Party Planning: Cake Basics

These days, the cake takes many forms -- whether it's for a big birthday bash or a smaller celebration, everything from stark white icing to a party-themed extravaganza is fair game. But as we'll show you, it's not just about ripping out a picture in a magazine and hoping for the best. Here are our tips for working with your baker.

STARTING YOUR SEARCH
Before you begin your cake quest, inquire whether your venue has certain regulations regarding cakes. Some require that you use particular bakers (in-house or otherwise), while others may charge a fee for bringing in an outside cake. Next, find out if the cake designer meets the requirements of the local health department. (Most sites will not allow a baker without a license to serve cake on the premises.) For an elaborate cake, ideally, you should start shopping for a cake designer at least four to six months before the party -- some of the country’s best cake designers can be booked a year in advance. If you have your hopes set on a marquee name, get on his or her calendar as soon as possible.

Once you've done your research and have a sense of cost, meet with your top three favorite bakers in person to look at their portfolios. If you like what you see, sample a few varieties they have on hand. Many vendors will bake a requested flavor specifically for you, but don't demand this until you've chosen your baker (unless they offer, of course).

Ask your cake baker to give you a sample of cake at room temperature -- not just out of the fridge. This way, you can make sure the cake you choose will hold up after it has been sitting out for a while (cannoli cream filling is fantastic, but it's not so tasty after five hours on a counter).
Once you've chosen someone, it's time to get inspired. Browse pictures in magazines and look online for inspiration and ideas, and make notes of things that are important to you or that you would like to try to include. Everything from a tasty dessert you once had at a nice restaurant to Grandma's pecan pie can help you bring your dream cake to life.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Some bakers excel at taste but not at construction, while others create masterpieces that aren't so palatable. Really good bakers can do both, building a cake from the best of both worlds. You'll want to be able to sample a real cake -- one with icing and other decoration -- to ensure you'll be getting a cake that tastes as good as it looks.

If you have your heart set on a specific taste sensation, ask whether the baker would be willing to work from a recipe. You may want an unusual flavor, or maybe one that's not part of the roster -- or perhaps you'd like a re-creation of a family recipe on a grand scale. Just be sure to ask for a test-run so that there are no surprises.

The other thing to keep in mind is how well the cake is going to last throughout the party. For example, buttercream frosting, while quite delicious, doesn't hold up well after sitting out -- fondant is a much better option for cakes that need to withstand heat, humidity, or a long time without refrigeration.

COST CONSIDERATIONS
The price of an elaborate cake is generally calculated per slice, or according to how labor-intensive the design is. Prices can range from a few dollars to $15 per slice. Consider your cake: Will it require numerous layers? How many tiers? Do you want intricate designs, or something plain and simple? Will it require an engineering degree to get it in the door? All of these things will affect the price of your cake.

When it comes to decoration, adornment costs run the gamut. The most inexpensive option is fresh fruits or flowers that, in some instances, can be applied by your florist for a minimal fee. On the high-end are gumpaste or sugarpaste decorations, which are handmade and extremely delicate, painstakingly constructed one piece at a time and can re-create the look of practically anything. But here's the bottom line: All add-ons -- including marzipan fruits, chocolate-molded designs, and any thing else you can dream of -- will raise the rate.

Shipping is going to be an issue too. Most bakers will want to deliver the cake themselves, not trusting their masterpieces in the hands of anyone else. They'll include delivery cost in the price of the cake or charge an additional delivery fee. Either way, have your baker do the honors -- you'll be hard-pressed to find someone else with the same know-how and the right vehicle, specifically a refrigerated truck. (In other words, this would not be a good time to ask your cousin if she wouldn't mind picking up the cake for you.)

If you're ordering a cake from a city other than where your party will take place, things will get a little trickier and more expensive. You'll want to be sure that your baker has a sound way to transport your cake to your party-site (appropriate boxes, packing materials, and so on), and that the confection will be sufficiently insured in case of any mishaps. Some professionals will choose to buy the cake a plane ticket (at your expense, so be sure to inquire about this when working out your budget) and put it in a seat with the seatbelt fastened (we're not kidding).

Finally, few people know about the cutting fee. If you don't use an in-house baker, some venues will charge a fee for the cake cutting -- from $1.50 to $3 a slice to divvy up the cake. When it's all totaled, this can cost a pretty penny -- so be sure to check with your site manager or caterer before finalizing the budget.

DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE
Yes, looking at beautiful pictures of cakes online or in magazines can be a delicious experience. But what happens in magazine-land doesn't always work in the real world. Sadly, not all bakers can work the magic that you see whipped up in photos.

Magazines have food stylists, editors, and assistants working nonstop to keep the cakes looking perfect. These people spend hours fixing the sweating, dripping, leaning, or sagging that can happen to a cake after a while (especially under hot lights). And if what they do doesn't work, they can fix it with PhotoShop. They also have the luxury of creating cakes from stuff that isn't edible -- most cakes in magazines are iced pieces of Styrofoam, which from what we can tell certainly doesn't taste very good.

In the end, instead of finding something in print and aiming to replicate it in reality, choose elements of the cakes you love -- shape, color, details -- and let those elements simply inspire you, and your baker. Your cake designer will take it from there.

 

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