Wedding cakes and desserts

amberotter28 said:Hey, roughly how many tiers should I get for a cake serving about 100 people? If you have an example photo, please share. Thanks 😘

It all comes down to what you want. You could just do a single tier, but it’ll be massive...
Just pick the design you actually like, tell them how many tiers you're aiming for, and let the bakery handle the math on the actual size...😍

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.

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.😉

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!

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🙂

Yeah, it really is such a shame...
That’s exactly why I’m so incredibly relieved there are still places out there that actually prioritize quality without charging an absolute fortune for it.
Honestly, if you want proof of how good their stuff is, just look at me. I’m not even much of a sweets person, but whenever I pick up a few treats from them, I seriously struggle to know when to stop.

Honestly, it feels like almost every single bakery or dessert shop out there is pulling the same stunt lately—claiming their pastries are "homemade."
Even those classic regional treats aren't actually made from scratch anymore; it’s all just assembly line production at this point. It really makes you wonder if it's even worth shelling out $7 or $17 a pound for stuff that's supposedly "authentic."

So, I actually know that bakery. I used to grab sweets there all the time, and they were pretty decent, I guess.
I think that spot is a Millennium Bakery now—you know, the one over on Broadway.

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?😕

I’ve scrolled through about half the threads here, but I can't quite remember—has anyone here ever worked with Horace?

jadeeagle36 said:Honestly, it feels like almost every single bakery or dessert shop out there is pulling the same stunt lately—claiming their pastries are "homemade."
Even those classic regional treats aren't actually made from scratch anymore; it’s all just assembly line production at this point. It really makes you wonder if it's even worth shelling out $7 or $17 a pound for stuff that's supposedly "authentic."

I’m actually certain they make "real" cakes because a close friend of mine used to work there. I’ve also stepped foot into their prep area a few times myself, so I've seen firsthand exactly how they handle their baking.
By the way, the spot where they used to run their old shop is now home to a bakery called "Trakoščan" (the new owner kept the name just for the reputation), but honestly, their cakes don't even come close to the quality we're talking about here.

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.😁

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?😕

Don't sweat the Vincennes thing. My wedding cake was from there and it was absolutely perfect. :-)😘

Thanks, Sandy!😘
A little comfort always goes a long way, especially coming from someone who actually knows what they're talking about. 👍
Honestly, most of the cakes at Vincennes were decent, except for that Esterházy one... even if they were just store-bought.
Which flavors did you end up picking? I’m leaning toward Black Forest, chocolate, and vanilla parfait, but I’m also considering doing a whole tier of Boemi?!

I once made this massive four-layer cake... I think there’s actually a photo of it floating around somewhere on a forum...

It was basically forest berry parfait, vanilla parfait, and two layers of parfait cake :-)

Hi everyone,

I’m currently stuck on a bit of a dilemma regarding which cake to order. I have a local baker who specializes exclusively in desserts, so I was thinking about having her handle the cake too. However, she sent over some photos of her work, and the first thing I noticed is that there’s no frosting—just whipped cream. She told me that while icing looks great for aesthetics, it isn't really that tasty. The problem is, her cakes look incredibly unstable, like they might fall apart at any second. Honestly, I think my mom has a better eye for decorating. To me, any cake without smooth frosting just looks messy, uneven, and frankly, a bit pathetic.
What do you all think is the better move here?

Please help me out.🙏

Dennis Hill70, what kind of glaze are we even talking about here? Are you envisioning a rich chocolate coating, or perhaps something more akin to a marzipan finish?

Bryan Harris59 said:Dennis Hill70, what kind of glaze are we even talking about here? Are you envisioning a rich chocolate coating, or perhaps something more akin to a marzipan finish?

I think the white icing is basically fondant, right? Since my wedding theme is green and white with daisies, I really want the cake to match that vibe. Just a simple white cake decorated with some daisies—nothing too over the top.

Here’s a photo of a cake I liked; I'd just swap out the roses for daisies. What do you guys think?

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4...avincekjf4.png

Dennis Hill70 said:I think the white icing is basically fondant, right? Since my wedding theme is green and white with daisies, I really want the cake to match that vibe. Just a simple white cake decorated with some daisies—nothing too over the top.

Here’s a photo of a cake I liked; I'd just swap out the roses for daisies. What do you guys think?

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4...avincekjf4.png

That is a gorgeous cake! While that heavy frosting looks stunning and the cakes themselves are quite beautiful, it isn't exactly delicious. I've heard that from quite a few people, and personally, I find the whipped cream or heavy cream they tend to use just isn't very pretty. Because of that, I’ve decided to go with a chocolate glaze—though I suspect it will be white. I have this nagging fear that dark chocolate might look a bit intimidating, though perhaps I'm just overthinking things.

Bryan Harris59 said:That is a gorgeous cake! While that heavy frosting looks stunning and the cakes themselves are quite beautiful, it isn't exactly delicious. I've heard that from quite a few people, and personally, I find the whipped cream or heavy cream they tend to use just isn't very pretty. Because of that, I’ve decided to go with a chocolate glaze—though I suspect it will be white. I have this nagging fear that dark chocolate might look a bit intimidating, though perhaps I'm just overthinking things.

I agree on avoiding that frosting; it looks way too heavy and uneven because the cream just settles. A white chocolate glaze didn't cross my mind either, and I'm not even sure if it'll pair well with all the different layers inside. Dark glaze feels a little too somber for a wedding—everyone has their own style, obviously, but to me, it's just a bit much. Where are you planning to order from? And what kind of budget should we expect for a crowd of about 150?