I finally get why wedding cakes are so pricey! (+check out this awesome designer)

[musey]

I'm in the middle of the wedding cakes episode of the "Wedding Central" series (on WE). I knew they were complex and time-consuming for the baker/designer, but I had no idea to what degree!

Anyway, I'd definitely recommend tiVo-ing this show (I think it repeats all the time) if you're having trouble swallowing the estimate from your prospective (or booked) bakery. It made me feel like $600 for a cake would be a gigantic bargain!

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One of the designer bakeries they featured is Mike's Amazing Cakes, in Redmond, WA (Seattle metro). He's known for his whimsical fantasy cakes. Here are two of my favorites from his website:

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks for posting the link Musey! The cakes are incredible!!! I can''t even list my favorites because I love all of them. That must be a fun job!

 

[GarysBride]

I saw this guy on WE none day his work is amazing but I dont think worth the price granted it is an art IM STILL GOING TO EAT IT!!!! and I don''t want to pay $1,500-$7,000 for food, but then when I heard where he was from I was like "no wonder there so pricey hes from Redmond, WA!" (which is where I live) Redmond is where Microsoft,Google, Amazon ummm Nintendo, Boeing etc; are all located and everything is EXPENSIVE around here!!!!!! Walmarts and dollar stores are not even aloud to be built in this county! Sorry I guess this is just a little rant about where I live Im from So-Cal so I''m still adjusting to the way things are here.There so many rich people with there their heads up there You know whats here...... Now if he would like to donate one of these cakes and ship it to our wedding I would definitely take him up on that offer!!!

 

[musey]

Date: 10/23/2007 10:47:29 PM
Author: GarysBride

Im from So-Cal so I'm still adjusting to the way things are here.

Haha, I was just about to say "You think REDMOND is expensive, try SoC..." when I read that. Then again, not all SoCal is created equal, I suppose! My brother lives in Redmond and works at Microsoft. I'm sorry, but as a Los Angeles dweller, I have no sympathy for his plight of $900 rent

when I heard where he was from I was like "no wonder there so pricey hes from Redmond, WA!" (which is where I live) Redmond is where Microsoft,Google, Amazon ummm Nintendo, Boeing etc; are all located and everything is EXPENSIVE around here!!!!!!

I really don't think his prices have anything to do with the area he operates out of. Likely, if anything, he operates out of a higher-end metro area because that's where he can find people willing to pay his prices (not that his prices are hiked because he can get away with it). He charges what he charges based on the quality of the work.

I still think the work that goes into these creations is worth the price paid. I'm not personally able to pay that price, but I don't therefore think it isn't worth it!

 

[Cleopatra]

Yeah, I have to agree with Musey - I think that the quality of those cakes are what hikes up the prices. I''m fromy a tiny, middle-of-nowhere town, and I found a cake maker over here that is outrageously talented. Her work with fondant is amazing!

So, I booked her as my cake maker and paid an outrageous amount....$1,000 for a cake is unheard of in these parts!

But, the cake that I ordered was a small, not too intricate design. Her prices ranged from about $800 to well over $1,700 a cake!

So, if the talent is there, so are the prices, and lots of people are willing to pay big money all over the country! If people pay those prices in MY tiny town, I guarantee those prices are everywhere!

 

[Cleopatra]

I mean - REALLY!
Is this NOT amazing?!

 

[april diamonds]

how do you even cut that thing up to be served?!?!? (the one cleo posted)

 

[Cleopatra]

April Diamonds - I thought the same thing....Apparently the "globes" are cut in horizontal halves and then each half is cut into several serving pieces....obviously the cake maker would have to be there to do this! I know that I, and also any one of my family members, would just stare at it and laugh if WE had to cut that monster...

 

[sumbride]

There is a balance between design and taste.... sometimes to get the shapes and special design features, they use things that don''t taste very good... it may be edible, but would you want to? I''ve never had a fondant that I liked. Give me good old buttercream any day!

but yes, they do cost a lot because they take a long time and a lot of effort to produce!! Find a baker that can balance the design and the taste! That''s the key!

 

[Cleopatra]

Yeah I agree! Sometimes fondant is just not too tasty - even though it looks great! The trick is finding a baker who uses the buttercream underneath the layer of fondant. This way, you get the design you want AND the taste you want...

 

[april diamonds]

Totally agree! They can look beautiful but then I wonder how they actually taste! All that shaping and molding work you wonder how you can possibly eat that. So only the "globe" parts are really edible? It doesn''t seem like that much cake to me! My first priority is to have a really TASTY cake, cause I''m all about eating it. mmm, cake.

 

[zoebartlett]

Okay, dumb question...is fondant that chewy stuff? Kind of like taffy in consistency? If so, I MUCH prefer buttercream!

 

[Pandora II]

Oh no, FI just saw this....

and I thought I''d got out of the dinosaur cake

 

[musey]

LOL, I like the guy on the right holding the blue fabric... almost as much as the cake itself!

"You''re not getting me in the frame, right? Okay, good. Higher? This is as high as I can go!"

 

[sred2]

I saw this guy on one of the wedding cake competitions... I really liked his stuff!!

BTW I''m from Bothell... so I know the area well