How much would you pay for this Mickey Mouse cake? *** Updated pics page 3

[Mcbruns]

I bet OP never guessed her thread was going to turn into a multi faceted debate:

smash cake - yes or no
purchased cake - yes or no
if yes - how much is an acceptable amount to spend

Only on the Dis...

I couldn't agree more.

 

[disney*mom*82]

I think the cakes were great! My dd4 just had a minnie party yesterday and I too bought her cake from an independant "cake lady" our price was $20 for minnie shaped and perfectly decorated cake, 3 dozen minnie cupcakes for $24 and 3 dozen minnie cookies for $18. They looked better than I expected and tasted wonderful! Prices are going to vary on so many levels.

As far as the smash cake, yes...all 3 of my kids got a free one for their b-days too. Cute idea and if I had to pay, sure would of paid maybe $5.

 

[MinnieGi]

I think the cakes were adorable!! So glad to hear the cake and party were a success.

Around here many of the grocery stores offer free little cakes for baby's first birthday. My oldest is 11 and she had her own little cake to eat. It was adorable!

 

[bzkds]

e I've not met anyone that doesn't have a separate small cake for their kids first birthday for the kid to basically play with,

Ok chiming in from Northern California.. I have never heard of a smash cake and have also never heard of anyone giving the baby a separate cake. Everyone I know just gives the baby a piece of the regular cake after blowing out candles. But I love the Mickey cakes, so much cuter than any sheet cake I've ever gotten!

 

[happygirl]

I think the smash cake is so cute, It a one time thing.

OP the cakes are so cute!! I hope he had a great b-day

 

[winnieriffic]

At least a Hundred! Awesome cake!

 

[MSSANDRA]

Cakes looks yummy! Much rather have a yummy cake than a perfect decorated one that does not taste great.

We are in the south and can not ever remember being at a 1st b-day party where there was not a smash cake of some sort. Most of the time bakeries here add it on for free. Sometimes it's just a special cup cake. Both my boys had pooh cakes and a color themed smash cake that stained EVERYTHING red!

Just had DS5 party this week-end and paid 65 for a huge cake that fed 100. It was decorated really cute but in butter cream frosting and was out of this world delicious!!!

 

[momto2inKC]

I think the cakes look cute OP!
As far as a smash cake, my kids never had one. The first party we attended that there was a smash cake was my nieces last year. I think it's a great idea

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Super cute cakes. I love that you have 2 kids with the same names as 2 of my kids.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I never heard of a smash cake until this very thread.

I think it came out nice and more importantly, it tasted good.

Sounds like it was it was a hit in many ways.

 

[okeydokey]

And I've never met anyone who has. That's what toys are for, no? When did it become acceptable, encouraged, to play with your food?

When you turn one it is acceptable to have your first piece of cake and play with it. It just is.

 

[Svhadden]

I bake/decorate A LOT of cakes, and if I'm doing a young childs b'day cake, I usually do a smash cake at the parents request. It's very common. I include it for free.

Regarding whether or not the OP belongs here on the "Budget Board," I'd have to say that yes, she got a bargain. I charge a MINIMUM of $3/serving for a buttercream cake. This looks like a 10"/6", which will feed approx 40 people. So, I'd have charged at least $120, and if I made a custom topper, add on approx $20. So, Around $140-150. OP paid HALF what I would have charged. IMO, that's a bargain

I know that not everyone can or will pay this much. After all, you think "It's just cake!" But there are plenty of people who can and will pay this, because they want something well done, freshly made, and customized to their specifications. I stay plenty busy.

I've been doing this for over 10 years, and have a great deal of money invested in tools and classes. I make everything from scratch, even my fondant. I don't work for minimum wage, nor should I. And on a cake of this size with this type of decoration, I'd have many hours invested. Maybe due to shows like Ace of Cakes, a lot of people think you can just throw together a cake like this in a flash. Not true.

I'll make no judgement on the cakes themselves, but I will say that the person who baked and decorated this cake has a good bit of time invested in it. So if both the baker and the OP are good with $70 for the cakes...it's not my place to question that. Sounds like they both came out happy, and that's what counts.

 

[kwelch10377]

I think the cakes turned out really cute.

We always do a smask cake for a 1st birthday amoung my family and friends. We usually don't get one from the bakery we go to, but one of use usually makes the birthday child their own chocolate cake with chocolate icing to dive into. It makes for a lot of fun and some great pictures....the clean up might be a little rough, but it is all worth it to see how much fun the kids have with it.

 

[sunlover13]

Thanks everyone for the comments!

We had a fabulous day for a party & the cake was delicious.

Mason seemed to enjoy his smash cake too! Although, I didn't try that one.

My cousin's 5 year old son told me it was the best cake he ever had!

Everyone enjoyed it.

 

[hipchickie]

I own a bakery and I would have charged about $145.
As usual, budget does not mean living well within your means - for some people budget only means everyone should live within what *they* consider a reasonable budget.

Svhadden, you are spot on except for a free smash cake - never give away your work!

Royal is made with shortening - so - next time think about it when you are eating that sugar water shortening combo that looks so pretty!

Actually, there is no shortening in Royal Icing. It is egg whites and sugar.

 

[Shmily1]

I wish I had some pictures of DGS's 1st birthday cakes to show you, OP. You would have been so surprised at how similar they were so naturally, yes, I love your choice in cakes. His were MM Clubhouse with the bright colors and two tiers also with the smash cake to match. We got them from a local bakery for $50 total. They tasted awesome! They did the buttercream smooth and put fondant accents on it. It was beautiful and tasted awesome!

OP, you also did good in not choosing the bright colors for the smash cake.... it makes a huge mess! I have picutres somewhere to prove it!

 

[crashbb]

And I've never met anyone who has. That's what toys are for, no? When did it become acceptable, encouraged, to play with your food?

So, I guess you also want to get rid of those chocolate puzzle desserts at WDW?


OP - cute cakes!!

 

[HockeyMomNH]

Feeling the need to chime in here. I'm a hobby baker and just do cakes for friends and family. I have been considering starting a cake business so I have spent some time figuring out costs.

The thing is, cake materials and supplies are very expensive, and the cost of food is rising. Granted, I do not buy supplies in bulk like someone who bakes for a living would do, but I figure it costs me about $40+ to bake a two tier cake about that size. It's not just flour and eggs, there's food coloring, cake bases and cardboard rounds, gumpaste, and tons of other supplies.

When you factor in the overhead costs for a baker to run a kitchen, plus their time, $150 for a cake is not unreasonable at all.

I can totally understand why someone who was living on a budget would not want to pay that much for a cake, I just wanted to share the other perspective.

 

[Pigeon]

I think the cake was charming, and I'd much prefer the tastier buttercream over the more attractive but unpleasant fondant, which I think ruins the whole cake eating experience.

 

[KristiKelly]

Feeling the need to chime in here. I'm a hobby baker and just do cakes for friends and family. I have been considering starting a cake business so I have spent some time figuring out costs.

The thing is, cake materials and supplies are very expensive, and the cost of food is rising. Granted, I do not buy supplies in bulk like someone who bakes for a living would do, but I figure it costs me about $40+ to bake a two tier cake about that size. It's not just flour and eggs, there's food coloring, cake bases and cardboard rounds, gumpaste, and tons of other supplies.

When you factor in the overhead costs for a baker to run a kitchen, plus their time, $150 for a cake is not unreasonable at all.

I can totally understand why someone who was living on a budget would not want to pay that much for a cake, I just wanted to share the other perspective.

HockeyMom, your cakes are gorgeous!!!!!
Wow, I'm really shocked at how nasty people get over a birthday cake.
OP, I think your cakes turned out very cute! Fondant is much cleaner and prettier but I don't like the taste at all.
My oldest is 14 and I had a separate cake for him, didn't call it a smash cake though. Our 14 year old had a little cake shaped like Eeyore, 11 y/o had Raggedy Ann, and 6 y/o had Pooh. I think they were all included with the price.