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Ok... I probably sound really stupid right now, but I was asked to make a round cake shaped like a squadron coin for a Commander's going away.  They want it to look just like the coin and I agreed before even thinking it through! And guess what else I did like a moron??? I only charged $50!!!!!!!! UGH! I'm so frustrated and don't even know how to beging. They need it by Thursday! PLEASE HELP!

 

Thanks!

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Wow! That is a tough one! I would just be honest with them and say after looking at the design they want and the quantity of cake they need, that you misquoted them, and give them the price that you feel you need to get the cake done. Maybe offer them a discount as a "sorry for the inconvenience". But really, the person that ordered the cake from you should have flagged up the price you quoted! Don't let them take advantage of you though - despite the mistake. If they say they can't pay you anymore, then just say sorry, you'll have to find someone else.

I've undercharged people before, and I totally regretted it because after putting in 4 hours into a cake I basically gave it away for cost and that's NOT how you want to feel after you've worked so hard to make someone beautiful for someone. I hope this helps!

Smiles,

Faith
Thanks Faith, but I think I really messed this one up!!! They already paid me and didn't know what I was doing. All I was concerned with was wanting to make them "happy". I decided I would just go ahead and do it. It will give me practice, but if I'm ever again asked to do something like this, I will certainly charge more!!! *sigh* So Frustrating! Either way, I'm still wondering about the round pan size... Will 14inches cover it?

Faith Gealey-Brown said:
Wow! That is a tough one! I would just be honest with them and say after looking at the design they want and the quantity of cake they need, that you misquoted them, and give them the price that you feel you need to get the cake done. Maybe offer them a discount as a "sorry for the inconvenience". But really, the person that ordered the cake from you should have flagged up the price you quoted! Don't let them take advantage of you though - despite the mistake. If they say they can't pay you anymore, then just say sorry, you'll have to find someone else.

I've undercharged people before, and I totally regretted it because after putting in 4 hours into a cake I basically gave it away for cost and that's NOT how you want to feel after you've worked so hard to make someone beautiful for someone. I hope this helps!

Smiles,

Faith
I had to google what a squadron coin was and what I found were a lot of different armed forces and designs. So I sure hope you know which branch this Commander is involved with for starters. Then people on previous postings said that they can go to walmart or someplace to have an edible sheet printed for a minimal amount of money. Perhaps you can find the coin online and then copy/paste the picture onto your word program, take that to where ever and have them make you an edible sheet?
Then just decorate the sides of the round cake as you wish! Remember, the edible transfer sheet doesn't have to be the whole circumference of the cake.
This might save you some time and dollars and you just might be able to make some profit but chalk it up to a great lesson and you are doing the right thing by going through with your commitment in my opinion.
Good luck!
I'm trying to find the discussion where it was talked about the size of cakes and feeding people here on the site. I will keep searching and hopefully get back to this posting soon.
If anyone else can find that posting please post here for Diana.

I found it!!!!

http://bakedecoratecelebrate.com/techniques/amountbakingguide.cfm

It was on Cake Batter Capacity Chart posting here:
http://www.cakeswebake.com/forum/topics/cake-batter-capacity-chart

The posting is by SeriousCakes and Deah!!!!
Thank you so much for your advice! Yes, I've already been given an image of what the coin looks like... I kinda already knew since I work for the AF ;-). I was actually thinking of just printing an edible image and then piping around it. Do you think I can find a round pan larger than 16"? Or is there a trick to making a really large, round cake??? There has GOT to be a trick!

Thank you for the link! It helped tremendously!! I am horrible with serving sizes.

Stampinsher said:
I had to google what a squadron coin was and what I found were a lot of different armed forces and designs. So I sure hope you know which branch this Commander is involved with for starters. Then people on previous postings said that they can go to walmart or someplace to have an edible sheet printed for a minimal amount of money. Perhaps you can find the coin online and then copy/paste the picture onto your word program, take that to where ever and have them make you an edible sheet?
Then just decorate the sides of the round cake as you wish! Remember, the edible transfer sheet doesn't have to be the whole circumference of the cake.
This might save you some time and dollars and you just might be able to make some profit but chalk it up to a great lesson and you are doing the right thing by going through with your commitment in my opinion.
Good luck!
I'm trying to find the discussion where it was talked about the size of cakes and feeding people here on the site. I will keep searching and hopefully get back to this posting soon.
If anyone else can find that posting please post here for Diana.

I found it!!!!

http://bakedecoratecelebrate.com/techniques/amountbakingguide.cfm

It was on Cake Batter Capacity Chart posting here:
http://www.cakeswebake.com/forum/topics/cake-batter-capacity-chart

The posting is by SeriousCakes and Deah!!!!
If you do a 16" cake that is a 2" pan and do 2 layers so it is a 4" deep cake it will serve 100 wedding cake serving size pieces. Unless you have a HUGE oven an 18" cake will not fit in your oven and you'd need to get the 1/2 cake pans but does not sound like you will have time for that.

This is a huge project for $50... might not even cover your cost. I know what you mean a bout a quote though... once you give it you pretty much have to stick with it and kick yourself in the pants. It does make me say... I will get back with you on the price... that gives me time to figure out my cost to be sure I am covered.

I have no idea what this coin is so good luck!!!
Thanks everyone! I'll post a picture when I'm done!!! :-) This is gonna be interesting!
Why don't u cook two sheet Cakes and cut them into semi circles and put together. Ignore me if that sounds stupid

jeri c said:
If you do a 16" cake that is a 2" pan and do 2 layers so it is a 4" deep cake it will serve 100 wedding cake serving size pieces. Unless you have a HUGE oven an 18" cake will not fit in your oven and you'd need to get the 1/2 cake pans but does not sound like you will have time for that. This is a huge project for $50... might not even cover your cost. I know what you mean a bout a quote though... once you give it you pretty much have to stick with it and kick yourself in the pants. It does make me say... I will get back with you on the price... that gives me time to figure out my cost to be sure I am covered.

I have no idea what this coin is so good luck!!!
NO!!!! It doesn't sound stupid at all! That may work, just as well! )These are the kind of "tricks" I am trying to figure out!) Because I was also trying to figure out how to do the different flavors. Not everyone likes vanilla and not everyone likes chocolate, so I could do half choco and have vanilla!!! But how do I cut it to look neat and like a perfect circle? You think this could work???

Also, someone had mentioned if I do two layers, I could get more servings. Ok... again, please excuse me for my ignorance (I'm still a newbie), but I don't understand how that makes more? I thought it just makes more layers for a slice. Do I put a divider between both cakes or something? Ugh! My brain hurts!!!

ebony bardell said:
Why don't u cook two sheet Cakes and cut them into semi circles and put together. Ignore me if that sounds stupid

jeri c said:
If you do a 16" cake that is a 2" pan and do 2 layers so it is a 4" deep cake it will serve 100 wedding cake serving size pieces. Unless you have a HUGE oven an 18" cake will not fit in your oven and you'd need to get the 1/2 cake pans but does not sound like you will have time for that. This is a huge project for $50... might not even cover your cost. I know what you mean a bout a quote though... once you give it you pretty much have to stick with it and kick yourself in the pants. It does make me say... I will get back with you on the price... that gives me time to figure out my cost to be sure I am covered.

I have no idea what this coin is so good luck!!!
Diana, In the video section you can see a demonstration for putting two different flavors into the same pan. The more layers you have, the smaller you will cut the piece to make a serving size. So, if you can't get a gigantic pan, you can make it up in height. Torting the cake layers also gives you more height.
Diana, I don't want to overwhelm you with too much information but if you do 2 separate cakes and put them together you need to either use the bake even strips or trim the sides that join together. Otherwise, you'll have 2 crusts side by side and it makes a tough spot in the cake. I went to a shower once and 2 cakes had been placed together. I ended up with a "joint" piece, it wasn't the best spot on the cake.
I put two cakes together on my sheet cakes I did this past weekend. I had so much trimmed away cake, in the middle, to make sure they were the same lenght and even to make them even. I think everyone has given you some great ideas on how to do this. Any way you decide will work out, remember me last week?!?!?!? Use bake even strips and a flower nail in the middle so the cake will bake evenly. I love my bake even strips!!! I only have one flower nail and now I can only find plastic ones, I wish I had more.

I know how you feel about the price thing. I never charge right for my cakes. NEVER.... When I delivered those cakes this weekend the lady that ordered them told me, and I quote "For cakes that size you need to go up on your prices". I told her well your a friend and it was your first order.

Good luck and remember it will all work out!
What Theresa said is exactly what I mean you would cut your slices thinner... but they are taller. I hope you have some good ideas! Two 16" layers is twice as much cake if that makes sense! Best of luck... can not wait to see your cake!

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