My Blog

Mobile Consultations

10/05/2011 09:55:00

In response to busy brides, and their demanding schedules, T-Cakes has begun to offer "mobile consultations". The mobile concept is ideal for brides that already know the design of their cake. They've either found it in a magazine or internet and have a clear understanding of what they desire. In those cases you should forward the photo(s) to the designer and only minor details need to be worked out. Items such as number of servings, icing type, colors and budget will be discussed during the phone call.

After the details have been worked out, a tasting can be scheduled if the bride and designer are comfortable with all expectations. This approach saves time for the bride and product for the designer. It also allows both parties to feel secure knowing all desires can be met before proceeding to the tasting.

So keep this approach in mind when searching for a cake designer. Good luck !

As always we welcome your feedback and/or comments.

What's in a flavor

09/01/2011 16:03:00

How do you determine what flavors of cake to serve at the wedding reception?

Red Velvet is my absolute favorite, and my "husband-to-be" adores Italian Cream. So that settles it, that's what we're going to serve. It's our special day and we want it to be perfect !

Well here are a few things to reflect on before signing a contract with those selections.

respect your guests; Italian Cream cake contains nuts and coconut which may aggravate food allergies.
consider your guests; Red Velvet is a rich chocolate cake and many guests may not enjoy the richness of the cake.
take in to account your venue; both Italian Cream and Red Velvet are typically iced using cream cheese icing. If your event is outside in 100 degree temperature, cream cheese icing is not ideal.

A possible solution to this cake dilemma would be to make those selections for the smaller tiers. For the larger tiers select flavors that would contrast with richer tiers but add a filling to dress it up. For example on a 4 tier cake. The top tier could be red velvet, the next tier Italian cream, next tier swiss chocolate with raspberry filling, and the bottom tier classic wedding white with a vanilla cream filling or a fruit filling. This scenario would cover all the guests. From the chocolate lovers, to the veteran wedding guest right down to the youngest guest with an immature pallet.

You have offered basic flavors but have made them elegant by adding a filling.

Good luck !

Cupcakes vs Cake

08/30/2011 16:57:00

It seems cupcakes are fashionable again. Whether on a fancy wedding tower or at a childs birthday party, cupcakes are "in". There are many variations, styles, and flavors along with ways to display the cupcakes. You've got wrappers that surround each cake. They come in various colors, designs and patterns.

Does choosing cupcakes vs a traditional cake mean you are going the "cheaper" route? Are cupcakes informal for a formal event? The answer to both questions is NO. Cupcakes can be decorated, designed and displayed to suit the event at hand.

For a formal wedding, a charming tower filled with cupcakes surrounded by wrappers coordinating with the wedding colors, filled with a delicate cupcake topped with fluffy icing with a sugar flower on top can add class and is eye catching.

If the event is less formal, say a childs birthday party, think about not having to serve the guest. Cupcakes are "self serve". Instead of a dessert plate and fork, all that is needed to indulge in a cupcake is a napkin to wipe the icing from your nose. Again, a tower and wrappers can be used for this event, just something that coordinates with the theme or color pallet of the party.

But back to the question of are they cheaper than a traditional cake...NO. The price for cupcakes start at $3.00 and go up depending on the design.

So consider the cost and the fact that most bakeries have a minimum number they will bake in an order.

Realistic Budget

03/11/2011 22:07:00

Welcome to my very first blog ever...hopefully I'll get it right.

This post is directed to Brides. All wedding cake designers realize that you are working within a budget, but have a realistic budget. If the cake of your dreams is a photo of a wedding cake from a magazine or a famous Hollywood wedding, chances are it's an expensive cake. And it will be expensive to reproduce even if it is on a smaller scale. Think about what the couple in the magazine paid for the cake and think about what your budget is for the cake. Is your budget realistic? If not, three things should happen.

1. Think about how expensive things are today (eggs, milk, sugar, gas) just to purchase in your life. Is your budget an accurate reflection of those increases?

2. Take a hard look at your cake budget to see if your dream cake can be created while staying within the budget. If not wake up and begin the search for something that is within your budget. Be honest with your designer regarding your budget.

3. If your heart is set on that cake no matter the cost. E-mail the photo to your top 3 designers for estimates and increase your budget. Begin making payments on your wedding cake.