The Stages Of A Cake
The Stages Of A Cake
I am often asked by people why I need more than just a few days notice to make them a themed cake and why it costs more than a party cake they can buy in Tesco, Asda or Costco.
Ideally I would love at least a few weeks advance notice to create a cake and longer for a wedding cake - as much notice as you can give with any order is very welcome as I take bookings months in advance and my diary fills up quickly. If you need a cake more quickly please do still ask, sometimes I can fit orders in but the more warning I have the easier it is to allocate enough time .
To explain why bespoke cakes take time to create and cost more than supermarket versions, I decided to make a page showing the stages that one of my typical madeira cakes decorated with handmade toppers goes through – from start to finish!
Working It Out!
To begin with, I spend time thinking about and planning a cake with colours and decorations to fit in with the request I have been given. Let’s say I am asked for a Peppa Pig cake with handmade figures. Once I sort out what shape and size of cake is needed and what fillings are wanted, I have to sit down and plan what kind of topper figures and other decorations I will make from scratch and how I will use them to make sure I create exactly what my customer wants. Often I have to spend a lot of time researching to ensure every detail is accurate e.g. the exterior of the Flying Scotsman train or the typical clothes worn by a miner or the exact appearance of a kids’ cartoon character.
I am often asked by people why I need more than just a few days notice to make them a themed cake and why it costs more than a party cake they can buy in Tesco, Asda or Costco.
Ideally I would love at least a few weeks advance notice to create a cake and longer for a wedding cake - as much notice as you can give with any order is very welcome as I take bookings months in advance and my diary fills up quickly. If you need a cake more quickly please do still ask, sometimes I can fit orders in but the more warning I have the easier it is to allocate enough time .
To explain why bespoke cakes take time to create and cost more than supermarket versions, I decided to make a page showing the stages that one of my typical madeira cakes decorated with handmade toppers goes through – from start to finish!
Working It Out!
To begin with, I spend time thinking about and planning a cake with colours and decorations to fit in with the request I have been given. Let’s say I am asked for a Peppa Pig cake with handmade figures. Once I sort out what shape and size of cake is needed and what fillings are wanted, I have to sit down and plan what kind of topper figures and other decorations I will make from scratch and how I will use them to make sure I create exactly what my customer wants. Often I have to spend a lot of time researching to ensure every detail is accurate e.g. the exterior of the Flying Scotsman train or the typical clothes worn by a miner or the exact appearance of a kids’ cartoon character.
Making The Toppers
Occasionally I use special moulds or cutters for bits of my cake toppers but mostly I handcraft my own from sugar paste and modelling paste . This produces the best results because I can tailor them to exactly what is required. Doing this is very time consuming and takes days to colour , sculpt , glaze but it is fun and the results are worthwhile. Handmade toppers also need a few days or longer to set properly so time needs to be allowed for this. I also make sugar flowers and edible lace which again are beautiful but time consuming so please be aware some notice is required . I’m happy to use rhinestone or any requested toppers according to customer requests
Occasionally I use special moulds or cutters for bits of my cake toppers but mostly I handcraft my own from sugar paste and modelling paste . This produces the best results because I can tailor them to exactly what is required. Doing this is very time consuming and takes days to colour , sculpt , glaze but it is fun and the results are worthwhile. Handmade toppers also need a few days or longer to set properly so time needs to be allowed for this. I also make sugar flowers and edible lace which again are beautiful but time consuming so please be aware some notice is required . I’m happy to use rhinestone or any requested toppers according to customer requests
Decorating The Cake Board
When you buy a bespoke cake from me, you receive it presented on a cake board decorated with colour-coordinated and stencilled or marbled fondant for a polished finish. If you would like lettering and / or numbers, these come in a variety of styles with each letter being moulded separately. Lettering also needs a couple of days to really set properly. Decorating the cake board alone can take on average 45 minutes.
Baking The Cake
My next job is to gather and weigh out all the ingredients and actually make the cake. I only use ingredients of high quality including free range eggs , best butter, etc so the costing for this is reflected in the final price.
I find people are often surprised at the amount of cake required. I have to bake several layers if the requested cake is very tall, more than one tier high or needs a lot of carving to achieve a certain shape. Carving a cake to a particular shape is painstaking work and can take a lot of time. Cakes of more than one tier require a support system.
Remember more layers mean more ingredients, more separate making up of mixtures and more cooking time in my oven! The cost of running my oven also needs to be taken into account plus I use a wide range of equipment from mixers, scales and moulds to bowls, tins and cutters that I have had to purchase.
My next job is to gather and weigh out all the ingredients and actually make the cake. I only use ingredients of high quality including free range eggs , best butter, etc so the costing for this is reflected in the final price.
I find people are often surprised at the amount of cake required. I have to bake several layers if the requested cake is very tall, more than one tier high or needs a lot of carving to achieve a certain shape. Carving a cake to a particular shape is painstaking work and can take a lot of time. Cakes of more than one tier require a support system.
Remember more layers mean more ingredients, more separate making up of mixtures and more cooking time in my oven! The cost of running my oven also needs to be taken into account plus I use a wide range of equipment from mixers, scales and moulds to bowls, tins and cutters that I have had to purchase.
Buttercreaming The Cake
Once the cake is made, the next stage is to make up buttercream in the requested flavour. Then I completely cover the cake with it. Again doing this carefully and evenly takes more than just a few minutes!
Once the cake is made, the next stage is to make up buttercream in the requested flavour. Then I completely cover the cake with it. Again doing this carefully and evenly takes more than just a few minutes!
Icing The Cake
When it is time to add the fondant, I roll it to the correct thickness and carefully cover the cake before adding borders along the edges such as piped icing, sugar paste pearls, rope twists or hand stencilled strips of fondant. I use professional fondant which tastes gorgeous and nothing like the supermarket variety. This requires a very steady hand and again needs to be done very carefully and exactly so takes some time.
Decorating The Cake
Once the fondant has set, I add all of the decorations that are to go on, securing them with a special food adhesive. Finally I add a thin,often silvery glaze to give them a slight sparkle. Below are just 6 examples of my finished cakes that have their final decoration.
Packaging The Cake
Included in the price of all my cakes is the packaging and all cakes come delivered in a white box.
Taller cakes are boxed with card extenders to ensure your cake is fully protected.
Time
Depending upon the size of cake and the complexity and number of toppers and other decoration, I can easily spend between 8 and 24 hours on a cake and it is not unusual for it to be longer. That doesn't include time spent washing all my equipment and tidying up!!
Summary
When you buy one of my cakes, you can be sure that you are purchasing a bespoke, top quality talking point of a cake completely personal to the recipient that has been lovingly made with care and imagination and had many hours of time spent on creating it. This is not something you can just walk into Asda, Tesco or Costco and pick off the shelves and is why with the best will in the world I cannot just whip one up with only a few days notice.
It is also why I cannot provide a unique cake of this quality for the price of a supermarket party cake.
If you would like a personalised themed cake and understand that it will take time and cost more than just a few pounds, why not get in touch and let me turn your idea of a dream cake into reality?
When you buy one of my cakes, you can be sure that you are purchasing a bespoke, top quality talking point of a cake completely personal to the recipient that has been lovingly made with care and imagination and had many hours of time spent on creating it. This is not something you can just walk into Asda, Tesco or Costco and pick off the shelves and is why with the best will in the world I cannot just whip one up with only a few days notice.
It is also why I cannot provide a unique cake of this quality for the price of a supermarket party cake.
If you would like a personalised themed cake and understand that it will take time and cost more than just a few pounds, why not get in touch and let me turn your idea of a dream cake into reality?