Posts by Sam Kim12

TMZ congrats😘

Dennis Hill70 said:Look, my wife told me she could whip it up herself, but honestly, she doesn't think it'll turn out great. Plus, that whipped cream cake she sent me a photo of? It's just not my style. Didn't yours have some kind of glaze on it, Sam Kim12?

"Not great" 😕 is an understatement—condensed milk has zero flavor profile on its own, unless she’s actually talking about marzipan, which is one of those things people either obsess over or absolutely despise (personally, I think it's divine)
Mine was made with a condensed milk frosting😉

Dennis Hill70 said:Ladies, for those of you who’ve already tied the knot—I need some help here. What should I go with: whipped cream or Ticino? 🙏

Honestly, it all comes down to the specific color palette and the overall design of the cake—and frankly, you’re better off just grilling the bakery where you're ordering it. They’re the ones actually doing the work, after all, so they'll give you the real scoop once they hear what you're aiming for.🙂

Dennis Hill70 said:I mean, if the bakeries aren't using it, why bother making those cakes? Okay, fine, I read up on what it actually is! But honestly, fondant is just plain tasteless. To me, a cake needs to actually look like something, not just taste good. I don't get why they don't just make a version of fondant that actually tastes decent. 🙂))))))

If the bakeries aren't using it, why bother making those cakes?

They definitely have it.😉 ........ It’s essentially just a dense, compact mass—think along the lines of heavy dough—that can be dyed any color you want. For all intents and purposes, it lacks any actual flavor or aroma, though they can always pump in some artificial flavorings if they feel like it.😉

Linda Adams8 said:Well, now you've gone and picked on me...😢 I'm getting my cake from Vincennes. A few days ago, my dear husband and I went over to taste the flavors, and I didn't have a single complaint...
But now you're all claiming I was eating some cheap drugstore junk. Oh, really? What now?😕

Why on earth are you making such a fuss? You’ve been eating those same damn cookies for years—honestly, it’s not like you haven't figured out the flavor by now.😉 And they were actually quite decent—really, if you look back at them through a less jaded lens.😬 No one is actually going to argue that they taste worse—far from it. In fact, quite the opposite is true... Look, I’ve attempted making custard pies using at least ten different "homemade" recipes, and honestly? Not a single one of them even comes close to the quality of those quick ones you grab from Dr. O'Shea's.😁

northernstag5 said:We ended up ordering all our desserts (about $23) and the wedding cake from a local bakery in Springfield. They do everything using old-school, homemade recipes. The cake itself was four tiers high, and they gave me total creative freedom. When I mentioned I wanted it decorated with fresh flowers—including the cake stand—the owner suggested he could have his flower vendor handle the decorations, or if I already had a florist picked out, they’d happily decorate the stand to match my vision. He also made a point to tell me that any roses used would be kept in water vials to make sure none of that bitter sap leaks into the cake. It cost $40 per tier. Plus, they handled the delivery to the restaurant at no extra charge.
I’ve actually ordered treats from them before, so I know their quality firsthand. There isn't a trace of margarine or cheap fillers; they stick strictly to those traditional recipes we all grew up making at home.
A few years back, the owner actually ran a shop right in the heart of NYC, but he eventually decided to pivot entirely toward making authentic, handmade goods. He honestly can't stand the way those big-name commercial bakeries in the city operate—using artificial mixes and processed ingredients. Honestly, I was almost floored when I found out some of those famous places actually import premade mixes and just add a little water to call it a "cake."

If anyone wants their contact info, let me know. I truly cannot recommend them enough!

It’s depressing, but it’s the truth—and it’s been this way for years... that’s just how mass-produced ice cream works too😬... I mean, if you look at the logistics, there is no way a single local spot like, say, Vince Lombardi, could have 30 employees churning out over 6,000 pounds of pastries and 500 cakes every single day using traditional methods—they almost all rely on those industrial mixes (where the batter is whipped up in about three seconds)😍) 😳... which is why you’re much better off buying your sweets from small, local bakeries🙂

northernstag5 said:Regarding the flowers on the cake, I’m honestly a little worried about using real blooms. You know how some of them leak those juices when you cut into them? I’d be terrified of that bitterness seeping into the frosting. Maybe the move would be to just pop them on there a few minutes before serving? I don't know, though—maybe they don't actually bleed color or flavor like that!😕

Don't sweat the bitterness issue! Our pastry chef, who's handling our cake (which is definitely going to feature real flowers), explained that they actually place each bloom in its own tiny little water vial—kind of like those little tubes used for orchids. It keeps everything completely separate and clean.

Not every baker is willing to go through that kind of trouble.😉

mellowridge said:I think I saw your cake in some photos—it had all those different colors and looked like a stack of presents, was that yours?

If you ask me, it didn't look half bad. Maybe it wasn't exactly what you had in mind, but I actually thought it looked pretty cute.😘

Well, then I guess it must be in the pictures.😳
Everyone keeps telling me it turned out alright, but for my part—good grief—😁 it isn't even close to what it was supposed to be, aside from the number of tiers and the color scheme.🤣

copperraven39:The edges were totally slumped, almost like they were melting, and it was all lumpy😬 ; honestly, the whole thing just looked like it was about to collapse into a puddle.😂

copperraven39 said:oh crap! 😢 . can you tell from your photos?

I don't think it's even in the gallery—which, honestly, makes me wonder why...😂 😂 😂 ...I'll upload a shot of the actual CD along with the original photo later tonight so you can all see the difference for yourselves.🤣
Now I'm just sitting here laughing at my own stupidity.😬

copperraven39 said:Can you even believe this... so one of our friends made this cake for a 3rd birthday party, but then the clients had the nerve to demand it be a 7-tier cake instead—like, seriously, can you imagine that level of crazy?... 😲 Yeah, she’s definitely gonna be working—but don't you worry, I’m gonna give her a little heads-up first... just to make sure we're on the same page... 😈 .
Yeah, she told me the exact same thing—that I’ve gotta order the Ticino mass and that I can basically dye it any color my heart desires... but man, is that stuff actually pure white to begin with? I'm planning on tinting mine to an Ivory shade... 😁

She’s always got a couple of buckets sitting there—it's honestly getting ridiculous.😬
That mass—it’s completely white, like fresh snow.😉 The coloring process can actually turn out quite beautifully—I mean, I once had a cat that was Ivory, and as far as the actual shade goes, it turned out absolutely stunning—but the texture and finish? Not so much. It just didn't look right.👎 )

jadeeagle36 said:So, what exactly was the letdown for you???

Good grief... what can I even say? When I saw that cake, my eyes actually welled up—I nearly walked out of the venue in pure frustration😢. It was a disaster; nothing like the photo I provided. The edges were so unstable it looked like the whole thing was going to slide right off onto the floor😲. Honestly, the aesthetic was a zero—it looked like a bunch of toddlers playing with Play-Doh😠. However—and this is the one silver lining—the flavor of the cake and the pastries was absolutely divine😉.

Arthur Ramirez4: Nowadays, 99% of cakes are made with fondant because it’s much more pliable, it’s neutral in taste, and since it comes in white, it’s incredibly easy to dye. Marzipan, on the other hand, has that yellowish tint that makes coloring it a nightmare, plus it has a distinct flavor profile that isn't for everyone—not to mention it's just much harder to work with.😉

jadeeagle36 said:So, I went ahead and put down a deposit yesterday for a cake over at Whole Foods in Chicago.
A cake for 250 people is going to set me back $467,
which is just wild. I decided to go with tiered layers—I think there are about 9 individual cakes total—with all sorts of different flavors, mostly keeping things on the lighter side...
The lady working there actually talked me into ditching the standard fruit sponge with cream and just doing a vanilla parfait with fruit instead!
It’s going to be covered in marzipan with red decorations on the outside.

Please, just watch the finish on that cake... if they try to use fondant instead of actual marzipan, it’s going to look terrible—trust me on this.😢....... I learned that the hard way.👎

Here is a breakdown of the beta HCG levels for you

Anonymous said:Sorry, I’m honestly too exhausted to go hunting through old threads right now, so I figured I’d just start a new one and ask you all about this hormone...
So, I have bloodwork scheduled for tomorrow, and I’m wondering if I actually need to tell the lab technician that I want my beta levels checked specifically, or is that just a standard part of the panel anyway? Sorry, I’m having a hard time even putting this question together properly—if you know what I mean, please let me know! Also, does anyone happen to know what a typical level should look like if I am pregnant? Thanks so much in advance!!!!

It all depends on what kind of screening you're actually requesting.😬 If you're just doing a standard ESR or CBC, they won't bother with it—but if you're specifically ordering a pregnancy test, then they'll naturally isolate the beta levels.😉

crimsoncrane12 said:Fix,

I read somewhere recently that fruit cakes usually end up looking pretty messy because the juice leaks out and makes the sponge soggy.
Since I'm an allergy sufferer when it comes to chocolate and walnuts, I'd love some actual cake suggestions.

Fruit only looks messy if the cake is poorly made—period. I've been to at least ten summer weddings where the cakes were fruit-centered, and you wouldn't have known it by looking at them.👍 ... so, don't let one pessimistic comment sway you; just head to your chosen bakery and get your questions answered once and for all.😬

I personally handled an order for about 130 kg of pastries plus a massive cake designed to feed roughly 300 guests—that included all the individual favor boxes, serving trays, and table settings—bringing the grand total to $7,300.😬

Terry Wells said:Look, I have to be real here—at my place, I’m grabbing the wedding cake and maybe a few cookies just for us at home, but for the reception itself? I actually asked my relatives and friends to each chip in with one single appetizer... by the time everyone shows up, there'll be plenty of food for the hall, but I’m definitely not sharing the leftovers from home... 😬

Honestly, that’s easily the smartest way to handle it.👍

swiftheron14 said:So, I’ve been lurking here for a long time, just reading everything you guys post, but I finally decided to jump in and join the conversation 🙂 I was wondering if anyone here has actually tried those mini treats from Nothing Bundt Cakes? Sorry if this has already been covered a million times before...

I was actually planning on picking up some sweets the other day just to treat myself—but then I heard they were absolutely abysmal, so I backed off. Might give them another shot eventually, though.😬 Honestly, you’re better off going there in person to grab a sample first😉—that’s what I’d do, at least—since everyone’s palate is different.

Zachary Gray35 said:As for wedding cakes, I'm not sure... but their cake by the pound runs from $95 up to $35 depending on what you pick. I grab stuff there for my house all the time, and we order it for office birthdays and stuff too, but buying it by the large weight just isn't worth the money...

😲 That's honestly way too much—no matter how good they taste, it’s simply not worth the price tag.😎

analogmason15 said:What kind of numbers are we even talking about here?

That was my exact thought—honestly. Everyone keeps buzzing about how overpriced this bakery is, yet nobody is actually dropping any real figures...😬 Come on, ladies—anyone who’s actually been there and has the inside scoop, please enlighten us.😉