My venue is in San jose, and I need a bakery. I don't need a super fancy cake, but it seems like cake prices keep creeping up (my mom even said, laughingly, that eggs are too expensive.)
Where are you getting your cake? I'm just looking for something simple, possibly in fondant, and probably just lemon cream inside. Ideally... I didn't want to spend more than a few hundred dollars because I get the feeling only half of my guests will eat the cake. My venue does not provide a cake but thankfully they do not charge a cake cutting fee.
I live in LA now, but I'll be in the Bay over memorial day weekend, so if you have any reqs, I can try to schedule appointments (i hope.)
The cake is actually paid through my reception venue, so I'm no positive on how much the cake actually costs. However, they are great. And don't be scared about the times for the tasting schedule. Just make sure to call in advance and tell them when you are available and they usually work with you.
Check out Jen's Cakes in Los Gatos. (www.jenscakes.com) Her cakes start at $5 a slice, which, for the Bay Area, is a great starting price for a specialty cake place.
We went for a tasting and it was really yummy! It was one of few reputable places that had cake starting at $5 and not $7.
I've heard great things about Bev Tanaka - unfortunately, she's already booked for my wedding date! She only does buttercream frosting but i hear her cakes are amazingly delicious and the prices are the cheapest I have heard of in the Bay Area at $2.50/slice.
You might also want to check out La Patisserie in Cupertino. I'm not sure how much their wedding cakes cost, but I'm getting cupcakes for my wedding at $1.25 each.
thanks Emilee for the reccommendation for Bev. Her cakes are nice, not over the top and easily enhanced by flowers... and she is cheap. Wow! And even though she is in Livermore, she doesn't charge a delivery fee within 60 miles! YAY!
You might be totally against the idea, and I'm ok with that, but did you think of checking at Safeway or other grocery stores? When ever I walk past their (Safeway's) bakery, the cakes look amazing (I'm still suprised I haven't taken one home!), but I haven't tried any of them. I don't know what their cost is, but they might be cheaper than a wedding cake specific place.
I second JCM's suggestion! FI and I are using Jen's Cakes too....we went to several cake tastings before Jen's Cakes and those were all so-so. After the tasting at Jen's Cakes, we booked them that same day. Their cakes are so yummy and well-priced. To make things less expensive, we are using a sheet cake with just a two -tier cake and its definitely under $5/slice...I think its more like $3 something bc of the sheet cake.
I may check out Safeway when I go home. It really depends on how they make the cake - I am not a huge fan of a ton of cream on the cake that's overly sweet, which is what I find a lot of cakes to be. My mom is looking at Asian bakeries for me, since there isn't as much of an emphasis on sweetness in the buttercream, but I'm scared of some of the cakes they make, because I do not want little tiers and rows of stairs connecting the tiers with creepy little plastic guys on the stairs... and bright pink piping...
peaches, thanks for the second rec on Jen's cakes. I'll look into her also.
We're tasting with Jen's Cakes today! I'm really excited; we've heard such good things.
We've tasted with Sugar Butter Flour in Sunnyvale (really good! and they're about $5-6 per person) and Not Just Cheesecakes in Campbell (really good too, but the owner is super talkative, about $6 per person).
We'll be going with Sugar Butter Flour. Even though their wedding cakes are $7/slice, they've got great alternative to bring the price down. You can have a small cake for cutting and then have a sheet cake which is more like $3/slice or do small individual desserts for $3.50/piece which can be fun. Check out their website for pictures. We also liked them better because they seemed much more friendly and accomodating on ideas (without charging extra for reasonable requests).
We are using Cake Expressions in San Jose. They had the best prices and they were 2007's best cake baker according to theknot.com. We are going for simplictity too and they had it. Plus their mango filling is to die for!!
My venue is in San jose, and I need a bakery. I don't need a super fancy cake, but it seems like cake prices keep creeping up (my mom even said, laughingly, that eggs are too expensive.)
Where are you getting your cake? I'm just looking for something simple, possibly in fondant, and probably just lemon cream inside. Ideally... I didn't want to spend more than a few hundred dollars because I get the feeling only half of my guests will eat the cake. My venue does not provide a cake but thankfully they do not charge a cake cutting fee.
I live in LA now, but I'll be in the Bay over memorial day weekend, so if you have any reqs, I can try to schedule appointments (i hope.)
Thanks!
posted by freesia39 64 posts 6 months agoThis is who I'm using: http://www.bijanbakery.com/weddings.html
The cake is actually paid through my reception venue, so I'm no positive on how much the cake actually costs. However, they are great. And don't be scared about the times for the tasting schedule. Just make sure to call in advance and tell them when you are available and they usually work with you.
posted by Lillindy 263 posts 6 months agofreesia39,
Check out Jen's Cakes in Los Gatos. (www.jenscakes.com) Her cakes start at $5 a slice, which, for the Bay Area, is a great starting price for a specialty cake place.
We went for a tasting and it was really yummy! It was one of few reputable places that had cake starting at $5 and not $7.
Hope that helps!
posted by JCM9608 466 posts 6 months agoI've heard great things about Bev Tanaka - unfortunately, she's already booked for my wedding date! She only does buttercream frosting but i hear her cakes are amazingly delicious and the prices are the cheapest I have heard of in the Bay Area at $2.50/slice.
http://www.cakecreationsbybev.com/
You might also want to check out La Patisserie in Cupertino. I'm not sure how much their wedding cakes cost, but I'm getting cupcakes for my wedding at $1.25 each.
http://www.lapatisserie.net/
posted by emileee 123 posts 6 months agothanks Emilee for the reccommendation for Bev. Her cakes are nice, not over the top and easily enhanced by flowers... and she is cheap. Wow! And even though she is in Livermore, she doesn't charge a delivery fee within 60 miles! YAY!
I emailed her asking for her availability.
posted by freesia39 64 posts 6 months agoYou might be totally against the idea, and I'm ok with that, but did you think of checking at Safeway or other grocery stores? When ever I walk past their (Safeway's) bakery, the cakes look amazing (I'm still suprised I haven't taken one home!), but I haven't tried any of them. I don't know what their cost is, but they might be cheaper than a wedding cake specific place.
posted by hbowar 128 posts 6 months agoI second JCM's suggestion! FI and I are using Jen's Cakes too....we went to several cake tastings before Jen's Cakes and those were all so-so. After the tasting at Jen's Cakes, we booked them that same day. Their cakes are so yummy and well-priced. To make things less expensive, we are using a sheet cake with just a two -tier cake and its definitely under $5/slice...I think its more like $3 something bc of the sheet cake.
posted by peaches 63 posts 6 months agoI may check out Safeway when I go home. It really depends on how they make the cake - I am not a huge fan of a ton of cream on the cake that's overly sweet, which is what I find a lot of cakes to be. My mom is looking at Asian bakeries for me, since there isn't as much of an emphasis on sweetness in the buttercream, but I'm scared of some of the cakes they make, because I do not want little tiers and rows of stairs connecting the tiers with creepy little plastic guys on the stairs... and bright pink piping...
peaches, thanks for the second rec on Jen's cakes. I'll look into her also.
posted by freesia39 64 posts 6 months agopeaches,
We booked on the same day right after the tasting as well. Maybe it was you and your FI that I ran into towards the end of your tasting. :P
posted by JCM9608 466 posts 6 months agoWe're tasting with Jen's Cakes today! I'm really excited; we've heard such good things.
We've tasted with Sugar Butter Flour in Sunnyvale (really good! and they're about $5-6 per person) and Not Just Cheesecakes in Campbell (really good too, but the owner is super talkative, about $6 per person).
posted by bloominautumn 2 posts 6 months agoWe'll be going with Sugar Butter Flour. Even though their wedding cakes are $7/slice, they've got great alternative to bring the price down. You can have a small cake for cutting and then have a sheet cake which is more like $3/slice or do small individual desserts for $3.50/piece which can be fun. Check out their website for pictures. We also liked them better because they seemed much more friendly and accomodating on ideas (without charging extra for reasonable requests).
posted by dmdwed 56 posts 6 months agoWe are using Cake Expressions in San Jose. They had the best prices and they were 2007's best cake baker according to theknot.com. We are going for simplictity too and they had it. Plus their mango filling is to die for!!
www.cakeexpressions.com
posted by MrsSunflower 13 posts 6 months ago