Post # 1
Member
2216 posts
Buzzing bee
My venue includes a wedding cake in my package price. When I tried the tasting trays, the cake wasn’t very good. The chocolate cake didn’t taste of chocolate. The raspberry filling in the white cake was raspberry frosting. The top frosting was overly sweet that it cancelled out any cake taste. My dad and Fiance thought that the cake was ok. My mom didn’t like it at all. So, now I don’t know what to do. My venue said that they would subtract the cost per cake per person, which is a $1, from my bill, if I decided to bring my own cake. I setup an appointment with another cake vendor for next week, but there’s no way that a new cake would only cost $150 (150 guests by $1) dollars. If I went with another cake vendor, I was thinking that I could get a smaller cake for less guests, since everyone won’t eat cake. The cake pieces will just be part of a dessert display.
What would you do? Settle for the not-so-good cake since it’s included in the package or splurge a little more and go with the better cake from the other vendor?
Post # 3
Member
2814 posts
Sugar bee
I do a smaller cake from another vendor. Suppliment the small cake with sheet cake to serve.
Post # 4
Member
1728 posts
Bumble bee
what you can do is a smaller cake to show- then what some bakers call a satelite cake.. its bascially a larger sqaure cake they keep in the back and cut to serve the guests from- it cuts the costs WAY down!
im having the same issues as you- and we most likely will go with the sate. cake and a small 2 tier decorated one
Post # 5
Member
391 posts
Helper bee
This is tough. Before I read your post, I was thinking, if it’s included, why think about adding another expense? It sounds like the cake is rather awful not just cheap which you might expect from an included cake. It’s very true that most people don’t even eat the cake so if it sucks a little bit, who cares? It stinks that you’re only recouping $150 for cancelling the cake too. Maybe talk to a baker about doing a cake with only one real tier so that you can do the cake cutting ceremony and then have a sheet cake in the back for the guests’ slices? That could cut down on the cost a bit.
Edit: Ha! Sorry to repeat what PP said… there weren’t any posts when I was typing my response.
Post # 6
Member
1370 posts
Bumble bee
I’d suggest getting a small cutting cake 6″ or 8″, done up nicely to have on display for you and Fiance to cut. Or maybe look into the foam faux cake rentals that you put a cutting cake on top of if you are worried about the image of a little cake. Then order just a plainly iced sheet cake to share with your guests. If it’s being served or cut and set out, they won’t know it’s not the pretty wedding cake!
And don’t go on the assumption people won’t eat it, a lot of people will just becasue it’s your wedding cake!
ETA: I type slow, there was only one post before mine lol. So, I agree with PP’s!
Post # 7
Member
964 posts
Busy bee
I wouldn’t OVERDO the replacement cake, but I would still not use the venue option.
Post # 8
Member
336 posts
Helper bee
Can you keep the included cake for pictures and also bring sheet cakes to serve the guests? I don’t know how to vote on this one.
Post # 9
Member
2616 posts
Sugar bee
get another cake– is there a costco near by. you can do two or three of their sheet cakes for under 60 bucks.. and have a pretty two tier cake from some place.. grocery stores do have wedding cake options that are cheaper.. then a bakery..
Post # 10
Member
637 posts
Busy bee
I can assure you if you get the cake from outside vendor, the cost will be much higher.
What I would suggest is do a smaller cake display and then have sheet cake serves from the back.
Keep in mind though, I came across one baker online did suggest not to use “fake” cake as some of the tiers because you have higher material cost on the foam and baker needs to do just as much work on the decoration (which will goes into your labor cost). It ends up won’t save you much money.
You can also consider to ask if your venue can substitute the cake with other desserts? (make sure you try out their desserts first if they allow the substitution) Maybe what you only need is to get a small cake from outside vendor.
Post # 11
Member
926 posts
Busy bee
Can you ask them to make a simple substituion? More cocoa in the chocolate cake, raspberry preserves instead of raspberry frosting? I’m sure they’d be willing to work with you, as very few business actually WANT to be presenting a bad product.
An outside vendors cake for that many people could cost you hundreds of dollars, so if they won’t change the recipe, I agree with PP’s- get some sheet cakes. 🙂
Post # 12
Member
2216 posts
Buzzing bee
@lamkky: The venue is already providing a pastry dessert display. So, I think because of that, I can go with a smaller cake.
The cake isn’t being served. It’ll be just put out with the rest of the desserts. I’m wondering how many people will opt for the other desserts over the cake. Or how many people will be too busy dancing or playing in the photobooth to care about getting cake?
Post # 13
Member
2216 posts
Buzzing bee
@bells219: Yeah, maybe I could do that..but I would be afraid of insulting the baker’s work… Also, how would I get around the over-powering flavor of frosting? Request fondant instead?
Post # 14
Member
2414 posts
Buzzing bee
Depends on how important the cake is to you – I would say half of the guests won’t eat it…and for me, it’s not a big deal so I wouldn’t spend the extra money. Don’t you hate how the costs built into venues are super-duper cheap if they include florals, invites or cake, yet you will never get them in real life for that cost? Super frusterating!
Post # 15
Member
926 posts
Busy bee
It depends on the vibe you get from the baker, but I would ask to speak with her directly and say something along these lines:
“Hi Baker, my name is Bride, and wanted to chat with you about the cake that you and the venue have been so kind as to provide for our wedding on (date).
We tried the many flavors the other day, and I just *love* the idea that you and our venue are providing the cake. The texture was lovely, and the flavor of the (specific kind- like vanilla) cake was nice. I’m a little concerned about the frosting and filling, though. My family has never really had a sweet tooth, and the frosting was much too sweet for our taste.
Is there any way that we could make the frosting a milder flavor, so that the texture and flavor of the cake can come through? Also, I noticed that frosting was used instead of jam for the filling- are you open to replacing that filling with a jam/preserves recipe of your own? We love the natural flavor of (insert fruit here).”
What do you other bees think? Would you be offended if you were the baker?
Post # 16
Member
1370 posts
Bumble bee
If you are already having a dessert display, then I agree with you on nixing the guest cake, and get a small cutting cake just for you and Fiance. Your guests will likely not care at all if there are other sweet offerings!
We did a cake trail at a place that your description made me think of. ANd nothing was going to make that cake good, except tossing it out! Fiance and I actually both were quite ill after the trial. I’d much rather not have cake than have yucky cake!
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