Baker offended?

1BabyFritsch

We recently started talking about cake and cupcake flavors. We are doing a small 2 tier cake for cutting and then we will need 17 dozen cupcakes. We have decided to do about 5 diffrent flavors maybe 6. HERE is my issue.
There is a very wonderful Blackberry cake recipe that my Grandmother has. This is one of those recipes that has been passed down for generations and everyone loves it. My problem is the recipe is a very closely gaurded secret. My Grandmother said she would give me the recipe to have the baker make cupcakes with it ONLY IF: 1.) I do not give it to anyone else and return the copy she gives me to her. 2. I do not make any changes to the recipe when it is made. & 3. I make the baker sign a letter saying they will not copy the recipe make any changes or use the recipe for anything other then my wedding.
Do you think the baker would be offended in being asked to sign something like this.

Nona98

Hmm.  How would you know if she violated the agreement. 

If it's such a guarded secert, why not make the batter yourself and provide it to the baker?

1BabyFritsch

I thought about something like that but that would mean I would have to make all the batter the day before or the day of the wedding plus it would be a lot of batter and I am just not equipt to make and transport that kind of food. Plus I wasnt sure how it would hold up if I tried to make it more then then day of baking. This is a bakery we use kind of a lot my neice is allergic to dairy adn they are one of the only bakerys close that dose non dairy. So all birthdays, special occasions were pastrys are involved we go to this baker. So if she was using the recipe we would notice it was on the menu/website ect

jessicabessica

I don't think she would be offended if you just asked her if she would be willing to make your grandmother's blackberry cake given the conditions your grandmother requires, but she might say no.  Practically speaking, she might not be able to scale the recipe for as many cupcakes as you want without changing it a bit.  It also might not be worth the risk to her--if your grandma happened to have a piece of cake that she thought was similar to her recipe a few years from now, would she try to sue the baker?  What if the baker wanted to incorporate aspects of your grandma's recipe in a new flavor of her own, would that be a problem for your grandma?

If you aren't comfortable asking or if the bakery declines your grandma's terms, maybe you could make the cake for your rehearsal dinner, which I assume would require less cake.  (You would need to be sure that your RD venue allowed you to bring in food made in your home.)  

I also think it's a little weird to have some cupcakes be a super-special recipe, and the other five flavors be good, but not have the family history.  Not saying it's a bad idea, just that it would seem a little odd to me.  

1BabyFritsch

I understand that she may say no. I dont think my grandma would ever sue any one i think she jsut wants to make sure there not gong to start using the recipe as thier own. My Rehersal venue Dosent allow us to bring in food from outside. We were going to have it as one of the flavors at the wedding because we are basing all of our  flavors on things that are close to us. Like I love Red Velvet so that is a main flavor. My Fiancee Loves German Chocolate (he is german). We are doing tflavors that represemt our relationship and adding little explination cards in fromt on each flavor

Nona98

About doing the prep yourself....

I stayed with a baker once, and was shocked to find out that her cakes are usually never freshly baked.  

I'm not sure about how long she keeps the mix before baking, however. 

I'm not sure how far in advance the actual cake would be made. 

Also quanity wise there aren't that many of each flavor.  

17 dozen, with 6 flavors, is like 2.5 per flavor.  that's only like 34 cup cakes. 

ElisabethJoanne

It's not a matter of offense, it's the scale and timing issues others have mentioned. Also, professionals often use different flour, different ovens, different pans than home cooks. A family recipe may not work in a commercial kitchen. A commercial recipe hardly every works in a home.

jenniferb77

cant use batter from the night before. the leavening agents (the stuff that makes cake rise and be fluffy) poop out long before then and your cake will be flat and very dense.

SugarBrideOct10

I can't see the baker being offended.  

Book Lover

If it's a very private recipe, you may want to make them (or have your grandma, etc.) make them and freeze them well ahead of time, then there's no worry that someone else will use it.