Wedding cakes and desserts

Look, everyone’s gonna do what they think is right, but personally, I can't stand wasting food. I've seen it happen way too many times where people order a massive amount of dessert for a wedding, only to have half of it left over at the end. Then they try to pass it off to guests, but even after that, there's still a mountain of leftovers because they listened to parents instead of the caterers who told them they were ordering double what they actually needed. At our wedding, we did a dessert table and ended up with maybe a kilo and a half of sweets left. We paid about $333 for all the desserts, so that extra $600-$333 would've basically just been tossed in the trash. Total, we spent around $23333 on the whole wedding, and honestly? It was incredible. We just saved money where it actually mattered—like the sweets and the flowers—or we just DIY'd stuff like the invites and favors. But the food, the cake, and the band? Those were top-tier, which is really the only thing that matters in the end.

Help, I’m actually at a loss here regarding these desserts... I honestly don't know what to do about the catering. Back in February, when I was sampling everything at the expo, Abraham’s stuff was by far the best—everything seemed perfect. But after looking into wedding dessert trends more deeply, I’ve realized that what you taste at a tasting isn't always what actually shows up at the reception. Plus, I've been reading some pretty bad reviews online. I did pick up some treats from Simon, but they were... just okay, I guess. I stopped by King Bakery today since everyone raves about them and they’re definitely better than Simon’s, though they have way fewer options and still aren't exactly incredible. I’ve also been talking things over with Andrew, but I'm not holding my breath, and I'm looking into a small local bakery too. I’m thinking maybe I should just head over to Piece of Cake, Sugarman, or M&M and try those cookies for $43/kg (which feels like an absolute rip-off) just to see if they actually live up to the hype...
Does anyone know if Monica’s pastries are any good? People seem to obsess over her cakes, but nobody ever mentions the cookies. And does anyone know what the pricing is like?

Out of everything you mentioned, I’ve only tried Abraham, and honestly, they were some of the worst cookies I've ever had at a fair. I know they supply those little plastic containers of peach or Canadian sponge cakes for Walmart, but to me, they all tasted exactly the same. 🤷

We have a tour of local bakeries scheduled for November 29th and 30th. I am praying we can actually hit every spot on the list. Honestly, my biggest concern isn't even the cost—it's the quality. I’m terrified of spending all this time just to find out every single pastry is mediocre.

I recently picked up some treats from a local boutique bakery; they were decent given the price point, but nothing spectacular. I could have easily polished off ten of them in one sitting without breaking a sweat. I also tried a selection from a high-end patisserie, but at $40 per pound, they were utterly pedestrian. I refuse to pay premium prices for average results.

Here is the status report: I reached out to Sugarman, but they were ghosts until I finally cornered them. Even then, they charge per individual pastry, which is an absolute non-starter for me. Everyone else has responded; some listed prices and others didn't, but our itinerary currently includes: Le Cakes, Sweet Stories, Fancy Cake, and Amelia.

If anyone has additional recommendations, speak up now. I still have enough room in the schedule to squeeze in one more stop if it's worth the trip.🤣

If you end up trying all those pastries, please leave some reviews because I don't have the patience to test them all myself. Honestly, the best wedding cake I've ever had was from Amelia, though I can't actually remember which specific one they served since there were so many bite-sized pieces—I'm not even sure if they even did a large tiered cake. I haven't tried their individual pastries yet. I'm not really the type to wander into bakeries, so I guess I'm just flying blind here. 🙂
I suspect everything mentioned is going to be pretty pricey, though... Based on some old threads, Fancy Cake is quite expensive, Sugarland is $40/lb, and I don't know much about the pricing at Le or Sweet Talker.

Listen up, I think I found the fix for you guys🙂, there's this bakery called Darkness (http://pizzeriamrak.com/slasticarna.html, https://www.facebook.com/pizzeriaslasticarna.mrak) over in Križevci. Their website is kind of a mess, honestly, but man, the cakes and pastries are just incredible. They sell slices by the pound/$20, and we got a custom cake with buttercream that cost us just under $333 (we had three different ones, all amazing—super light, none of that gross margarine taste). For a cake like that, they usually ask for about $1000. Plus, they didn't even charge us for delivery, even though the wedding was way out in Sesvete, and they didn't charge for setting up the dessert table either, which normally would have cost me like $100. So yeah, keep them in mind if you need sweets in Krapina. Here’s a shot of our dessert spread and the cake...

Susan Smith11 said:If you end up trying all those pastries, please leave some reviews because I don't have the patience to test them all myself. Honestly, the best wedding cake I've ever had was from Amelia, though I can't actually remember which specific one they served since there were so many bite-sized pieces—I'm not even sure if they even did a large tiered cake. I haven't tried their individual pastries yet. I'm not really the type to wander into bakeries, so I guess I'm just flying blind here. 🙂
I suspect everything mentioned is going to be pretty pricey, though... Based on some old threads, Fancy Cake is quite expensive, Sugarland is $40/lb, and I don't know much about the pricing at Le or Sweet Talker.

They do make large cakes too. We actually had one from Sugarland made with white chocolate and raspberries, and it was truly top-tier.

Susan Smith11 said:If you end up trying all those pastries, please leave some reviews because I don't have the patience to test them all myself. Honestly, the best wedding cake I've ever had was from Amelia, though I can't actually remember which specific one they served since there were so many bite-sized pieces—I'm not even sure if they even did a large tiered cake. I haven't tried their individual pastries yet. I'm not really the type to wander into bakeries, so I guess I'm just flying blind here. 🙂
I suspect everything mentioned is going to be pretty pricey, though... Based on some old threads, Fancy Cake is quite expensive, Sugarland is $40/lb, and I don't know much about the pricing at Le or Sweet Talker.

I've accepted that I'll spend about $40/lb on desserts, so 🙄 I don't usually go out of my way either—except for McCafé 😁—but now I have to scout them out. I'll post my impressions 😁, though perhaps I'm just being overly critical. 🤣

redmason30 said:Listen up, I think I found the fix for you guys🙂, there's this bakery called Darkness (http://pizzeriamrak.com/slasticarna.html, https://www.facebook.com/pizzeriaslasticarna.mrak) over in Križevci. Their website is kind of a mess, honestly, but man, the cakes and pastries are just incredible. They sell slices by the pound/$20, and we got a custom cake with buttercream that cost us just under $333 (we had three different ones, all amazing—super light, none of that gross margarine taste). For a cake like that, they usually ask for about $1000. Plus, they didn't even charge us for delivery, even though the wedding was way out in Sesvete, and they didn't charge for setting up the dessert table either, which normally would have cost me like $100. So yeah, keep them in mind if you need sweets in Krapina. Here’s a shot of our dessert spread and the cake...

A dessert table isn't for me; I attended a wedding where some of our guests were also present, and I wasn't impressed, nor was the rest of the crowd. I'm not craving a few small sweets right now. We finally managed to clear some time this weekend to go checking, so I might consider them if the options in Chicago turn out to be "meh."

edit: silentpanther32, that would be my favorite combination 😁

Olivia Castillo562 said:I've accepted that I'll spend about $40/lb on desserts, so 🙄 I don't usually go out of my way either—except for McCafé 😁—but now I have to scout them out. I'll post my impressions 😁, though perhaps I'm just being overly critical. 🤣

A dessert table isn't for me; I attended a wedding where some of our guests were also present, and I wasn't impressed, nor was the rest of the crowd. I'm not craving a few small sweets right now. We finally managed to clear some time this weekend to go checking, so I might consider them if the options in Chicago turn out to be "meh."

edit: silentpanther32, that would be my favorite combination 😁

That’s kind of what people look for, I guess 🙂

As for that Sugarland shop—Darkness from Križevci—a friend of mine (who’s from a small town near Krapina) mentioned she wasn't a fan of their pastries; apparently they used way too much margarine, and she really prefers things made with real butter. They had something similar from another local bakery there once, but I can't quite remember which one... anyway, there was a dessert table, so I didn't actually try anything. I guess I'm just not the type to get up for dessert when there's already a spread laid out...

Regarding the cakes themselves, I suppose everyone has their own preferences. Personally, I'm mostly into homemade stuff, like homemade pizza or baked goods. I've never been much of a fan of gingerbread or honey pies or those kinds of things, so it's probably harder for me to judge. I usually just assume everything is homemade so my family and friends can all give their usual feedback...

Regarding the margarine issue—sweet talker emphasized that they use nothing but pure butter, heavy cream, and high-end chocolate. In my view, a bakery wouldn't charge premium prices for their pastries if they were cutting corners with margarine.

We intend to sample treats from various local bakeries to sit down and enjoy 🤣 together, and I’m fairly certain at least one shop will meet our standards 😁

If you aren't too far from Absum, give them a shot. I used them once near Seattle—they were actually decent.

Daniel Smith8 said:If you aren't too far from Absum, give them a shot. I used them once near Seattle—they were actually decent.

It’s not exactly within reach, but I guess everything just boils down to whatever we can afford at the time. $40 It’s always a gamble whether the desserts will be incredible or just drown in mediocrity, though I'm hesitant to overspend on them. It really depends on what else I end up paying for. If I decide to go with Absum, I probably won't stick to basic cookies; I'll likely opt for those little pastry baskets, mignonettes, or chocolate-covered fruit instead. Maybe I'll pick up a few simple treats for the traditionalists.

I guess the sweet talker finally decided to get in touch with me. $37I managed to track down a little bit of Le cake, I guess.$40Per pound. For now, it's probably the most expensive PIECE of cake around. $43I guess that's just per pound.

Susan Smith11 said:It’s not exactly within reach, but I guess everything just boils down to whatever we can afford at the time. $40 It’s always a gamble whether the desserts will be incredible or just drown in mediocrity, though I'm hesitant to overspend on them. It really depends on what else I end up paying for. If I decide to go with Absum, I probably won't stick to basic cookies; I'll likely opt for those little pastry baskets, mignonettes, or chocolate-covered fruit instead. Maybe I'll pick up a few simple treats for the traditionalists.

I guess the sweet talker finally decided to get in touch with me. $37I managed to track down a little bit of Le cake, I guess.$40Per pound. For now, it's probably the most expensive PIECE of cake around. $43I guess that's just per pound.

I hadn't even considered PIECE of cake until I went looking at their photos yesterday. Some of those cakes look absolutely hideous https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...21938745_n.jpg https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/...84177046_n.jpg

and most of them look messy https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...size=800%2C600

this is actually their best photo https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...29_n.jpg?lvh=1

If they're going to post pictures, they should showcase their best work and actually master decorating, because this looks terrible—especially given those prices.🙄

I still find myself praising Mouse whenever anyone mentions wanting that authentic, homemade taste. Their treats never had that artificial, margarine texture, and honestly, there was barely a crumb left. I'm just waiting for a good excuse to place another order 😁

Susan Smith11 said:Help, I’m actually at a loss here regarding these desserts... I honestly don't know what to do about the catering. Back in February, when I was sampling everything at the expo, Abraham’s stuff was by far the best—everything seemed perfect. But after looking into wedding dessert trends more deeply, I’ve realized that what you taste at a tasting isn't always what actually shows up at the reception. Plus, I've been reading some pretty bad reviews online. I did pick up some treats from Simon, but they were... just okay, I guess. I stopped by King Bakery today since everyone raves about them and they’re definitely better than Simon’s, though they have way fewer options and still aren't exactly incredible. I’ve also been talking things over with Andrew, but I'm not holding my breath, and I'm looking into a small local bakery too. I’m thinking maybe I should just head over to Piece of Cake, Sugarman, or M&M and try those cookies for $43/kg (which feels like an absolute rip-off) just to see if they actually live up to the hype...
Does anyone know if Monica’s pastries are any good? People seem to obsess over her cakes, but nobody ever mentions the cookies. And does anyone know what the pricing is like?

I don't get why everyone gets so worked up over online reviews. We tried them at the expo and at a few weddings, and the quality is consistently great every single time. It would be pretty ridiculous for a business to provide different quality goods for a trade show versus an actual wedding, especially since weddings are their best advertisement...

Jesse Perez4 said:I still find myself praising Mouse whenever anyone mentions wanting that authentic, homemade taste. Their treats never had that artificial, margarine texture, and honestly, there was barely a crumb left. I'm just waiting for a good excuse to place another order 😁

We actually ordered both cookies and a cake from Mouse, too. All I can say is everything was delicious—people couldn't stop eating them. Beyond the flavor, the service was top-notch. I didn't have to stress about delivery or returning the trays; they handled it all. They dropped the cake off at the restaurant on the wedding day and brought the cookies to my house the day before, exactly like we planned. Then, three days later, they swung by both spots to pick up the empty trays—no complaints, no hassle.

That’s why Mouse always gets a thumbs up from me. 🙂

As for Absum... they used to be great, but I feel like their quality has slipped. We did a tasting recently and the cookies were floury and had that heavy margarine aftertaste.

To be honest, I didn't even bother picking out specific varieties for the delivery. I just told them to put together a standard wedding mix and let them decide what went inside. I figured there wasn't much way to go wrong, and I was right. There was such a wide selection, and everything tasted incredible. The only thing I actually specified was the cake flavor—which left about ten slices left over for lunch the next day. Basically, everything was devoured.

We ended up driving them over to Austin ourselves since we were already passing through.

Olivia Castillo562 said:I've accepted that I'll spend about $40/lb on desserts, so 🙄 I don't usually go out of my way either—except for McCafé 😁—but now I have to scout them out. I'll post my impressions 😁, though perhaps I'm just being overly critical. 🤣

A dessert table isn't for me; I attended a wedding where some of our guests were also present, and I wasn't impressed, nor was the rest of the crowd. I'm not craving a few small sweets right now. We finally managed to clear some time this weekend to go checking, so I might consider them if the options in Chicago turn out to be "meh."

edit: silentpanther32, that would be my favorite combination 😁

The Sweet Table idea was a total home run for us too. People absolutely loved it, and honestly, we were just relieved we didn't have to go overboard buying a mountain of cookies just to make every single table look full.

Jesse Perez4 said:

I don't even know where to start with this one. Honestly, it feels like we're just spinning our wheels at this point. I guess maybe some people actually think there's a logic to what's happening, but if you ask me, it’s just pure chaos. It's pretty much all just Darkness at this stage. Everything feels messy and disorganized, and frankly, I'm getting a little tired of trying to make sense of it. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but it feels like we're just waiting for something to break. Just my two cents, I suppose. Jesse Perez4 says: This is what we're looking for. 🙂 So, about that bakery, Darkness from Krizevac—a friend of mine from back home was telling me how much she hates their pastries. Apparently, they’re just way too heavy on the margarine. She’s one of those people who will only touch stuff made with real butter, you know? She mentioned they used to get similar treats from some other local shop around there, but a different one... I don't know. Anyway, there was a dessert table at the event, so I didn't even bother trying anything. I guess I’m just not that kind of person; I never really go for the dessert table thing.

I don't know exactly when my friend last hit up that bakery, but I went earlier this year and honestly? The pastries tasted legit homemade. They aren't full of that cheap margarine crap, which is huge for me because I can't stand anything that tastes like oily fake butter. I guess people are also seriously clearing out the shelves whenever Darkness hits.

Who do you think takes the win: Kasnar or Andric? Also, quick practical question—how many pounds of cake should I grab if I'm feeding a crowd of 200?

I haven't tried Andric yet—but Kasnar? Total darkness.