Cakes on TV

It's a really great time for those of us who make wedding cakes, party cakes, or really any kind of special occasion cake. The same holds true for consumers who never knew the possibilities of what can be done with cake. Why do I say this? Well, we're lucky that we can see all of those possibilities just by turning on our television sets! Shows like "Cake Boss"
( http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/cake-boss/cake-boss.html), "Ace of Cakes" (http://www.foodnetwork.com/ace-of-cakes/index.html), "Ultimate Cake Off" (http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/ultimate-cake-off/ultimate-cake-off.html ), etc show people making, buying and eating these wonderful creations. Who could have known that it's possible to make the Golden Gate Bridge out of cake, or Wrigley Field, or even the Leaning Tower of Pisa??!! Amazing!!!

Yes, exactly...it IS amazing. The detail on some of these cakes is just incredible. So is the time that is put into making these masterpieces. Is it any wonder that the bakery behind "Ace of Cakes" has a $1,000 minimum per order? Or that wedding cakes by the "Cake Boss" begin at $8.00 per slice (for a basic cake)? Besides flour, butter and eggs, some of these cakes have not only hours and hours of work but also the creative and design experience of years of experience or education. Many of them have handmade figures, flowers and decorations---none of which cost a lot for the raw materials, but the labor and expertise required to make these decorative items can be significant.

Anyone who makes custom cakes can relate to the stories of people who call to ask for "just a simple cake...in the shape of a 1960 Corvette." Or "a small cake...10 or so people...in the shape of the Empire State Building." Well those, "small, simple" cakes can easily take the baker tens of hours (or more, depending on the detail) to complete so it should be no wonder when the baker quotes a price of $300 (or a LOT more) for these works of art. Often, once quoting the price, we hear, "Oh...I only want to spend $50-$60."

Now I'm not saying that I, or really even most of the bakers/decorators I know in my market, are as talented or as prolific as any of the TV cake designers. But many of us do a great job and are more than willing to accommodate just about any request we get for our cakes. And we love that the art we are so passionate about is getting so much attention by the TV networks. But the point is, it's not just "butter, eggs and flour." It's also years of experience, attention to detail, passion for design and the love of working to make someones life a little bit brighter during their special occasion. For all of us "cakers" out there...please remember this when you call us for your next special occasion. We'll love you for it!!! :)