Money Saving Graduation Cake Ideas

Everyone knows that no graduation party is complete without a cake. The graduation cake is often front and center on its own table, perhaps on the same table or near the table for gifts and card wells, and thus gets quite a few lookers. While you can easily order a custom bakery cake, you have to be prepared to shell out your own dough so to speak. The cost of food and drinks for a large crowd can really put a family over-budget, so adding the cake to the cost can sometimes be a bit much.

It’s true the cake should be nice, but if your budget is limited, spend your money on the food and make the graduation cake yourself. You don’t have to be a professional baker or a master of confectionary arts, just be willing to invest a little time. The following are suggestions and homemade graduation cake ideas, as well as a list of supplies you will need.

Plan a size and theme for the cake. If you need a full sheet cake, you need a cake board large enough to hold a full sheet cake, but can bake the cake in four separate sections in quarter-sheet cake pans, rather than buy a new pan. Choose your theme based on simple ideas, such as school colors, mascots, student sports or academic interests.

If you don’t need a large cake, pre-formed cake pans are an easy way to create a bakery-style cake. There are pans available for graduation themes and the instructions are included on a paper insert. Take note of the different colors required as well as the required cake decorating tips and purchase everything at once at a cake supply or craft store.

At cake supply and craft stores, you will find an array of cake toppers, decorative tools, and baking supplies. The inventory carried will also help inspire graduation cake ideas. Make a list of decorating tools, such as piping bags and decorating tips, pans, food coloring for icing, and so on. Before you buy the items, see if any friends or family may already have items you need and can borrow.

By utilizing creativity and investing a little time in planning and preparation, you will likely come up with several graduation cake ideas that you can create for half the cost of a bakery cake. As long as the cake tastes good, few people will notice whether it came from a bakery or not.