Wedding cakes and desserts

Nicole Morales4 said:Hey ladies!

Has anyone here ever tried the cakes or pastries from the small house cake shop?

I've had their stuff plenty of times—cakes, pastries, whatever. They're decent, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend them 🤷. Honestly, I've had much better at 🤷
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Angela Martin2 said:I've had their stuff plenty of times—cakes, pastries, whatever. They're decent, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend them 🤷. Honestly, I've had much better at 🤷
.

My friends and I are actually planning to head over there soon to try 🙂.
A close friend gave them such a glowing review!

Jeremy Nguyen96 said:Good morning, everyone.🙂

I’ve been there, I’ve seen it, and I’ve tasted it. I am more than satisfied with what they offered.
I'm certainly not foolish enough to throw $2667 😉 into the wind. The original royal cake was designed to serve 1,000 people; we are hosting 350. I’m not expecting a carbon copy. I am simply looking for a beautiful, scaled-down replica.
We are having a classic American Midwest wedding where having a wide variety of desserts is a must. The original plan was to have a separate table featuring various other cakes, but this option actually solves that problem for us. 😉

Can you tell who made them?

And please, 🙂 once the wedding is over, post some pictures here... I really want to see how they turned out! 😍

Sean Long4 said:So, did she actually say the cake was thrown in for free? If that's the case, the cost is already baked into the menu price, meaning they’re still being asked to shell out an extra $45 on top of that.

As for La Torteria... their pastries and cakes are notoriously pricey to begin with. I’m honestly curious how much he’d end up paying for that specific cake—I wouldn't be surprised if it clocked in well over $150.

From what I gather, you can pick up a standard wedding cake for even less than $267, so I have no idea what the actual base price is versus this extra surcharge. Even if you add, say, $800 plus $4500, that still feels like a steal for a "royal replica."

I didn't realize the basic cake cost was already part of the menu $1333—standard wedding cake prices aren't usually that high, and I had no clue the guest list was as massive as 350 people, which probably explains why the price tag looks like that..

Anyway, I was assuming the cake portion of the menu was around $333 and that the wedding was much smaller.. maybe like 80 or 90 people, which is more typical for most weddings..

But then again, if there really are 350 guests, that $1333 price point makes sense, since a cake meant for 350 people has to be absolutely massive.

$267 How many people are we talking about here?

Honestly, anything priced under $5.00 per person feels a little sketchy to me... they’re either using cheap fillers or it's just a mountain of frosting and gelatin.... 🤷

If you take 350 guests at 15 bucks each, you're looking at roughly $1733... and that’s just for those standard, basic cakes with a few flowers or simple decorations... just the classics...

But for a custom cake like this one? I wouldn't dream of doing it for less than $6.75 per person... which brings us to $2333... though, if she claims it's $2667, then maybe...

Still, those specific details they had on their cake... hmm... it'll be interesting to see if they can actually pull off a replica


Maybe if they could just replicate this part:

Linda Johnson15 said:$267 How many people are we talking about here?

Honestly, anything priced under $5.00 per person feels a little sketchy to me... they’re either using cheap fillers or it's just a mountain of frosting and gelatin.... 🤷

If you take 350 guests at 15 bucks each, you're looking at roughly $1733... and that’s just for those standard, basic cakes with a few flowers or simple decorations... just the classics...

But for a custom cake like this one? I wouldn't dream of doing it for less than $6.75 per person... which brings us to $2333... though, if she claims it's $2667, then maybe...

Still, those specific details they had on their cake... hmm... it'll be interesting to see if they can actually pull off a replica


Maybe if they could just replicate this part:

I don't know, but plenty of women have mentioned getting wedding cakes for well under $333, and I've seen tons of similar cakes online priced at $333. Even for 100 people... (which you can find easily enough once you Google "wedding cake prices"). For example, this one
http://www.diamanttorte.com/catalog.htm

Now, whether that's a legitimate bakery or someone working under the table, who knows... and that first link even shows cakes that are cheaper than $3.25 apiece.. I mean, I honestly have no clue what the quality is like when they're that cheap, even if they look pretty good visually.. It's pretty obvious a lot of people make cakes that go for less than $5.00 a piece and end up costing around $3.25 total per unit.
Though, being real, I have my doubts about the quality too, mostly because of that price tag.
They look great because the sisters making them finished decoration courses in America, but what about the taste?
There's probably some kind of catch with a price that low... Cakes for 350 people are a bit more rare... so if a cake for 100 people is around 1000, then one for 350 would be closer to 3500 or 4000. And obviously, if you want that modern, high-end decoration, logic says it’s going to be way more expensive..

Replicating a royal couple's cake involves so many people and so much decorating time. So the cake won't just be $333 more expensive, it'll likely be double, if not more.

@zizuana- last summer, we ordered a whole spread of cookies and a custom cake from Lido Bakery—actually, they handled the entire catering since we were hosting an outdoor wedding—and honestly, they blew us away.🙂They managed to recreate a cake I’d found online perfectly; it was absolutely delicious, featuring three distinct layers and flavors in a sleek black-and-white design. Anyway, I can't recommend them enough, and everything is super flexible if you need to work out specific details.

Look, our old local spot was $4.00 just perfect the way it was—solid, reliable. Now they're talking about a massive renovation, and honestly? I don't see the point. Sure, the veteran management moved up the ladder, but if they actually bothered to make things more accessible for the younger crowd, they’d be packed all year round without needing to hike up the prices. Just my two cents.
Also, that Royal Cake thing is pretty mid—not my vibe at all. No offense intended, but it’s so over-decorated it’s actually kind of off-putting.

I was originally planning on getting my cakes and dessert spread from Small House Cake. I actually went there with my godmother for a tasting session. Don't get me wrong, the pastries were delicious, but I wasn't thrilled with the service. When I asked if I could just take about five pastries to go, the staff just plopped them onto a paper plate and wrapped them in plastic wrap. When I mentioned I was taking the bus home, they had the nerve to tell me that a proper box would cost extra money...

I ended up letting it slide because, honestly, the sweets were good. But then I get home, and my mother—bless her heart—sees how I'm carrying everything and says, "Let's try somewhere else." She drove me over to Kasin to check out those Mi-Mi Sweets. We got half a pound to try at home, plus we did some more tasting right there. And they came in actual BOXES. It was such a relief. In the end, we decided to go with them. It wasn't just about the packaging, though; the pastries were significantly better and had that much more authentic, homemade flavor. To be honest, everyone who attended our party later asked for the contact info for the bakery... And since the venue required all food to be covered, the people from Mi-Mi Sweets served everything in these nice clear boxes, and they didn't charge us a cent for the containers.

I’ve sampled treats from Absum, M. K. k, Tom, Anna, Cukeraj, and pretty much everywhere else you can think of...

Bottom line: if anyone picks them, you won't regret it. 100%.

I've actually got some fair flyers sitting right here in front of me from the expo. If anyone has any actual hands-on experience with these brands, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the following cookies: Mus, Srceko, Steffi Sweet Secret, Kasnar, or Simic?! :-)
thanks so much! :-)

I’ve already given mus my seal of approval. Look, I'm no dessert connoisseur, but for what they cost, they were more than alright.

Big thumbs up for Sweet Secret, too.

Melissa Campbell5 said:I've actually got some fair flyers sitting right here in front of me from the expo. If anyone has any actual hands-on experience with these brands, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the following cookies: Mus, Srceko, Steffi Sweet Secret, Kasnar, or Simic?! :-)
thanks so much! :-)

In my opinion, Simic is top-tier... I believe I mentioned that a few posts back—if you just take a quick moment to skim through this thread, you'll see there's already an abundance of commentary regarding every single brand you listed...🙂

Drew Foster11 said:I was originally planning on getting my cakes and dessert spread from Small House Cake. I actually went there with my godmother for a tasting session. Don't get me wrong, the pastries were delicious, but I wasn't thrilled with the service. When I asked if I could just take about five pastries to go, the staff just plopped them onto a paper plate and wrapped them in plastic wrap. When I mentioned I was taking the bus home, they had the nerve to tell me that a proper box would cost extra money...

I ended up letting it slide because, honestly, the sweets were good. But then I get home, and my mother—bless her heart—sees how I'm carrying everything and says, "Let's try somewhere else." She drove me over to Kasin to check out those Mi-Mi Sweets. We got half a pound to try at home, plus we did some more tasting right there. And they came in actual BOXES. It was such a relief. In the end, we decided to go with them. It wasn't just about the packaging, though; the pastries were significantly better and had that much more authentic, homemade flavor. To be honest, everyone who attended our party later asked for the contact info for the bakery... And since the venue required all food to be covered, the people from Mi-Mi Sweets served everything in these nice clear boxes, and they didn't charge us a cent for the containers.

I’ve sampled treats from Absum, M. K. k, Tom, Anna, Cukeraj, and pretty much everywhere else you can think of...

Bottom line: if anyone picks them, you won't regret it. 100%.

Wait, so you're saying their sweets aren't good? Maybe I'll swing by there in a few days to check it out myself, and if they aren't great, I'll look somewhere else.

Greetings. What kind of fruit tarts would you recommend? I am also open to chocolate options if they meet the standard.

Another question regarding the pastries at Mark Twain? What’s your take on their cakes?

steelsailor74 said:AndricWe went to a cake tasting session, and honestly, the lady there was such a sweetheart. She gave us some samples to try, but here’s the best part: she actually split them into two separate packages. It was this cute little gesture so we could taste both sides—one specifically for the groom and one for the bride. Such a thoughtful touch.🙂 We ended up getting all these cookies—tons of different kinds, too. They’re those fancy varieties you usually only see being served at big weddings.

They offer free shipping, too—even if you’re living way out in the suburbs or somewhere far beyond the D.C. metro area. You can pretty much work out whatever you need with them. If you want to pull a few specific cookies from their lineup or suggest adding some new flavors that aren't currently in their wedding package, they're totally open to negotiating.

They serve the cookies on these fancy gold-colored plastic trays—if you’re into that sort of thing—and don't worry about an extra charge; those trays are already included in the price.

One kilo, thirty different kinds.$25 Or maybe just one kilo—ten different kinds.$23

Look, everyone’s got their own thing when it comes to dessert. Taste is so subjective that trying to figure out what exactly hits the spot for everyone else is basically impossible. As far as I'm concerned? These treats are pretty damn good.
I’m currently in full-on dessert testing mode. I've still got four more bakeries left on my hit list to hit for some tastings before I make my final call... and who knows, I might just drop a full ranking here once I'm done. 😉 )

ŠimićThey let us try some, too, but most of them aren't really the fancy wedding cake type. It’s more like the stuff you’d pick up at a local farmers market—maybe five different kinds of walnut treats, three or four varieties of those crumbly, crusty cookies, and then some other sweets, like those chocolatey coconut squares.

One kilo? Seriously? You’re looking at maybe fifteen to twenty different kinds of treats there. $27

They’re offering a 10% fair discount, but there's a catch: you only get it if you bundle the cookies and the cake together. If you just want one or the other? Forget about it. No discount for single items. Typical, right?
Just a heads-up: they're charging extra for deliveries outside the Washington, D.C. area. I didn't bother asking about the rates for the city itself or the immediate suburbs, though...

They’ll throw in the basic arrangement for free on a white, slightly flimsy plastic base. But if you’re looking for something a bit more upscale—like a gold-plated, sturdier base—you're going to have to cough up some extra cash. $2.75

The pastries? Some were actually pretty great, others were just... meh. Honestly, I’m struggling to give a fair rating since we didn't get to sample the actual wedding cakes, and there was way less variety than what you’d find at a place like Magnolia Bakery.

All that's left on our list: Kasnar, Relax, a sweet gift, a sweet treat, and maybe eventually Mimi... ☕

Since everyone seems to be hovering right around that $70 mark...$27Look, if I'm going to shell out this kind of cash, I might as well go all in and pick the absolute best of the best.🤷

I really hope I was able to help someone out there.🙂

Just thought I'd add a few more details for everyone else:

Unknown hosted an incredible welcome reception. They were seriously easy to work with and totally open to negotiating the details. We sampled some of their cakes—man, they were delicious. Super rich and flavorful. Also, the pastries? A full kilogram of goodness.$27The cakes look incredible—the presentation and texture are spot on—but honestly, they’re all lacking a bit of sugar. It’s like they aren't even sweet. Now, full disclosure: I’m not exactly the type of person who needs a massive sugar rush in everything I eat. But if you're one of those people who prefers things on the lighter, less sugary side, you are going to absolutely love these. As for the pies? They're phenomenal. 👍

Pure bliss. These cookies are absolutely incredible, and the lady running the shop is just as lovely—super sweet and easy to talk to. Grabbed a kilo for about $15.$27It all really comes down to how you set things up.😉
It’s a real shame, honestly. There isn't a single decent bakery around here, so I won't be getting my hands on any of those cakes.

The cakes at Relax are honestly pretty great—huge slices and the prices aren't bad either. I’ve had them before, so I know what I'm talking about. But there’s one massive downside: they won't give you a single bite to try before you buy. You have to commit blindly to the full purchase. They're being incredibly stingy about it.😕
It’s always the same story when you go looking for answers. They leave out the most crucial piece of the puzzle, only for you to hear the real truth later while you're grabbing a coffee at Starbucks or sitting in some local bakery. 🙄
cookies-1kg-$27-haven't tried these yet

Mimi—they gave us about ten different cookies to sample, but honestly? They weren't great. Plus, they charge for delivery, so the whole experience just felt underwhelming. We were supposed to coordinate everything with my wife, but she couldn't make it, so she left someone else in charge who didn't know the first thing about pastries... I won't even get into the other hiccups, or I'll be here all day.

That's just my take on it, obviously. Everyone's palate is different. But once you start comparing the same kinds of treats from different local bakeries, you'll see just how massive the difference in quality can be.

So, have you made up your mind about those cookies yet?

I’ve got a wedding coming up at Intel in about a year, and if you guys end up booking me for the Tier 4 package, I guess you get all the cookies and cake thrown in for free 🙂
As for the Tier 2.3 option—you basically need a guest list north of 250 people to snag the free cake and cookies too 🙂
Honestly, that made my search a whole lot easier 🙂The vendor just mentioned we could choose whether we want the sweets from Tom and Ann or Hemingway... so we found a cake online, showed it to them, and told them to just replicate it 🙂I'm pretty happy with how things are looking... mostly because I don't think he'll dare mess anything up, seeing as he's such a regular client. He even told me himself—if they screw me over even once, he's cutting ties with them immediately 🙂

Edward Mendoza3 said:Another question regarding the pastries at Mark Twain? What’s your take on their cakes?

Personally, I think they are absolutely delicious, though I swear I can barely breathe after eating their Canadian cream cake or that one fruit pastry—I can never quite remember the name of it! 🤣
My dad actually used to work for them, so he was constantly bringing home treats, and honestly, who could be happier than me in that situation? I even told him right away that I wanted to use their cakes for my wedding someday, and since my fiancé loved them too, there wasn't even a debate; we decided on it the moment it was mentioned. 😁

Nicole Morales4 said:Wait, so you're saying their sweets aren't good? Maybe I'll swing by there in a few days to check it out myself, and if they aren't great, I'll look somewhere else.

Look, they’re good. It’s just that over at Mrs. Baker's, they had that specific homemade taste that I haven't really found anywhere else. I was at a wedding recently where I could have easily ordered from Ann Taylor or even Whole Foods, but I ended up choosing Mrs. Baker's instead...