Saturday, July 26, 2008

Fireman Sam cake

This has been a nightmare! So fiddly and really quite difficult. However, it's now done and on the whole I'm pleased with the finished result. Hope the recipient will be. It's taken about 17 hours to make and is for our electician's grandson - he charges us about £20 an hour. Wonder what he'd say if I gave him a bill for £340!!!!! Whilst this is not a cheap cake, it's nowhere near that much!

It never ceases to amaze me though that people will pay so much for a child's birthday cake. Special occasion cakes fair enough, but this always seems a bit excessive to me. Not that I'm complaining of course!

I have now decided though that never again will I make a shaped cake. They are a pain in the bum to ice. Give me round or square any day of the week!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW. That cake is a masterpiece. You would be laughing if you ever got a reasonable labour charge for your cakes. Very well done. loads of (chocolate)brownie points. x

Locket Pocket said...

My goodness Michaela - that cake is INCREDIBLE!!!!!! But I bet it was a nightmare to do! Lucy x

Anonymous said...

The result of your intensive labour is stunning! No doubt it has been a pain to carve the elements of the scene! Nice close picture of the decor. I hope you will enjoy some relaxing activities through the week-end.

Giulietta

Cazzie said...

Wow - that is fantastic - any little boys dream cake :D

Gina said...

Fabulous cake - I used to make shaped cakes for my boys when they were little and they were always really fiddly. So pleased they've grown up to like round and chocolate!

Handmade in Israel said...

Wow! That is a super duper cake! I hope you were paid nicely for your hard work! I always make shaped cakes for my boy's birthdays and they are never that standard!

Mrs Moog said...

Oh my word Michaela that is one amazing cake! I know exactly how much of a b**ger that will have been to make as my Mum used to be a cake artiste like yourself :)

She also found it impossible to charge for her time!

I hope you rewarded yourself with something nice and chocolatey!!

xxx

Ally Jay said...

Pain in the Proverbial it might have been , but it looks absolutely stunning. I hope you did charge a decent amount for it.

Pink Sky said...

Absolutely gorgeous!!! You are so talented!

Anonymous said...

This is beyond fabulous. I especially like the work you've done on the figure of Sam.

I wonder if it will cross your customer's mind, the comparison of prices? Still, I've never been able to charge properly for my work either. I suppose you have to settle on a market price.

In a fair world, your cakes should be making you a very rich woman!

Brenda said...

The reason people pay so much is because IT IS a pain to make these gorgeous cakes! Oh, and because they take so long too! I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE your cake. I would pay the
extra to have that in my son's Birthday pictures too! =)