Finally, A Luau Cake That Presents A Bit Of A Challenge!
Decorating By gmcakes Updated 3 Sep 2006 , 12:59pm by spottydog
He, Everyone!
I got a call yesterday for yet another luau cake! (I'm not sure why these are so popular, and I don't even think the people that have been ordering know each other, and would have any idea I have been making these, but anyway...)
This is one is for a first birthday, an interesting twist on the theme itself, BUT it is for a BOY! I think of the luau cakes as being on the feminine side, and am trying to think of ways to "boy it up!" His Mom suggested a surf board, or maybe a hula hut! My thoughts are leaning toward tiki poles and such.
But...I thought I would consult with my "CC Think Tank", you all have such amazing ideas! The cake is for August 26th, any and all ideas welcome! Thanks in advance....
glenda 
Here is a really colorful luau cake made by a lady named Kimberley.Well I guess it is sort of beachy but you could make different decorations.
The suggestions you made sound masculine. Also a totem pole might fit in nicely. The luau party theme has become extremely popular ... there are so many decorations out there and props for the theme that it probably makes people want to do it. I get Oriental Trading catalog. There used to be about two pages of luau decorations and props, now there are about ten pages!
Wow! Thanks, The Vienneaus, I can't believe I didn't even think about monkeys, that is very popular in the OTC catalog too! I know his mom ordered the items for his party, but I'm not sure if it was from OTC or not...but, I keep one of their catalogs on hand all the time, it is a great reference when people are talking about their party themes!
The cake was an 11x15" sheet cake. For that size I charge $30.
I live in a small town, and I am actually higher than all the stores (not saying much...there are no decorators in them, their cakes are all pre-made!), and also higher than all of the other decorators I know in the area. Charge according to the area you live in!
Good luck with your new airbrush!!!
[ 
ps. I just love to do the smash cakes! I think they make for great photos at a first birthday party, and you don't have to take the cake from a baby to serve to the remaining guests. 
Hence, I DO NOT charge for them, and suggest them to all who order a first birthday cake. My customers have no control over what the smash cake will look like, they are only promised a "coordinating design". They are all chocolate unless another flavor is requested.
I do not make this size cake for anyone on a regular basis, other than as a smash cake. Just wondering what do others charge for such an item?]
Here is a picture of the tiki masks I made for my sisters luau cake. The masks are brown fondant, and I used bits of colored gumpaste and pulled them into small strings to add the colors, "gluing" them to the fondont with a brush of water and pushing and pressing where needed with the end of the small paintbrush.
Then there's a picture showing how I made palm tree tops. I used the petal cutter shown from the Wilton flower making set, flattened it a bit on the sponge with the big ball tip, and pressed the shell like end into the leaf, matching the narrow end of the tip to the narrow end of the palm leaf to give it the texture of a palm branch. Worked out great, Stacking two on top of eachother as shown and pressing down the middle made the perfect palm tree top. I just rolled out palm tree "logs" and let those dry, then glued them together the next day with a thick paste of powdered sugar and water.
Too bad they never made it onto the cake. My OTHER sister accidently crushed them because she didn't realize they were there in the car during transport. Oh well. 
Ok I need to pay attention more to dates lol, I was jsut going to post a suggestion and glad I kept reading cause you already made the cake! ) and what a lovely cake indeed love the artwork!
Was thinking the surfing idea and sort of out of an Elvis movie lol
ok and I LOVEthe beach ball for that-I agree the smash cakes are a great idea. I am no pro or expert yet by a long shot but I've also been experimenting with smaller bite sized cake pieces- like besides just cupcakes with toppers- for the kids- like the mini soccer balls for my niece, or hte mini krabby patties for my nephew (THOSE got gobbled up FAST lol) - seems to me for a smaller kid's birthday party or any age, that everyone just wants to dig in, and not sit there and watch you cut for 10 minutes lOL. and the kids are all hot and buzzing and having pieces already in serving size is a great idea.
Your cake is really beautiful.. but I especially love the "beach ball" smash cake. WTG!
I love how you did all the airbrushing - I really need to get mine out and play with it so I can get as good as you - So you did the outlining first in black BC and then went back and filled it all in? It is so cool. The smash cake is fabulous too! Love the beach ball!
Here is a really colorful luau cake made by a lady named Kimberley.Well I guess it is sort of beachy but you could make different decorations.
I love this cake...and it's not too girly as well.
The cake was an 11x15" sheet cake. For that size I charge $30.
...
smash cakes! ... I DO NOT charge for them ... My customers have no control over what the smash cake will look like Just wondering what do others charge for such an item?]
I charge $25 for an 11x15, and people on cc think that's too cheap, so I think you're right in line.
I have only done one smash cake and I didn't charge for it ... but it was for my great-niece. I think it is a good idea not to charge if they are ordering the main cake anyhow ... this is the first of MANY birthdays for that child, and I think they are likely to call upon you year after year, so one small free cake is a worthwhile investment. Bravo to you.
Linda:
I only recently went up on my prices! I also used to do the 11x15" cake for $25. But, even my husband said I wasn't charging enough!
I started out by thinking about how grocery stores charge for their cakes (Iused to work in a Bakery/Deli area). They have a scale according to how the cakes are decorated: base price would be with roses or confetti only, then there is a price (usually about $4-5 higher) for cakes with a drawing or "kit", and higher still for an edible image. However, no one seems to order a cake with just roses from me anymore. I started charging for the design that I had to put on the cake, and that simply evolved into the new pricing. No one even bats an eyelash on these cake prices (even when I think I am WAY OVERCHARGING!!).
As for not charging for the smash cakes...there are a few people on here that really were shocked by that one! They said they charge for everything they do. (I also "give away" the 6" top tier on my wedding cakes - my gift to the bride!) Little things like that really stick with a customer, creates a lasting impression.
I have been decorating for about 3-4 yrs now, and there are some children I have done every single birthday cake for since they were born. It's a really nice feeling, to know that they like my work. I even know when to expect some of them to call, I remember their children's birthdays.
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