Pricing the Icing

Pricing is obviously an important factor becoming a "for profit" cake artist, you certainly don't want this "hobby" to put you under, so at the very minimum you have to make absolutely SURE your costs are covered, and this is always a figure that you can EASILLY underestimate.  I make a list of every single item I touched, while making the cake, tools, cake boards, brushes, bags, tips, etc., and of course all the edible stuff.  Then the "artist" factor needs to be accounted for, and that is a much more abstract thing to put a price on.  That is the big variable, which includes time, experience, ability, "wow factor" and the amount someone is willing to pay (market value).  Since I have an MBA under my belt, and worked for 15 years in big business, I am pretty comfortable with my ability to determine a price for one of my cakes.  But of course it is not rocket science, and most people SHOULD be able to come up with a reasonable price.  This blog post by Merci Beaucoup Cakes really helped me justify my thinking when coming up with cake pricing.  http://happysugarbakingland.typepad.com/happy-sugar-baking-land/2011/05/merci-beaucoup-shop-talk-pricing.html

Is it a BOY or a GIRL?

Recently a very good friend found out she is having baby #2.  So she asked if I could make a "Gender Reveal" cake for her husband's law firm.  Roughly 40 people.  So with this project I have learned that my turn around time has greatly improved, as I basically told her I could have it for her within 48 hours.  Not bad for baking from home and starting from scratch.  I was especially excited about this cake because this was my first "baby" cake, and a very special baby for my friend!

 I decided to tackle the Wilton "Bow" that I learned in class, but hadn't attempted for months.  Much to my suprise, it turned out great, as well as did the fondanting of the cakes.  I still need lots of practice, "fondanting a cake," but for an amateur - I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Oh, and the best part............IT'S A BOY!!!  As indicated by the 

blue buttercream filling between the cake layers!

Scrolly Cookies

I have been browsing Pinterest lately, always on the hunt for pictures of cakes that I like and that I think I can make.  But something a little different has consistently caught my eye and I finally decided to look into it.  It was these beautifully decorated cookies, with a scroll like piped design.  It turns out that a designer in NY named "SweetAmbs" does these cookies.  They are absolutely beautiful and perfect.  So when the preschool year end teacher gift time came, I thought these cookies would make a great gift!  SweetAmbs offers online courses, so I took a few and before I knew it, I was making these perfectly beautiful cookies in my own kitchen.  I learned the "flooding" technique.....

...which is basically frosting a cookie perfectly, so that the icing is a consistent length from the edge around the entire cookie.  You can do this with any shape.  Next I learned "filagree" piping, making basic royal icing, and the differences in icing consistency.  She also offers lots of free instruction on her blog and facebook page.  I just love her stuff!  Makes me think about the possibilities in the market of wedding favors!  I would have LOVED these on my reception tables.