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To Make Or Not To Make
When choosing your wedding cake you have three options. Do you:
Buy a readymade cake
If you want a traditional iced fruit wedding cake or have no particular preference, the easiest option is to purchase a readymade wedding cake. You can buy individual white iced fruit tiers on a cake board at most supermarkets for less than £50 for three tiers that you can then stack and decorate to your taste.
Other alternatives worth looking at:
- Marks and Spencer – A choice of readymade cakes can be ordered for collection (7 days notice required). You can choose from fruit, butter sponge or chocolate filled with ganache iced with either royal icing and marzipan or chocolate soft icing. Prices start at £12 for a medium sponge tier (£22 for fruit). A 3-tier cake would cost £75 for a 3-tier sponge/£115 for 3-tier although you would need to buy pillars and add your own decoration. They also offer readymade tiered cakes starting at £170 for a 2-tier (serves 122 people). You can also buy additional cutting blocks for £8 (serves 22). Unfortunately, these cakes aren’t suitable for people with nut allergies.
- Waitrose – Plain iced fruit cakes are more expensive than M&S, but they also offer a bigger variety of readymade decorated cakes – including a 3-tier vanilla sponge filled with white chocolate ganache and decorated with white cigarillos for £210 (£180 for undecorated version). Whilst suitable for vegetarians, they don’t state whether they are suitable for nut allergy sufferers. 42 days notice is required when you order.
Make your own wedding cake
There are lots of great books you can buy with wedding cake designs and tips to help you create your perfect cake. Whilst this may seem the cheapest option, in reality you may spend a lot more on ingredients – especially for any practice runs. Making your own wedding cake can result in sleepless nights and a lot of stress. Unless you have a creative streak and a passion for baking, you may be better off buying a readymade cake to decorate as you want.
Professionally made wedding cakes
If you don’t feel confident making your own and have your heart set on a certain style of cake, your best option would be to get your wedding cake made by a cake maker who specialises in wedding cakes. Whilst this is often the most expensive option, you can also be rest assured that you will get the cake of your dreams with minimal stress.
How much will it cost?
The cost of a professionally made wedding cake will depend on a number of factors such as:
- Type of wedding cake
- Number of tiers. The number of guests at your wedding reception will determine how many tiers you need. Alternatively you could opt for fewer tiers and a cutting cake. You should expect to pay approximately £250 for a 3-tier cake.
- Decoration. Ornate sugar icing or chocolate detail requires greater skill, takes more time to make so costs more
- Stand and accessories. Some wedding cake providers will charge more for including a wedding cake stand and cake. If the wedding venue provides these, there may be scope to save some money.
- Delivery & set up cost
Questions to ask
- How long have they been making wedding cakes? How many have they made?
- Can you see a portfolio of their work?
- Do they do bespoke designs?
- Can you taste a sample of cakes?
- Do they deliver and set up the cake at the wedding venue?
- Are they able to cater for special dietary requirements or allergies? If so, when is the latest you need to notify them of these requirements?
- How much will it cost?
- What does the price include? How much extra do they charge for delivery & set up, hire of cake stand, wedding toppers etc. Are there any other hidden costs?
- When do they make the cake?
- When do you need to return any rental items back to them?
- Will they provide a box for the remaining cake to be put in after the wedding or do you need to bring your own?
- Will you be able to store your cake after the wedding? How long for?
- Are they able to provide references?