January 9, 2009
Mouth-watering cakes for any budget
As with any aspect of the wedding, the cake involves making important decisions but ones that often hinge around a budget.
With cakes costing anywhere from $300 to $10,000, the good news is that couples in any budget range can have a mouth-watering cake.
 Courtesy SilverMind Portrait Co. |
Elaborate decorations and intricate designs always add to the price.
"The more labor-intensive decorations, the more expensive it's going to be," Buntin says.
Cost also varies by the number of tiers, the type of icing and the type of filling between layers.
"Standard buttercream filling will cost less than gourmet fillings," says Nancy Siler, director of consumer affairs at Wilton Industries in Woodridge, Ill. "Standard buttercream is going to be cheaper to put in between the layers than some type of gourmet liquor or custard."
Ways to cut cost
In addition to choosing buttercream filling and icing, there are other ways to cut the cost.
"One of the things people can do to save money is have an elaborate-looking cake and then serve sheet cakes, especially if they have a larger wedding," Siler recommends.
"They have a cake that will serve 80 to 90, and that would give you a three- or four-tiered cake, so it's a nice size but then have sheet cakes in the back to supplement those. They're not decorated but they look just the same when the cake is cut," Buntin adds.
Sticking to a simple design and serving the cake as the evening's dessert are other ways to chisel at the price.
"Less decorations on the cake itself would be a cost-saving measure because each decoration costs an additional fee," Buntin says. "You can use it as a dessert and not just for a ceremonial slicing and that could be a way to save on your budget for your catering because you don't have to pay for another dessert."
Opting for a simple and less expensive cake doesn't necessarily mean you'll have a bad-looking cake.
"[It will] still look good, still have impact, but it won't be a specialty fruit cake. It would probably be like a plain yellow cake or a chocolate cake," Siler says. "It would be more simplistic."
-- Tribune Media Services
Mixx it!
Copyright © 2009, The Virginia Gazette
Bridal Planner
