin.gif

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ladicakes Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 10:53pm
post #20 of 32

Can't be that difficult to do. Practice makes perfect! 

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-K8memphis Posted 26 Mar 2013 , 11:28pm
post #21 of 32

ladicakes--let's see--for a large cake--

 

i buy full size sheet cake boxes with no windows--they come flat with the flaps cut out--but don't fold the flaps up --in fact you can tape them to the box as is so they don't move at all--we're not gonna use them--

 

so overlap two of the sheet cake box pieces (short edge to short edge or long to long depending on the shape you need) and using wide tape-- tape them together (and a handheld tape dispenser makes this a lot easier)--

 

take your bottom cake board and center it on the taped together overlapped flat boxes--

 

mark the size and with a yardstick draw a square around the cake board extending the lines to the ends of your box material (all lines parallel with the sides of the box material)

 

remove the cake board and with the yardstick score the lines with a knife and fold the box over at the scored lines--lay it flat again

 

four of the extended lines will be shorter--two on each side--cut those up to the square (where the cake will sit)

 

fold up one side of the whole taped up box material so the long side is standing up and the short sides are folded to form the box you're creating and tape the short sides up everywhere--the square you drew is of course sitting on the table top

 

leave the other side down so you can place the cake in there but fold up the sides so they will be all ready to get taped up when the cake is in place

 

if the sides in the end product are shorter than your creation you can add taller slats made from other boxes or of foam core just to get it tall enough to put plastic wrap over so it doesn'l touch the cake

 

if by some chance you followed that and make a box from it--congratulations!

 

if you practice it with two sheets of notebook paper--it might be doable/easier--it is real easy

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ladicakes Posted 27 Mar 2013 , 4:33am
post #22 of 32

Nope sorry doesn't make sense to me at all...but thanks so much anyway. 

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AZCouture Posted 27 Mar 2013 , 5:22am
post #23 of 32

Wow that's a lot of work. You could also keep some new moving boxes on hand. Those come in all sorts of sizes. Not pretty, but they are clean, and you don't have to tape and staple and jerry rig them.

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costumeczar Posted 27 Mar 2013 , 10:52am
post #24 of 32

Yeah,I just use moving boxes from Staples. No big deal, just fold them up when you're not using them. I actually did a video of how to tape one up so it doesn't slither open, if you can believe that. Someone asked me to make a video so whatever. It's on my youtube channel if you have trouble figuring out how to tape a box.icon_rolleyes.gif

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-K8memphis Posted 27 Mar 2013 , 12:56pm
post #25 of 32

i like to send cakes out in a white box for pickups --i deliver in moving boxes too

 

they are easy to make just hard to explain ;)

 

that's all some bakeries use--standard operating procedure

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pieceofcaketx Posted 28 Mar 2013 , 2:28pm
post #26 of 32

Boxed, always. Even if I have to MacGyver a box to make it big enough.

Just imagine the pizza guy delivering your pizza without a box.....

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Aurora42196 Posted 28 Mar 2013 , 4:50pm
post #27 of 32

A@pieceofcaketx that's hilarious :D I was just gonna say think about someone handing you a banana without the banana peel on it ;) it feels like its naked!

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-K8memphis Posted 30 Mar 2013 , 3:50pm
post #28 of 32

i found my long lost camera and i made a pictorial before the batteries ran out

 

i just used a 'mini' sheet cake box--ordinarily they are 3-4 times that big of course

 

i do this when a client picks up a cake

 

and i think corrugated moving boxes are good and re-useable when i deliver

 

http://cakecentral.com/t/756240/how-to-make-a-cake-box

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ladicakes Posted 30 Mar 2013 , 6:19pm
post #29 of 32

This might be good for custome cake boards. 

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vgcea Posted 30 Mar 2013 , 6:35pm
post #30 of 32

No-brainer. Transporting a cake without packaging? GROSS!!!

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