I really hope the person who commissioned this cake never reads this blog, because this post is not about to shower me in glory!
So, the one good thing to come out of my time working at the cake supply shop (sad story, see blog post 12.04.2024) was a customer who came in asking for a gluten free birthday cake for his daughter. The commission came to me as their resident (only!) GF baker.
The customer knew exactly what they wanted, which was great - although their list of requirements was long! Gluten free, lactose free, red velvet sponge, cream cheese frosting (also lactose free), 2 tiers, purple icing, a birthday banner at the top, personalised "Happy Birthday" message and Lilo and Stitch themed. Phew - quite a long list of requirements! The shop owner quoted them a price on my behalf - a figure which at the time I thought was high, but the customer seemed quite happy with so I went with it...but boy was I glad I did!!! This cake took me HOURS!!!
I set about ordering my supplies - 3 different cake boards, dowels, plant based cream cheese, a ton of fondant icing, Tylose gum powder, food colourings, leaf cutters, a banner for the top, as well as all the usual cake ingredients...it all added up to not-a-lot-of-profit in the end.
Day 1 was strengthening my fondant and making the tropical flowers and leaf decorations as well as moulding the Stitch character, then remoulding it because his head kept falling off. Day 2 was painting the decorations and cutting out the wording decorations (note to self, always check your spelling). Day 3 was baking the cake - then baking the cake again after I accidentally dropped one of the layers on the way out of the oven. Day 4 was assembly.
This project definitely taught me a greater respect for some of the amazing cake creations which are casually splattered all over social media, filmed at high speed which belies the hours of work they actually take to perfect. And they never show the mishaps which happen along the way, or record the swear words inevitably uttered. And they never document the time it takes to reshape cake tins when they get thrown across the kitchen in toddler-like-tantrum-rage after being dropped...
I hope the young lady had the birthday cake of her dreams. Next time I am asked for a large commission I will not hesitate to quote the worth of the time involved!