Got A 350 People Wedding Cake Order, Please Help Me With Advices!!!

Decorating By chilu4ever Updated 20 Nov 2013 , 1:23am by chilu4ever

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chilu4ever Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 4:49pm
post #1 of 43

I HAVE AN 350 PEOPLE ORDER OF A DONDANT WEDDING CAKE

 

THEY WANT 4 LAYERS

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT FROSTING AND FILLING WOULD YOU RECOMMEND.

 

AND I HAVE SOME QUIESTIONS, DO I HAVE TO LEAVE IT OUTSIDE FRIDGE OR REFRIGERATE,.

42 replies
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Norasmom Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 5:02pm
post #2 of 43

Have you done many tiered cakes before?

This is an undertaking.

 

Fondant will sweat if it goes in the fridge.

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cai0311 Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 5:20pm
post #3 of 43

AWith a 4 tier cake you will have to have some kitchen cakes to suppliment the servings. Because 4 tiers does not equal 300 servings.

I refrigerate fondant all the time. Yes, when you take the cake out of the fridge it will "sweat". Just don't touch the cake until all the "sweat" has dried. The liquid does not affect the decorations or fondant at all.

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chilu4ever Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 7:07pm
post #4 of 43

I've never made tiers before, it's really a challenge

 

thanks for your answers.

 

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-K8memphis Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 7:21pm
post #5 of 43

have you made any fondant cakes before?

 

when is the wedding?

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-K8memphis Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 8:20pm
post #6 of 43

if you did 6 eight inch cakes set in a circle for the bottom tier you could set a 7 inch cake in the middle of them too

 

then stack a 16 x 12 x 8 on top of that you would have a 4 tier cake that would serve about 349 servings--but i never like to cut it that close either--you literally get that many servings though--i always make my cakes 10-15 servings bigger than they pay for just for good measure but i never tell them--

 

 

i don't have a 16" foam tier so it's a cake pan--

 

 

not exactly centered right but you will have a 4" ledge to decorate on the 8 petals on the bottom

 

 

aerial view of 'bottom tier'

 

 

this has to be decorated correctly for it to work--you would want to have a nice topper--some pretty flowers or something

 

and you will have 8 4" 'shelves to place a bouquet of some kind onto

 

so long as you have this all in proportion it could work for your servings

 

now then to make it easier--you could stack a 16" onto a 16" and cut three 8" cakes in half to create the petals around the bottom 16 to get the same effect--either way--

 

the second configuration would give you 356 servings in a 4 tier cake--would be nice to add a 5" cake on top--but...if they only want 4 tiers...

 

i would go to the hardware store and have them cut as many 3/4" dowel as you will need--whatever height you think your cakes will be--they can get them nice & even & smooth--easy peasy--

 

this is a ton of work and it will be too heavy for words--check all your doorways to be sure you will be able to navigate--

 

it's prettier with 6" cakes on the bottom but it's not enough servings

 

just a thought

 

but since this is your first time doing tiers--wow--big learning curve--dangerously huge seriously--

 

making the smaller cake with kitchen cakes as cai03121 suggested is a better idea for a newbie

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chilu4ever Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 8:31pm
post #7 of 43

I'VE MADE FONDANT FIGURES AND DECORATIONS BUT NEVER COATED A CAKE

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-K8memphis Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 8:35pm
post #8 of 43

with all due respect--you are seriously over your head on this--

 

when is the wedding?

 

is this a relative? or someone trying to cut corners getting you to bake for their large wedding?

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chilu4ever Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 9:48pm
post #9 of 43

IT'S ON JANUARY 25TH, ITS A COWORKER I SELL CAKES  BUT 1 NEVER COATED A CAKE IN FONDANT.

 

NO PROBLEM I KNOW IT'S KINDA CRAZY, WHAT WORRIES ME IS THE KIND OF FILLING AND FROSTING

 

BECAUSE I USE WHIPPED CREAM ON ALMOST ALL MY CAKES, SICE THEY ARE PLAIN AND HAVE ALMOST ON EVERYONES KIDS CHARACTERS.

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cai0311 Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 9:58pm
post #10 of 43

AI don't want to rude, but I agree with K8memphis. I think you are in over you head with this order. That being said...

I use white chocolate ganache as the icing on my fondant covered cakes. It is great because if I make a mistake or the fondant tears I can pull it off and the icing is still perfect. With buttercream rework is needed each time fondant is taken off.

To have all the servings come from the wedding cake you need a 6 tier cake (6" round, 8" round, 10" round, 12" round, 14" round and 16" round). You also have to think about transportation. That is a lot of cake.

What brand of fondant are you planning on using (please don't say Wilton or Satin Ice)? Each brand of fondant has its pros and cons so make sure you do several practice runs (even just covering styrofoam would work) with the brand you plan on using for the wedding cake. That way you will be prepared come the week of the wedding.

What type of support system do you plan on using? On this site a lot of people use SPS and swear by it. I use bubble tea straws with wooden dowels hammered through the entire cake (2 dowel offset from the center).

You can use any filling you want in the cake, but make sure you have a thick buttercream dam to prevent any leaking.

And lastly, these tiers are going to need a full day to settle once they have been filled because of how large they are. Make sure you plan for that when making a schedule.

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cai0311 Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 9:59pm
post #11 of 43

AOh, the 6 tier cake I listed in the above post will feed 300 including the top tier. That leaves another 50 servings to come from somewhere still.

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AZCouture Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 11:40pm
post #12 of 43

ATake a pass on this, it's going to be more than you can handle. Save yourself the stress, and her, and anyone around you. Practice with smaller tiered cakes before taking on something this massive.

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SweetCarolines Posted 13 Nov 2013 , 11:48pm
post #13 of 43

I agree with AZ. This has disaster written all over it. 

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kikiandkyle Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 12:54am
post #14 of 43

AWhat flavors and fillings do the bride and groom want?

How much are they paying you (this will dictate how much you should spend on ingredients and therefore what your options are)?

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shebysuz Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 1:37am
post #15 of 43

ASorry but this has got to be a joke. No one in their right mind would attempt a cake for 300+ people when they have never covered a cake in fondant before. The fillings and frosting is the least of your worries. I am very curious how much you plan to charge for this cake. And do you have any help? A cake that size with just minimal decorations should cost at least $1800 even from a hobby baker. I am not trying to be rude, I just want to make sure you know what youre getting into.

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chilu4ever Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 1:59am
post #16 of 43

Thanks for the posts, and sorry for writing in caps i wasn't paynig attention on that matter.

 

I do have make cakes earlier, i'm in mexico and here a walmart cake or a store cake costs $60 per kg. thats $6 per person

i charge my cakes $ 10 per person.

 

I am making this cake for a regular client. she's getting married and wanted a cake the people on the wedding are 300 to 350

she doesn't realy have a form or a design i am basically can do the cake as i want.

 

i was thinking in fondant ´cause i have use it in some cakes for major decorations and in figurines.

 

Sure i am going to make a pre-cake and as cai0311 said make a complete fondant covering on this one.

 

If you let me have this post opened and showing my progress i would be more than thrilled.

 

Here in Mexico fondant cakes are not as popular and i as i said i'm open to suggestions since the bride

let me all the desicions

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kblickster Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 2:11am
post #17 of 43

If you have never covered a cake in fondant before you should really reconsider this cake.  If you do decide to proceed with the order, run to your cake supply store and purchase a good quality fondant and start practicing.  Only you will know how long it takes you to prepare the cake, let it rest, ganache it and finally cover with fondant.  A timeline will be important with a cake this size.  It sounds like you are more adept at 8" to 10" inch cakes if you normally do birthday cakes for children.  This is going to be 10 times that much cake. 

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Texas_Rose Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 2:21am
post #18 of 43

Quote:

Originally Posted by chilu4ever 
 

Thanks for the posts, and sorry for writing in caps i wasn't paynig attention on that matter.

 

I do have make cakes earlier, i'm in mexico and here a walmart cake or a store cake costs $60 per kg. thats $6 per person

i charge my cakes $ 10 per person.

 

I am making this cake for a regular client. she's getting married and wanted a cake the people on the wedding are 300 to 350

 

Since most of us are in the US, we're thinking dollars when we see $, but you're charging pesos, right?  So $10 per serving would be about 77 cents in US dollars (at least according to Google).  I don't know what your ingredient costs are like, but are you sure you're charging enough to cover the cost of the fondant, and the buttercream or ganache to go under it?    If that's the most you can charge and you do make a profit with the whipped cream cakes, then maybe you should do the whole cake with whipped cream instead of fondant.

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costumeczar Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 2:22am
post #19 of 43

 If you've never covered a cake in fondant before, do not practice on a wedding cake for 350 people. that's a very, very bad idea.

 

If you've never done a tiered cake before, do not practice on a wedding cake for 350  people either. That is also a very, very bad idea.

 

You can't look at this like a good opportunity to practice new skills. This is someone's wedding and she's going to expect it to be perfect. If you do insist on doing this cake, I would stick to the type of cake that you know how to do and maybe arrange separate cakes on a stand arrangement as individual tiers. Maybe stack a three tiered on as the center and arrange other cakes around it, unstacked. Then practice a new skill by practicing a new type of flower or something.

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lilmissbakesalot Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 1:19pm
post #20 of 43

You CANNOT use whipped cream with fondant.  It will melt the fondant right off of the cake, and the whipped cream with squish and move and come out the bottom of the cake when you try to smooth the fondant.  Honestly... I would tell them you cannot do this.  Practice on 2-3 tiered cakes before you even think about taking on a wedding for 300+ people.  This will not end well for you.  If you really want to do it, tell them you will do a smaller 3 tiered cake and have kitchen cakes (undecorated tiers) to make up the servings, but honestly... I think you are begging for a disaster.

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AnnieCahill Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 3:11pm
post #21 of 43

Fillings and frosting are the least of your worries.  I would pass on this, seriously.  Unless you decide to do a small 2 tier and then have several kitchen cakes that the bride can cut, I wouldn't do it.  Usually I try to offer as much encouragement as possible, but I just can't in good conscience given your situation.  Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

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SecretAgentCakeBaker Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 3:45pm
post #22 of 43

AThe idea of the cascading wedding cake stands would work well. Just make individual cakes, the way you are used to doing, and put them on the individual stands. Here are some ideas.

http://www.weddingfads.com/Cascading-Cake-Tiers_c2.htm

http://www.knockshoppe-weddingcakes.com/cakes/sophia.htm

A cupcake tower with a cake at the top is also a good idea.

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Texas_Rose Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 5:37pm
post #23 of 43

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecretAgentCakeBaker 

The idea of the cascading wedding cake stands would work well. Just make individual cakes, the way you are used to doing, and put them on the individual stands. Here are some ideas.

http://www.weddingfads.com/Cascading-Cake-Tiers_c2.htm

http://www.knockshoppe-weddingcakes.com/cakes/sophia.htm


A cupcake tower with a cake at the top is also a good idea.

This is a good idea.  The bride can probably rent a stand that would hold all the cakes without stacking, and then you could use whipped cream and not fondant.

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AnnieCahill Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 5:53pm
post #24 of 43

That is a good idea, surprising I didn't suggest it because that's what I did for my own wedding.  LOL!

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carmijok Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 6:05pm
post #25 of 43

Actually if I were you I'd not do it at all.  Not the way you're planning it at any rate.

 

You have no experience with this size of order...no experience with fondant, no experience with stacking tiered cakes, no experience with delivery of such a behemoth cake and you're taking a chance on a bride who WILL expect it to be perfect whether she says so or not!  

 

A wedding that large deserves a cake that will be the showpiece of the reception--in fact people will be expecting it!  Are you that confident in your skills, because everyone will be looking at it very closely.  Are you ready for that kind of scrutiny?  Apparently not or you wouldn't be coming here for help...and not just decorating help...BASIC STRUCTURE help!   

 

At the very least you should be considering tiered cake stands that don't have to have the cake stacked and then you can use regular smoothed buttercream and not worry about the fondant.  But that's still a ton of cakes in sizes you probably aren't experienced in baking either! 

 

Do  yourself and the bride a favor and back out of this...or offer to do a smaller grooms cake if she's wanting something baked by you.  Or cupcakes as someone suggested.  And remember, whatever timeline you've got planned, double it and triple it...because it will take so much longer than you think.  On THAT I speak with experience!

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ibeeflower Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 7:01pm
post #26 of 43

Wow, 350 is a lot of people. I made my first tiered cake for my parent's anniversary and it was interesting, but because it was my family they ignored some small mistakes I had made. Also, it was a gift to my parents and it was just buttercream with some gumpaste decorations. 

 

Your client is someone who is paying you and they expect a certain level of quality...especially on their wedding day. She has trusted you to make her wedding cake, and you have agreed to it. Please take a look at the website Cake Wrecks to see some of the cakes inexperienced bakers have made. You don't want your cake to look like it belongs on the site.

 

If you decide to proceed with the order, I would break down every single thing you will need. Figure out your cake recipe, test the frosting or ganache that you will use, and assemble a cake to make sure it is structurally sound. Do your research on fondant and try some for yourself. Covering cakes in fondant takes a lot of practice. Also, don't use whipped cream or anything that resembles whipped cream if you are planning on using fondant.

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kikiandkyle Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 7:10pm
post #27 of 43

AI guarantee you won't make a cent off this order, if anything you'll be paying out of your own pocket. Do you really want to buy this lady's wedding cake for her?

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MimiFix Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 7:30pm
post #28 of 43
Quote:
Originally Posted by kikiandkyle 

I guarantee you won't make a cent off this order, if anything you'll be paying out of your own pocket. Do you really want to buy this lady's wedding cake for her?

 

Sometimes this is a great way to learn. No kidding.

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1234me Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 8:17pm
post #29 of 43

you have said several times you make figures with fondant but honey, making figures and covering a cake in fondant are two different things.  You will be minserable and in tears if you try this - trust me!

 

Walk away - no run away!

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Norasmom Posted 14 Nov 2013 , 8:30pm
post #30 of 43

Another suggestion might be for you to make the fondant decorations, and have the cake made someplace else.  You can charge her for the figurines and flowers and their overall placement (design) and therefore avoid the difficulties of making the actual cake.  Figurines and flowers are not cheap, you would make decent money on that part alone.

 

You would have to find a baker who was willing to make the bride's tiered cake without any decorations, but I am sure there is one who would honor that request.

 

If you really wanted people to taste your cakes, then small kitchen cakes would be the way to go.  You could make a dummy cake, which would be much lighter and far easier to stack.

 

Good luck.  Practice will help, but if you've not done fondant cakes before, it's a challenge.  I HATE fondant, won't cover a cake with it anymore.  

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