Weddingbee boards

Fellow Bees -

I had given up on getting a cake but we have just been given some money by my mother. I was going to put it towards photography but loverboy is insisting on a cake.

We are foodys and his family is insane about food. I don't need a fondant design, just a delicious tasting cake. Any suggestions? I've googled and looked at yelp but nothing is floating my boat.

Thoughts?

Have you checked out King's Hawaiian or Porto's?  We're probably going with one of the two; neither is super gourmet, but they are yummy, and inexpensive. King's does more of the Chinese bakery-style cake (sponge with a whipped cream-type frosting).

hey bees - thanks for the responses. I will check them out. I'm a bit worried about getting lost in the shuffle at Porto's b/c of the insane business they do (if you can find the local t.v. piece on the family, check it out - fascinating). Loverboy wants chocolate flavored - that was his only request. I'm guessing 100 guests. Knee deep in budget saga and wishing we could just do cupcakes.............

I live walking distance from Sweet Lady Jane and actually used to know someone who worked there. The cakes are delicious but the attitude is something I'd like to avoid. Don't get me wrong, the cakes are super fabulous. My goal is to support people that I connect with - I'm trying to do everything at a non corporate level - keep it mom and pop shopping - no made in china stuff, etc.

We had looked into have Lake Street Creamery send their ice cream truck to the reception but the minimum was $600. I loved that idea b/c our theme is 1930's vintage carnival. Now that we could pay that, Loverboy insists on a cake even though Lake Street was a first choice last autumn.

I'm thinking chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream, no fondant -I don't care if it's 95 degrees out in May and the thing melts as long as it tastes good.

I'm attaching the most outrageous cake i've found online for your amusement - I think it was a London baker - not in our budget but the detail just blows my mind.

@IAmLemondrop: do you know anyone who's used Viktor?

@Theresa90405: thank you. I wish my loverboy was as excited about the theme - he's hard to please on a budget :)

@ErieIndiana: Hi! Can you give me an idea of what Jamaica charged you per slice?

Has anyone used Cake Sensations in South Pasadena? The caterer we've booked recommends them (not required, though, and he won't charge a cake cutting fee no matter where we get it from). They seem very reasonably priced, appear to do pretty nice work, and use buttercream rather than fondant, which is a major plus in my book. We grabbed a few samples and it's a lighter type of cake (more in the Chinese bakery sponge style), but that's not a problem, either. We've been thinking of King's Hawaiian, as noted above, but it turns out they can't do coconut filling for a wedding cake (needs to be refrigerated, so only as sheet cakes) and the delivery fee adds on a bit.

@Frog E.: I've never heard of them. Fantasy Frostings are in South Pasadena and I can let you know how our cake works out in less than a month! :)There are a ton of great cake people in L.A. - have you looked through the reviews on wedding wire and yelp?

@sfchick: Can I be tacky and ask you how much Fantasy Frosting costs per slice? Feel free to PM me if you'd rather not post it. Cake Sensations is not the most amazing gourmet thing I've ever tasted but from what little I tasted it's good enough and it leaves money in the budget for ice cream.