Hi everyone!
My inlaws have recently asked me to do a cake for them for a funeral. Now, putting aside that they asked me 2 1/2 days before they needed the cake, it's a half sheet cake and the fact that I have told them numerous times that they can't be telling anyone about me making cakes, well they went ahead and told THEIR inlaws (or rather my father in laws--in laws, lol if that makes sense). So DH's step mom calls me, very sad asking me to make a cake for her recently deceased aunt. I REALLY didn't want to, but I felt so bad for her I said ok.
This is literally the first time I have ever heard about having cake at a funeral. I always thought cakes were for celebrations.
Also, what the heck does a funeral cake look like?? She said she wants flowers and writing saying "In Loving Memory Of........" She also said she wants it very "Spring"--ish. Now I can do roses and if I look it up, can probably do some other simple flowers. But I have not yet mastered the buttercream rose. So, my skills are limited to fondant and modeling chocolate.
Anyone have any suggestions? I'm not extremely experienced with bouquets, but I just made a bunch chocolate clay last night in different "springy" colors, so I'm thinking about googling some simple but pretty flowers.
A morning is a celebration of life!! A sheet cake with beautiful fondant flowers will look lovely!! The standard message, In Loving Memory .... It will be beautiful. I know what you mean though it sounds weird to make a cake for this occassion but I guess some people like the idea.
When my sister-in-law died in October, I made her a cross with white roses. Very easy to cut from a sheet.
After a funeral, people usually get together to talk and comfort each other. There are usually finger foods and comfort foods. Cake counts as comfort food, and yes. It's a celebration of the person's life. It's a sad celebration, but when people are grieving I guess it's the best way to put it. Better than saying they are having a mourning party.
I agree that something with spring flowers would be nice. It's uplifting, not gloomy. Dont fret too much over it though. Just make it pretty. It's a nice thing for you to do for a grieving family. They will appreciate it.
I just did one yesterday--half sheet chocolate/chocolate with white fondant roses surrounded by small white cutout flowers and the background I did cornelli lace with the chocolate icing. When I delivered it they loved it because it was pretty yet simple.
Hi everyone! Sorry for taking so long to respond. After I posted the message, I had to run to the cake supply for more buttercream. I could have made it, but I really didn't want to. lol. And their's is actually really tasty. I also found some of the most GORGEOUS already made flowers to put on the cake. I was just going to do them myself, but I know how important this is to my in-laws, so I wanted to make sure it was going to be nice. Plus it actually saved me some time. 
By the time I got home, I iced the cake and started working on the decorating. I went into what I call my "zone" I guess. lol. And before I knew it I was piping the last couple letters on. I love it when I got into my "zone," cause I tend to have less problems with the cake. Don't know why.
It looks like a lot of people do funeral cakes. I just never really thought about celebrating their life with a cake. I've only been to two myself, and both times, I was a child, and the only food there was some mints at the funeral home. lol. I guess it just goes to show that cake is good for any occasion. 
Kitagirl: I really liked your idea! The only problem I had was that there was not enough time. They are coming for the cake tomorrow. I really gotta work on my buttercream rose. Not being able to do them is driving me nuts. lol.
JCE62108: What a beautiful cake! That would have been a great idea! They are really religious, and they would have loved that. I wish I had seen that before and had more time to do it. I think I will have to try it now just for practice.
Thank you all so much for your replies! This whole thing kinda threw me off a little, but I finished it, and I hope they like it. They probably will, they're are always oohing and ahhing over my cakes (don't let them see cake central. lol) I'm attaching a picture. It's not the best, and it doesn't really show any talent of my own. All I did was pipe the border, leaves to fill in the gaps in the flowers and pipe the letters with some stencils. But either way, as long as it looks good for them at this sad time.
Thanks again!!
For the future, a diagram to cut a cross cake, with no wasted cake. By Doug
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_585813.html
This subject has come up a lot lately. Cake at funeral I mean. It is perfectly appropriate. I have been to a lot of funerals, and they all have one common thread... a huge meal and get together afterward. Everyone brings things, there are always pies, cakes, bars, cookies, you NAME it. As long as the cake or cupcakes are done tastefully, I wouldn't see a problem with it at all. I mean, yah, you're not going to make something disrespectful, or mean! And who doesn't love a little cake to help them feel better? 
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of a decorated cake at a funeral, but I agree with abeane and Melvira: there'd better be one (or several - I'm expecting a big turnout!) at mine and they'd better be made by somebody who knows what they're doing!!! Maybe I'll make a few in advance and put them in the deep freeze.
I was asking myself this question this morning... Thanks!
Maybe I'll make a few in advance and put them in the deep freeze.
Ok, I'm sorry, but that cracked me up. I'm sorry to make light of such a serious situation, but I'm seeing you on your death bed, "No, I can't go yet, I still have to put fondant on the top layer!"
I just had this happen to me this week. I had planned for a month to design/make a cake for a friend of mine (she is letting me practice my cake skills on her). She and her other friend were having a joint birthday with 60 people. It was for this Saturday. I had already bought the ingredients etc. Yesterday she called and the friend is in hospice. He had cancer and it took a turn for the worse. Now the birthday party is on hold pending a reception/memorial when he passes. I told her I had all the ingredients so I would instead of this 3 tier birthday cake, I'll turn it into a tasteful sheet cake covered in ivory fondant and some tasteful flowers (he was not religious so i didn't want to do a cross cake) . I told her to get some pictures of him from his lifetime and put a collage together. People like to celebrate someone's life and remember them as they lived - not as they died. And cake always makes people feel good.
I have a tendency to scoff about death because I'm so scared of it, but I'm truly sorry to hear what happened to your friend, cheriej.
cheriej, I am very sorry to hear that. On a similar token, one of hubby's only relatives passed last summer. (Seriously, he has like 5 relatives total including his parents) I was going to make this major awesome cake for a celebration of her 90th. Instead, we buried her on her birthday. 
Yes it was sad, but we did have a wonderful celebration of her life. We talked and laughed, etc. We remembered how wonderful she was. She will always be missed, but remembered for being the wonderful, colorful woman she was!
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