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Original poster

Calling pro cake makers...

24 replies

Seminyak · 01/03/2014 19:07

...How long do you reckon it would have taken you to decorate this cake?

  • colouring sugarpaste
  • covering 6" dummy (ugh, hate them, see all the tears!)
  • twizzly drapes
  • bows
  • making flowers and leaves - all thinned and ball-tooled except the tiny blue ones. Leaves hand formed. Big white flowers made by hand ie no cutter
  • making royal icing
  • beading round bottom
  • sticking flowers on and piping centres
  • silver paint dots and painting centres of white flowers

Think that's it.

Just trying to work out how slow I am in general. Have a bit of a complex due to horrid ex-boss. Took me 4 hrs 15 mins which I thought was ok but looking at the list above it seems like a long time.

Will post a side-on pic now.

Calling pro cake makers...
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Original poster
Seminyak · 01/03/2014 19:09

Can't decide if it's hideous and frilly or quite cute. Think I'm leaning towards hideous!! Grin

Calling pro cake makers...
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Original poster
Seminyak · 01/03/2014 19:12

DH had just got home and called it fuddy duddy haha Grin

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nannycook · 01/03/2014 20:02

It depends if you made the flowers before hand as I do then its just assembling etc, covering,sticking flowers on, why are you trying to work out how long you spent to how much to charge?

Original poster
Seminyak · 01/03/2014 20:42

No I just want to know if I'm a fast decorator or slow or what on average. I didn't make the flowers in advance, the list above is everything I did in the 4hrs 15 mins.

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Original poster
Seminyak · 01/03/2014 20:54

Was just wondering how fast I am compared to others really, that's all. Making this cake got me thinking that if my old boss was here she'd have been scowling about how slow I was Hmm

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nannycook · 01/03/2014 22:12

Does it matter? Surely you take as long as it takes,I make cakes to sell,, I work fulltime also and I make mine when I get home and it takes as long as it takes.

MikeLitoris · 01/03/2014 22:18

I'd say 4 hours was about right.

I covered and decorated a Minnie Mouse cake this morning in about 2 hours but that was just a few bows and about 20 small flowers. No leaves or twiddly bits.

Original poster
Seminyak · 01/03/2014 23:41

Nannycook that's my view too. I'd much rather do something properly rather than quickly. I'm just wondering, don't worry about it.

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Original poster
Seminyak · 01/03/2014 23:42

Ace thanks Mike :)

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nannycook · 02/03/2014 07:31

I don't like the sound of your old boss one bit, why did she scowl at you for taking as long as you do? I wouldn't like to work under that pressure, its bad enough getting it right without something looking over your shoulder, grrr.

Original poster
Seminyak · 02/03/2014 14:26

Hah thanks :) glad I wasn't being unreasonable. She was crazy and the business has now closed.

If I was in her position I'd have turned work down and said we were fully booked rather than rushing through 10 novelty cakes every day...

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Coconutty · 02/03/2014 14:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nannycook · 02/03/2014 17:26

10 cakes every day? Blimy Charlie, how many staff did she have then?

nannycook · 02/03/2014 17:30

I do find it hard to put a time on my cake as most of the time I start things a week earlier if I have spare time, I.e making models, flowers, etc, actual covering covering the cakes attaching things doesn't take that long but saying that I do like to leave a cake to harden, so much easier to work with.

MikeLitoris · 02/03/2014 18:11

Ideally I would do the same as you Nanny but people seem to like ordering cakes last minute! Especially a pain when things need to dry out.

nannycook · 02/03/2014 20:25

Mike do you work? Do you find it hard to juggle everything? Ideally want enough cakes 3 weekly so I could possibly go partime, don't have any this week, had 3 last week and week before, grrr its never consistent enough.

MikeLitoris · 02/03/2014 21:05

Yep, work pt but have 3 DC (13,9&3yo)

I try to keep to 1 cake a week but I do find I seem to get loads of orders at once then a few weeks without. Tbh I don't advertise myself ( no fb page or anything) so have no idea if I could make a go of it or not. I only really do things for family/friends ATM so I don't actually make any money on it.

nannycook · 02/03/2014 21:18

This my bird cage cake Mike, thought you'd like to see it.

Calling pro cake makers...
MikeLitoris · 02/03/2014 21:21

Well done Nanny! I'd love to have a go at one but need to practice a for bit first!

nannycook · 02/03/2014 21:27

Oddly enough Mike, it actually wasn't that bad, just gotta get the shape right then its decorating it, I used a clay gun for the lines so much easier.

Original poster
Seminyak · 03/03/2014 09:23

That's great nanny I really love it :)

Normally there were 2 people in kitchen 1 in office.

As I have you two here - I'm setting up on my own at the mo and want to check I've done everything legally! Do I need anything else other than:
Register premises
Food safety certificate
Registered as a sold trader
Public liability insurance??

It seems too simple Hmm

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Original poster
Seminyak · 03/03/2014 09:24

*sole trader

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nannycook · 03/03/2014 16:26

Nope think all is covered. Good luck on your own.

Original poster
Seminyak · 03/03/2014 17:41

Thanks nanny!

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