It feels like forever since the last time I wrote a new entry to my blog. I've been working on new flowers and bows that I sell on my website and my felt addiction is back! Well, I'm going to have to blog all about that some other time.;)
A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to make a birthday cake for my friend's son. If you do check my website, I do make cakes and cupcakes too! Am I trying to be like Martha Stewart?! Nahhh!! I just love baking as well as crafting!
I had too much fun using Corel and fused my face to Martha's body. Bwahahaha!!:)
It's totally different when you make a cake for somebody else and get paid for it. I was so excited and super nervous at the same time. I just want to make sure that the client will be happy and satisfied with their cake order.
Pre-planning stages includes making a sketch of the design of the cake and getting it approved by the client. That part is relatively easy compared to knowing how to properly price your merchandise. I had to research online as well as ask a few of Greg's Aunties who used to sell cakes before. It wasn't an easy process because I had to make sure that I don't over price and at the same time making sure that I will still earn making this cake. I had to constantly remind myself that business means earning profit. Sometimes I still feel guilty charging for the stuff I make because I've never really sold them before. I normally just give it as a gift. As soon as I was done with the design and pricing, comes the part where I have to find the right cake recipe. I already have a chocolate recipe that I always use that I know will always turn out moist and yummy. I needed to find a good recipe for a yellow or vanilla cake. I'm not against boxed mixes but I'd rather make a cake from scratch or at least semi-homemade. Although I have to be practical and find ways of making the process easier because I do take care of 2 kids (oh! don't forget house chores) on top of all these other activities.
So finally after a few attempts and a husband and 2 kids overstuffed with cake, I finally found the perfect recipe for a moist and yet dense (good for layered cakes) yellow cake!
So the last part of the process is making the right schedule for baking and decorating the cake in time for delivery. Not like with other crafts that you can make ahead of time, with baking comes perfect timing. You don't want to make it way too early because you want to deliver a fresh cake. You can't do it too late that you don't have enough time to decorate. Baking doesn't take long, it's the decorating that takes alot of time.
I have to be honest and admit that I haven't mastered the art of sticking to a schedule. I do start at the right track and does the baking part well. It's the decorating that throws me off course. Even with the design on paper, it still changes once you see it on the cake. You adjust and re-design to make sure it will turn out to be a fun and unique cake as you promised it to be.
All the hardwork is all worth it when you see a smile from your client and the other people who sees your work. It's all worth it when you know that the cake made their tummy happy too!:)
To my friends who asks me how I find time to do all these things, my answer is that I FIND the time to do it. My love for crafting and baking are way to much to be overcomed with stress and hardwork that goes with it.:)
