First Wedding Cake Help.

Decorating By anncakes Updated 5 Sep 2014 , 5:37pm by cheryl848

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anncakes Posted 31 Aug 2014 , 5:07pm
post #1 of 9

Hi everyone....I've had an enquiry for a naked wedding cake for November. It would be my first wedding cake. The lady wants the cake with just strawberries and flowers. I have never done cakes with fresh flowers. Do you work with a florist of your choice or do you go with the bride's florist?...How is it usually done? Is the top tier always saved, even in the case of naked cakes?...And do you price naked wedding cakes lower than fondant- or buttercream-covered cakes since it does not need to be frosted?...Appreciate all your help. Thank you. 

8 replies
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Dayti Posted 31 Aug 2014 , 7:56pm
post #2 of 9

I would work with the brides florist since she probably wants the same kind of flowers on the cake that she is using throughout the wedding. Try and speak directly to the florist so he/she knows what you need preparing, rather than through the bride. But place the flowers on the cake yourself if you can. Bride needs to pay for the flowers, don't just include them in your normal cake price because they can be quite costly.

 

Top tier - you need to ask the bride if they want to keep it or not. If they do, provide proper freezing and defrosting instructions and a cake box for them to take it away in, and then you need to know the servings they need apart from that. If they don't want it, just work those top tier servings into the total amount. 

 

I would not price lower necessarily. Yes, there is less cost and time for you. But, you cannot work ahead really, the layers can only be baked the day before the wedding, and the cake filled and stacked on the day (I suppose you could freeze the layers though). 

 

Wash the strawberries and dry them really well so they don't go mushy. I would stick them to the cake with a dot of icing under them to stop them rolling around or falling off, and I would do this on site as you are placing the flowers. Just take a bag of icing with you.

 

Overall, I would say be careful when filling and stacking your cake layers, and also when stacking the tiers. If you search Google for some images of naked cakes, you will see that there are awful, sloppy ones, and some beautifully crafted ones, and sometimes there really is a very fine line between them funnily enough. It's very easy to make it look awful if you're not careful. 

 

Good luck!

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-K8memphis Posted 31 Aug 2014 , 8:15pm
post #3 of 9

use her florist --- in fact she should already have arranged that for you --but when it comes up at the consult just ask her if the florist is aware and that you will be contacting them -- just call the florist and touch base -- spy out the land -- typically the florist leaves your flowers for you in a bucket of water at the reception

 

top tier being saved is the bride's decision -- i use the following as a selling tool -- with the wedding cake scraps either leftover batter tossed into a 4" or 5" pan or using scraps of cake from leveling i prepare 2 cakes, box them and deliver to the reception -- one is the honeymoon cake and the other is the first anniversary cake -- honeymoon cake because the b&g often don't remember what the cakes were like -- i tell her it's my gift to them and that way they get to serve all of their cake -- that always rings theri bell in a good way --sometimes i use half brides and half grooms cake in each cake -- it's my gift -- i get to do it any way i want -- 

 

and price the same as an iced cake because you not only have to figure out a way to keep the outside edges from drying out you have to make it look good -- there are some threads about that 

 

what flavor cake do they want?

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anncakes Posted 2 Sep 2014 , 4:33pm
post #4 of 9

Thank you so much for your valuable replies. Will definitely practice a lot before doing  the actual cake. They have not chosen a flavor yet.

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-K8memphis Posted 2 Sep 2014 , 7:12pm
post #5 of 9

you might want to get a jump on the flavor thing and research which cakes hold better all exposed -- i think it was doramoreno who had a great idea about naked cakes i just can't remember what it was ;)

 

but i found it -- it's gelatin glaze in this thread

 

http://www.cakecentral.com/t/778142/freezing-a-sponge-for-an-open-wedding-cake

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anncakes Posted 5 Sep 2014 , 2:27pm
post #6 of 9

Ak8memphis...thank you so much for taking the time to find the link for me. You've been extremely helpful. love the idea of the glaze. The bride has chosen simple vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream. She wants to save the top tier, but since it's a naked cake, I'm going to offer her a small separate cake to save like you suggested.

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-K8memphis Posted 5 Sep 2014 , 3:37pm
post #7 of 9

you're very welcome, anncakes, i hope it goes great for you -- would love to see a picture -- what i'm nervous about is how to make the edges look presentable -- i'd practice that part a bit -- i mean who really takes notice of the edges when 9 times out of 10  you cover them up with icing -- i mean i made a bundt cake the other day in an old pan and it was not pretty -- so while i'm not trying to transfer my anxiety i might be so don't mind me -- but i'm praying for your cake edges 

 

:-D best to you

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-K8memphis Posted 5 Sep 2014 , 3:54pm
post #8 of 9

like if you grease & flour your pans and the flour shows on the sides after baking -- you could microplane it off maybe -- but the glaze might dissolve it too --

 

ok i'll shut up now ;)

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cheryl848 Posted 5 Sep 2014 , 5:37pm
post #9 of 9

i learned to flour the pan with some of the mixed dry ingredients for the cake.........

 

 

cheryl

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