(My) Cakes

[Sundae]

Their hot food isn't hot enough.
I'm sure it's to do with sue-ability, but if I buy a cup of coup and a sausage roll I do not want them tepid and lukewarm.

They do nice bread & butter pudding though.

I miss Page's, Jacksons' and Geo Ort's - the independents I grew up with.

[Trilby]

I thought Dana was the Manchester tart?!

[limey]

Originally Posted by Brianna

I thought Dana was the nicest Manchester tart?!

FTFY

[Sundae]

Amendment to my post above.
I do not foment a coup when I make a purchase from Greggs.
I simply buy a cup of soup.

I felt that needed clearing up.

Cake made, but will be assembled tomorrow.
Sounds complicated, but it's not really. I just wanted to give it a fresh cream filling. Mum says fresh whipped cream only lasts a few hours before it goes runny. I'm not sure this is correct. But I am not prepared to gamble against the knowledge of 67 years to my 39.

So I'll whip the cream tomorrow, then frost it. And decorate with Cadbury's Mini Eggs. If there are any left. MUM!!!!
(S'okay, have a big pack of Cadbury's Buttons bought on sale because they're in Christmas branding).

[wolf]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

The choc chip ones I make are pretty special and they have lots of choc chips and nuts etc, but still, at over $1/pc, that's going to make it hard to get buyers if I want to add a profit margin in there somewhere.

Large, high end cookies go for a couple of dollars apiece here.

If they're that good, people will buy them.

Don't know about kitchen industry in Oz, but over here it's very difficult to maintain the food safety standards in a family kitchen. You really need a commercial kitchen.

[Sundae]

Cake-mix cake went down very well at school.
Wish I could have taken you a photo (sob, sob - okay, labouring the point now).

Whipped cream inside, glossy icing on top - it looked teh yummeh.
I had enough Mini-Eggs and some to spare.
I was complimented on how light and moist it was.
A polite slice was left until lunchtime. People do often feel bad about taking the last slice.

I was particularly pleased as there were some shop bought goodies left over from the graduates leaving on Friday, so no-one was desperate for sweet treats.

May Fayre will probably be the next outing for me and (my) cakes.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Sundae

People have suggested I sell my cakes. But exactly as you say, Ali, I would have to price myself out of the market in order to make a profit.

In large cities there are gorgeous little chi-chi shops selling extravagent cupcakes, but they have committed on a large scale. I don't have the nerve or the drive, and Aylesbury is more of a Greggs Bakery location.

why don't you make two identical cakes, and let one be sliced and served as you're doing now, and have the other on display for a fair price. Say on a card, if you like the slice, you can have the whole cake for $X. This will help me make more cakes. You have a customer/fan base captive at the school and maybe you can get your avocation subsidized.

[Sundae]

That would be considered so rude.

When Mrs G asked for a contribution for the eggs she routinely brought into school - after a fox attack she wanted her fence electrified - people stopped taking them. The embarrassment was palpable.

She has her fence now, and there is no request for a donation, but people are still hesitant about taking them. They saw them as surplus before, nature's bounty. Now they are a commodity.

I think this is a very British attitude. Entrepreneurs here have to genuinely not care about people's opinions and forge ahead. Or care more about their ambitions than what colleagues think. Good for them - they succeed and the country needs them. But although I admire their attitude I can't emulate it. Not for the small amount of money I would make.

[BigV]

I certainly intended no offense, and I apologize if I did offend you.

I suggested it only as an idea for consideration as a part of a business plan.

[DanaC]

I dont think Sundae was offended V.

[Sundae]

Oh goodness, no.
I was merely explaining the reaction I would genuinely expect here.

Not offended at all and in another place and for another person it would be great advice.

[wolf]

I would give some thought to how much you might charge to make a particular cake, in case somebody asks you for one ... we had that happen recently at a meeting. A fellow brought in these scrumptious lemon cupcakes his wife made, and before the end of the meeting someone had booked her to make a cake for an upcoming celebration.

[Sundae]

If that happened I would cost it out.
They'd probably be surprised though. Supermarkets make them much cheaper (of course).

I heard Limey talk to a jewellery maker on Arran about why she will not take commissions.
She will give gifts, but she cannot factor in her time, the wool and the expertise and still reach a reasonable price. She is far more talented at what she does than I am, but she does it for the same reason. She enjoys it, she can afford it, and her life is more fun because of it.

Of course I am going to flatter her unashamedly for a while because I expect her to make a complete layette for twin boys.















(that is very much a joke - although I expect a set when I get up the stick of course)

[limey]

I'm open to trades on the knit/cake front

[Sundae]

This is what the cake I made this afternoon should look like.
I don't think my version will bear close scrutiny.
Something weird happened with the vanilla and the caramel layers, they cooked at the outside but not in the middle (oven too hot?) so they were a bit shrunken and came away from the tin at the sides.

I was also a little haphazard in the splitting of the batter, which can't have helped.

Still, I'll take a pic of it iced and sliced.
And no, I am not making it again, unless I am begged on bended knee.
The caramel in between the laters is uber-sweet and I can't believe anyone will really enjoy it. I thought carrot cake was a faff, but at least I could eat a slice of it.

And from beginning to end it took 4 hours.
Okay most of that was baking and cooling as opposed to work, but only have 2 sandwich tins of the right size meant a lot of waiting around. And having Diz creaking at me from outside the kitchen.