Thursday 22 August 2013

Myth busted!


Are you ready to start planning your cake but feel overwhelmed from all the information? Where to begin? And what about everything you've  read/seen or been told by anyone who knows you're  getting married? And how do you stay within your budget?
Inquiring with your favourite decorators around 10-12 months in advance will give you a good idea of how much to expect your chosen design will be. Busy periods book up the fastest (Autumn and Spring, as well as any Public and School holiday weekends are most popular here in Brisbane) so it's always a good idea to get in contact early to secure the date.
Knowing the "theme" or "feel" of your wedding is an important part of deciding on your cakes design.  If you've chosen an elegant timeless venue and decorations, having an eye popping 4 tier Hot Pink and Purple Mad Hatter (Whilst may be completely fun) may leave your guests scratching their heads wondering how it fits in with everything else. 
Don't worry of you haven't decided every last detail, just so long as you have an idea of the direction you're headed in (with regards to styling) you'll be able to start considering designs. 


A week doesn't go by where I dont have a request for a "fake" cake to cut costs.
Unfortunately due to loads of misinformation clients are often lead to believe that choosing "Fake" tiers will result in a drastically cheaper cake.
The truth of the matter is that in most instances it won't make any significant difference.
With the exception of extremely large designs where the cakes itself  physically couldn't fit into a standard commercial oven! 
A Styrofoam (or Fake) tier still takes just as much time to cover and decorate as a baked cake (often more  due to it being so lightweight it is a bit more tricky to ice), the cost of the foam can sometimes be the same as a baked cake- when factoring in the foam cost plus a courier or time and fuel to have it delivered- sometimes it costs more.
Switching out an 8" round cake for foam certainly isn't going to save you any money- and in the end you will be left with a piece of inedible decorated styrofoam- Would you not prefer to simply have delicious cake leftover to eat instead?
When choosing the sizing of your cake you need to know what presence you want it to have at your reception. You need to considerthe space it is being displayed in. Does the room have really tall ceilings? Is it dark and intimate?
Do you want your guests to ooooh and ahhh over it? Do you want them talking about how Amazing it tasted and how they were so surprised by such a magnificent cake inside and out?
Or are you only having a cake because you feel you "Have" to have one for traditions sake? 
If your reasoning is because of the latter- then perhaps choose not to have a cake at all- there are no "rules" about what you must have, and personally I would much prefer to create a cake that my clients and their guests are going to love and enjoy rather than you feeling as though it is only there out of peer pressure.

Often clients are scared to disclose their cake budget to their decorator, when in fact disclosing your budget will help your decorator achieve a design that suits your needs and comes within the price range (and sometimes under) what you've accounted for. 
By letting the decorator know this he/she will be able to help (where necessary) make design changes to meet your limits, whilst creating a beautiful cake for your event. 
There are often alternatives that can achieve similar looks without as much cost. 
Use your decorators talents and knowledge wisely and you will end up with a magnificent centerpiece that you and your guests can admire. 
When deciding on a budget carefully consider how you'll serve the cake. If its being served as dessert, while you will require larger portions, you'll more than likely be saving on your event package. 
Here at Cake That! I offer a range of Baked from Scratch recipes to send your guests salivating over the menu to come. 
What better way to finish a beautiful sit down dinner than a piece of Salted Caramel and Roasted Peanut cake- with peanut butter ganache? Or a slice of rich Dark Chocolate Hazelnut and Sour Cherry Cake, or A tangy Lemon and Wattleseed White chocolate Mudcake? 

Are you hungry now? Hehehe
Complimentary samples are available at your consultation, and booked clients are welcome to continue to collect weekly sample on a reservation basis. 
 
So when you're ready to chat all things cake- get in contact :) I'd love to help create something stunning and wonderful for your special day
Keep Smiling
SJ