There’s no getting around it: [tag]weddings[/tag] are expensive. Just about everything you’ll need is going to be expensive. That said, brides, grooms, and their loved ones often get stuck with more than they bargained for when it comes to the price of the cake. Because you don’t purchase a lot of [tag]multi-tiered cakes[/tag] that serve hundreds of people, you may not know exactly what to look for. Here are some helpful hints.
First, it’s good to know how the baker arrives at his (or her) price. In general, he will charge a base rate for each serving, depending on how complicated your cake is, and multiply that by the number of servings you need. Servings can be priced anywhere from as low as $2 to as high as $10, but $4-$6 is fairly standard.It’s important to remember that the price per serving can go up as the cake gets bigger. This means that a cake designed to serve 400 people is likely to cost more than twice as much as the same basic cake designed to serve 200 people. It’s simply more difficult for the baker to stabilize, frost, and transport the cake. You probably shouldn’t trim your guest list to reduce the number of servings, but it’s still something you should know.
Also, all types of cakes are not equal. The most basic type is essentially a sponge cake and can be had in a variety of flavors (probably more than just chocolate and vanilla). Cheesecakes are becoming increasingly popular, but they’re some of the priciest cakes you can buy. Also, all the extra bells and whistles (fruit, nuts, flowers, etc.) that you put on your cake are likely to drive up the cost. If you’re on a budget, keep it simple.
Finally, everybody’s favorite part: the icing. You need to decide whether you want your icing to serve a tasty function or a decorative function. If you’re looking for decoration, an icing called fondant is probably your best choice; it’s an icing that can be easily sculpted. It’s also the most expensive icing around. If you’re just looking for a tasty icing, choose between buttercream and cream cheese. They’re about equally expensive and almost everybody loves them.
If you’re on a tight budget and your cake isn’t the most important thing in your wedding, don’t let a baker push you around. Consider purchasing a small [tag]wedding cake[/tag] able to serve the wedding party and families and enlisting a generous relative to bake lots of sheet cakes for the guests. It isn’t tacky and can give a nice home-cooked element to the [tag]reception[/tag]!