When you’re at a party or big celebration, there is one thing that brings everyone together, from the attention-hogs and overachievers to the quiet types and introverts – cake. From birthday cakes to wedding cakes and graduation cakes, there’s just something that feels truly special in comparison to other desserts (it might just be the frosting well because, yum!)
Everyone loves cake, whether it’s a glorious chocolate cake or a layered beauty with a thick layer of frosting on top – everyone gets excited when a special cake is unveiled. If you are planning a birthday party or a special occasion and want to excite the guests with a nice cake that will feed a crowd, you should put some thought into which cake will be the best choice for the particular occasion.
Do you prefer buying the cake rather than making it yourself…? Sure you can grab the first cake you see off the rack, but it won’t be something that the guests have never seen before. To make your special occasion even more special and exciting, we have prepared some tips for choosing the perfect cake.
1. Shop at your favourite bakery
The cakes sold at grocery stores are a solid choice for a last-minute grab, but rarely offer the level of quality needed to truly make an impression on guests. On the other hand, dedicated bakeries like Rosalind Miller in London put a great amount of love and care into their cakes, and it shows! These beauties not only look glorious but have better ingredients, better textures, and they offer custom cakes too, unlike the boring cakes (sorry Waitrose!) offered at department stores.
2. Plan your budget with cake in mind
For inexperienced planners, the organising of a party, including seating arrangements, dishes, entertainment, etc. come first, and cake is an afterthought. This is the wrong way to go about things though, because a good, custom-made cake can be quite expensive if you’re not an avid baker. If you take the time to look through the options and calculate the cost of the cake you want, this is certainly something that will impact your calculations.
3. Pick a cake type that people will enjoy
Everyone has their own tastes when it comes to sweet stuff, but cakes are usually meant for a big group of people, so you should choose a type that most (if not all) will enjoy. Centuries of cake-making have shown that groups rarely enjoy a cake that has more cream than filling, or is difficult to chew.
4. Don’t forget to taste
One of the biggest mistakes in cake selection is choosing a cake simply based on its look, or its look and ingredients. Even the most splendid cake can taste too sweet or otherwise unpleasant, so performing a taste test is an absolute necessity. There are simply no downsides – you get to have a sweet preview of the big thing while making sure that there are no unpleasant surprises in the moment of truth.
5. Consider choosing a theme
A cake with a custom design and theme instantly indicates to guests the great time and care that you invested in the occasion, and can serve as a great topic of conversation. For example, if you put a really wacky text on the cake or some funny images, everyone will appreciate it, especially if they are the ones that the occasion is centered around.
6. Plan for the eventual cutting
A beautiful cake can be a delight just to stare at, but everyone will want a taste as well. Thus, the cake should have a size to afford a normal slice to all guests, with some slices to spare. Additionally, the shape of the cake may prompt some thought into how it should be cut properly.
