No celebration is complete without cake. However, it shouldn’t just be any cake. A cake for a special occasion must be equally special. As an integral part of any event, it should not only encapsulate the spirit of the celebration. It must also have the same theme, share the festive mood, and represent the celebrant. Whether it is a birthday, wedding, anniversary, company event, or family holiday, the cake makes it even
more memorable. So if you want your event to be extra special and your cake extra delicious, you can follow these tips on how to choose
the perfect cake for that perfect occasion:
- Determine your budget. Cakes can cost from a pretty penny to a king’s ransom, so you should include it to your event budget. Once you have worked out how much you are willing to spend on your cake, you can then move on to finding the cake that you like within your budget range. This is where your resourcefulness comes in. After all, making a cake special depends on the creativity and the thought put into it, not on how much it costs.
- Figure the size and shape. Nowadays, cakes come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from the traditional layering to the more modern artsy style where cake layers twist and bend in different directions. This depends on how you want your own cake to look. Just keep in mind that the traditional sized cakes like rounds and squares are easier to cut and serve.
- Conduct taste tests. Most cake shops offer familiar flavors such as chocolate, mocha, vanilla, red velvet, black forest, carrot, and strawberry. If you want it to be exotic or more personalized, you can request to have your cake a certain flavor. Just make sure that whatever flavor you choose, your guests are also going to love it.
- Theme and design. If the event, such as a birthday or wedding, has a theme, then your cake must fit in with your overall décor. For example, a safari-themed party may have a cake decorated with lions, elephants, and other safari animals. Meanwhile, a classic and traditional, gold-and-white wedding must have a cake that have the same color schemes and tie up the whole look of the event.
- Be creative. Cake designers and bakers these days use various techniques to give your cakes a unique look so don’t be afraid to think outside the box. For your wedding, you may want to incorporate to your cake the intricate embroidery and lace detail of your gown, and this can make your cake one-of-a-kind. Moreover, when it comes to shapes and layers, you can now even mix and max your tiers and cake shapes if you want your cake to look non-traditional like your event theme.
- Consider interests and hobbies. To further customize your cake and make it unique, you can add personal touches to it. Talk with your baker about your hobbies, passions, and interests so that they can include it in your cake. If you are planning a cake for your wedding and you want your cake to tell the story of how you and your partner met on a beach vacation, you can have the cake be decorated with elements of the sea. You can go as subtle or as elaborate as you want with the décor to make it represent what you are all about, especially if the event is your birthday.
- Know your servings. If you have a dozen guests for an intimate party, you may consider a small cake, which is enough for everyone. However, if you are expecting hundreds of guests, then you may opt of a multi-tiered cake. Discuss with your baker how many servings each layer will serve so you have enough slices to go around. This allows you to fully share your celebration with your guests with none other than the epitome of the event—your cake.
- Choosing your baker. Often, choosing the perfect cake is like choosing the perfect wedding dress. So if you don’t know a baker that creates customized, decorated cakes for all occasions, then it would be necessary to include in your event planning activities ample time for you to go around looking for someone who can see your vision and can bring it to life using cake, frosting, and fondant. If you are in living in the NYC area then we can suggest one of our favorite bakeries Mary’s Dominican Cake located in Queens, NY. They specialize in theme cakes for birthdays, weddings, and special events. When you make an appointment, don’t forget to look at the cakes that they have already done and discuss with them the techniques they will use to make your very own unique and personal cake happen. It is important to find a baker that you can trust to help make your event as unforgettable and as special as it can be.
At the end of the day, the most important factors for your perfect cake are taste, servings, and how it ties up with your theme. So choose a cake that will make your event as unforgettable and as special as it can be, so your fond memories will stay long after the last morsel has been eaten.
