There are various types of wedding cake suppliers and cakes on the market – This article is to give you a little insight into variations of cakes that you will come across when purchasing your wedding or other celebration cake.

Below are 3 of the main types in use today. Although all 3 are popular, some people may not realise what they are actually paying for.

Wedding cake types

1. Pre-made long life sponges
2. Long life ready mixes (add egg and water)
3. Fresh baked cakes

Category (1) Pre made long life sponges.
A cake decorator who does not bake will choose this option. These cakes are limited on their flavour choice and where a particular flavour is required they are laced with flavoured essence in the sponge and the filling. These cakes have a shelf life of approx. 4 weeks and are the favoured choice of many decorators. They can take on more cakes without having to bake them. These premade long life cakes are also available for the cake decorator as Cup Cakes and are readily available for anyone to buy from their preferred bakery.

Some typical ingredients of a long life cake mix will include most the following, depending on the type of cake made.
(There are variations of the mix available).
a) Emulsifier (E 471)
b) Preservative (E 202)
c) Glycerine
d) Salt
e) Raising agents (Sodium bicarbonate and E450a)
f) Skimmed milk powder
g) Cocoa powder
h) Dextrose
i) Colouring (Example E155, E133)
j) Sodium Bicarbonate
k) Modified starch
l) Whey solids (From milk)
m) Gluten
n) Maltodextrins
o) Whole egg powder
p) Xanthan gum (Thickener)
q) Various puree ‘s
r) Other emulsifiers, colourings and preservatives

Category (2) Pre-made cake mixes (Long life)
95% of the above ingredients in a pre-made long life cake will be used in a mix which a decorator can take home to make. All they need to do is add eggs and either oil or water. Various limited flavours are available for this option and the decorator reverts to using flavoured essence in the cake mix to ensure it bakes correctly.

Category (3) Fresh baked cakes
The baker who will make and prepare your cake fresh to order no more than 2 days in advance will undoubtedly make use of the following in most of their cakes.

They will most certainly not use emulsifiers or preservatives.
a) Self Raising Flour (Where required)
b) Plain flour (Where required)
c) Gluten free flour (Where required)
d) Unsalted Butter
e) Vegan butter or margarine
f) Vegetable oil
g) Icing or caster Sugar
h) Brown sugar
i) Vanilla pods
j) Fresh fruit
k) Juices from the fresh fruit
l) Belgian chocolate
m) Free range eggs (Unless egg free is required)
n) Natural colourings from either vegetables, fruit or other natural sources
o) Animal fat free products (Where required)

Some people are ok with category 1 and 2 but many people are also not aware of these 2 categories and think their cake is being made and prepared fresh specially for them.

How can you tell which cake you are getting?

For a baker it is easy to tell the difference between the 2 immediately on sight, but, for everyone else, here are some tips for you.

1. The constancy of a pre made cake is generally very light and can be easily crumbled
2. Look for over powering cake filling to enhance the cake flavour
3. There can be a distinctive film on pre made cakes when you try a piece
4. Look for the ingredients in the cake (do not be afraid to break the cake open to see what is inside). For example if you have asked for a strawberry sponge you should see real pieces of strawberry in it. (The cake will be tacky and no strawberries in the cake if a flavoured essence has been used)
5. In a vanilla cake you should see the presence of some dark spots which is used from inside a vanilla pod for natural flavour
6. Are their cakes on display all uniform in size consistency and proportion?
7. Is there dryness to the cake (especially in chocolate cake where a lot of cocoa powder is used)?
8. Are there signs of natural fruit in the filling?
9. Are they limited on the range of flavours they offer you?
10. Can you go and see where they bake the cakes?
11. Can you see their ingredient store?
12. Are you allowed to see them bake your cake or can you go and see your cake during decorating?

The above is just a few ways to assist you. For option 1 and 2 your cake supplier will buy all ingredients and icing for less than £60.00 and for this they can make either a 3 or 4 tier cake. Depending on the skills they will then either buy pre made decorations or proceed to make their own. In either case your cake could be iced and decorated more than 3 weeks before you actually receive it and you will still pay anything from £350 upwards for a 3 tier cake and more for the 4 tier cake.

Those who buy everything pre-made in can have your cake iced and decorated in almost 6 hours (slightly longer for those who bake using a cake mix)
Category (3) is generally a home baked cake maker/decorator or someone with a small shop with ovens in the back and they will not mind answering or showing any of the above.

Another item to look out for is the butter-cream that is used – We have all seen these glowing white butter creamed cupcakes. If real butter cream is provided it is darker in colour and will go slightly hard and off colour after so many hours in the open. Those that stay white all day long are generally laced with some sort of “Fat or Trex” to enhance the whiteness and keep it soft to touch. (Have you ever had that greasy feeling in your mouth when you have had this sort of buttercream?) Handmade buttercream with nothing to enhance it can also be a little coarser on tasting from the sugar that is mixed with either butter or vegetable margarine. It will also go harder, quicker in the open.

Suzuki Style Motorbike in 3D

Approx size ( 22″ long, 10-12″ high, 4-5″ deep )
Most cake types and flavours available.
Approx portions between 45 – 60
Larger sizes are available on request.
Other custom motorbike cakes  made to order.

A custom bespoke 3D motorbike novelty birthday cake. We also make all other types of custom motorbike cakes on request. This one was made for one of our customer’s in Derbyshire, and we will make and deliver all of our cakes in person all over the UK. This particular cake was made from our luscious fresh baked vanilla sponge with strawberry conserve and butter cream.

Like all of our cakes, this Suzuki style novelty cake was baked fresh and then carved and styled less than 48 hours prior to delivery to our customer. Taking almost 16 hours to put together and decorate it stands upright on the cake board and is only supported in the centre where the bike stand would be located.

Everything except for the inner rim of the wheels is also edible. Careful attention was used on all the detail on this motorbike. The tyres have been made to look like lo pro racing tyres and the tyre tread has been hand grooved.

Edible mudguards have been attached above both the front and back wheels, and each wheel also has the disc brake detail on them. A full face crash helmet was also made to match the colour of the bike and sits beside it on the board. The board has been iced in tarmac grey.

The exhaust and handle bars are also edible as are the clutch and brake handles. The motorbike cake has been coloured as per the customer’s request. Like all custom / bespoke novelty / birthday / celebration cakes we do ask for good all round photos of the item that you wish to be replicated into a cake.

        The finished cake is made to look as though it is on its own motor bike stand and once completed we added all the other finishing touches such as indicator’s number plate etc.

A thin skeleton frame was made to support the main areas of the cake and then shaped around it. The Suzuki style logos were also placed in their respective places on the finished bike.

Price for this cake ( As in picture ) £175.00
Delivery within Derby or Nottingham city centre is FREE
For delivery elsewhere in the UK there is a nominal delivery charge.
If you have a different motorbike or any other bespoke cake you would like us to replicate, please contact us direct.

To order this cake please fill in the form below.

Large IPhone cake

Cake size used (10 inch)
Finished size  (10 x 8 Inch)
Approx portions (35)
Flavour (All flavours and types of cake are avaiable)
All sizes available.

Well on this one the image speaks for itself. A large I-Phone that was requested by one of our customers. Like all of our cakes, they are fresh baked with fresh ingredients and animal fat free, which, makes them ideal for Muslims and other religions.

This Large I-Phone cake has a base decoration of white, but is available in a full range of colours.  The top has been decorated with a large edible print out of an I-Phone screen which allows us to manipulate how things look on the display. To finish off we have given the edges a raised border (slightly in from the edges) and added an Iced logo on the bottom to replicate an apple. This I-Phone cake along with most other cakes of ours are also available in egg free, and gluten free. There are other 3D cakes which  cannot be made as gluten or egg free but we tend to always come up with a good compromise.

Price for this large I-Phone cake is £45.00
Other sizes available on request.
To order please fill in the form below.

Stoke City FC Shirt Cake

Cake size used (12 inch).
Cake flavour (All flavours available).
Approx portions (40).
All other football strips also available.

Another one of our popular football club shirt cakes.  We are always being asked to provide these cakes and many times over they are duplicated for other people. Each football cake is made to the specific requirements of the customer. All club cakes can be made in either home or away colours for your chosen football club.

Whether you want an older strip or the latest Home/Away strip for your football team, we will provide it. Attention is always paid to the club logo, markings on the shirts and the collars and labels inside, and the sponsors of the strip we are doing.

This particular one was obviously requested for a stoke city football club fan. Each of these cakes can also be made in a range of flavours and types of cake.

The cakes can be downsized slightly to suit your requirements, or we can increase according to how many people you wish to cater for.

Price for this cake (As in picture) £75.00
For prices on other sizes please contact us directly.
Please fill in the details requested below to order.

3 Tier Baby Christening cake

Cake size used (10 inch, 8 inch and 6 inch) All other sizes are available.
Approx portions (95) standard portions.
Cake flavours and types (Full range is available).
Available in colours to suit.

A lovely 3 tier christening cake for a baby boy (or girl with colour change) The cake is laid out on a 12 inch base board which has been decorated with a white fondant icing and decorated in a matching green ribbon.

The base tier is covered in a white icing and has a green ribbon crossing over both ways and is decorated with a bow on one side. Around the base of this tier we have decorated it with green pearl icing. The middle tier is an 8 inch square that has been placed offset on the base tier. The decorative ribbon on this part of the christening cake is slightly different to the base tier. It has a single ribbon going across in one direction, whilst on opposite sides and opposite corners it has a double band ribbon.

The top tier of this beautiful cake is made with a 6 inch round cake. It is decorated with a box type lid on top to replicate a present box.  We did not use ribbons on this tier as it would have spoilt the overall look of the cake. Instead we opted for green iced beading and decorative green flowers. On top of the cake are a pair of hand made and shaped baby booties which have been given a wool effect look. Little ribbons have been carefully threaded through the booties and tied neatly in a bow at the front.

Price for this cake (As in picture) £150.00
For pricing on other sizes please contact us directly.

To order this cake please fill in the form below.