Simply Scrumptious Wedding Cake!

It makes me crazy when I sit down with a couple planning their wedding and they say, "we don't need a very big cake because nobody eats wedding cake" or "everyone knows wedding cake doesn't taste good".  WHAT!?!  The wedding cake you order for your wedding will most likely be the most expensive cake you ever purchase and it's not going to taste good!?!

It's time that couples stop accepting cakes that are not yummy and start demanding more.  Here are some questions you definitely want to ask any baker you interview:

Do you bake from scratch or do you use mixes?
As with any baked item, to get the best flavor you must bake from scratch.  Mixes can be convenient but because they frequently only need added water or oil you are not going to get that wonderful fresh made taste. 

What ingredients do you use?
For a cake to taste amazing the ingredients have to be amazing.  A quality baker should be using fresh, unsalted butter, real cream, fresh whole eggs, imported chocolates, fresh fruit and brand named liqueurs.  The better the ingredients the better the cake, there's just no way around it.

When will my cake be baked?  Do you use fresh baked cakes or frozen?
Some bakeries bake cake ahead of time, freeze it and defrost it in time to decorate your cake.  Cake that has been previously frozen is not going to be as good as fresh.  Freezers do bad things to cake, drying them out and diminishing the flavors.   So if your bakery is baking your cake fresh, when?  Is your cake baked the week before the wedding, five days before the wedding?  The closer to the ceremony your cake is baked the better it's going to be.

What goes into your buttercream?
Some bakeries will call their frosting "buttercream" when in fact it contains no butter at all!  This "buttercream" is made with shortening and powdered sugar and leaves that greasy feeling in the roof of your mouth.  Real buttercream is made with butter which makes it soft and creamy and lets it melt in your mouth.  If a bakery serves you white "buttercream" it is not buttercream, true buttercream is always a little bit ivory from the color of the butter. 

How do you handle your fondant?
See previous post, but don't believe any baker that tells you that fondant tastes bad.  If they tell you that they are not as experienced as you might want, keep looking.

Can I change, add or personalize flavors?
A bakery that is baking from scratch, using fresh ingredients and making the fillings and finishes for your cake fresh should have no problem accomodating changes in fillings and flavors.  I had a couple come in last summer and they were getting married on July 4th.  They wanted red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, but they wanted fresh blueberries in with the frosting.  They had six bakeries tell them no, no changes to the flavors!  If your bakery has a problem sprinkling some fresh berries or making other adjustments to your cake you need to find out why they cannot accomodate changes.

Finally, your cake baker is a professional and has lots of experience.  Ask them what flavors other couples like, what would they serve if it was their ceremony.  Be open to new flavors and ideas and you will end up with a cake that is not only yummy but unique and personalized for you.