re: Tasting

To set up a tasting, I usually set up some vanilla cake, chocolate cake and marble cake with vanilla buttercream and chocolate butter cream.
In the past I have used an 8" square pan. I have tilted the pan to one side and filled it half full (about 1 cup) of vanilla cake batter. While still tilted, I started pouring 1 cup of chocolate cake batter into the other side of the pan and leveled out the pan. this should give you an 8" square which is half vanilla and half chocolate.
Next, I took a skewer and zig zagged it through the vanilla and chocolate, but only about 1 1/2 inches through the center of the pan. Voila! You have vanilla cake, marble cake, and chocolate cake all in the same pan.
Bake, and chill, fill with vanilla butt ercream, and chocolate and you will have a 6 different cake samples.
Sometimes, I will cut the ‘dome’, off a cake and ice that. That way I don’t have to do a special baking of three different flavors. If I have different flavors on hand, I use it plus I will sometimes add a different filling, like strawberry buttercream or lemon filling.
I cut the cake squares about 1/2 inch square.

Be smart…limit the tasting to two or three people. Last week I had 5 come in all together! It was quite a surprise!
I charge $25.00 for a tasting and should the bride and groom choose me as their baker, I credit it towards their wedding cake.
This is just the way I do it. It doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong. I have heard it done several different ways.
It usually takes 45 minutes to an hour.
Remember to be compensated for your time!
Good Luck!