A cake is an integral part of any occasion. Whether it’s a birthday, a wedding or an anniversary, cakes are a must-have. Cakes add an extreme amount of speciality to the occasion and allow us to celebrate, leaving the guests with unforgettable memories indeed.
However, to make the occasion more meaningful and enjoyable, certain elements need to be kept in mind while choosing the party cake. Irrespective of the occasion, the cake should definitely cater to the needs of the party and at the same time, be a stellar focal point. We are here to help you make the right choice. Below are 9 key elements that must be kept in mind while choosing a cake for any celebration. Take the guide:
- Design
One of the essential elements of the cake is the design. The Designer cake needs to hook the onlooker at the very first instance. Therefore, the design, as well as the shape of the cake, makes a huge difference. The cake design can be heart-shaped, square, rectangular, multiple tiers, and so forth.
- Flavour
In the 13th century baking of cakes involved flour mixed with eggs, nuts, honey and milk, but the cakes have surely evolved into tastier flavours with time. Go for the flavour you like the most, or the recipient loves the most. Funfetti, kiwi, marble, lemon are some of the options out of many.
- Decoration
Cakes are not just a delicious lump but have an emotional cord connected with the celebration as well. Imagine taking a simple white cake to the baby shower or opting for a usual Black Forest for your grandfather’s 70th birthday. That won’t make sense, right? Make sure the design of the cake caters to the needs of the occasion.
- Icing
There are various types of icing for your cake and depends on your preference.
- Meringue icing is made of cold water, granulated sugar and egg whites. It is a light and frothy icing with three variants, namely, French, Italian and Swiss.
- Fondant icing can be stretched without tearing and constitutes water, gelatin, water, glycerine, sugar.
- Royal icing is made of lime juice, egg white and sugar and solidifies into a hard shell when cooled off. It is dyeable as well.
- Whipped Cream, also called Chantilly cream or crème Chantilly is a popular frosting type that is light and done with cream and sugar.
- Cream cheese frosting is a mix of buttercream and cream cheese. It is heavy in texture and gives a cheesy deliciousness to the cupcakes, red velvet etc.
- Buttercream is a spreadable and flexible frosting and is the most used for coating and filling cakes. Flavours can easily be infused with vanilla extract.
- Occasion
The occasion for which you are getting a cake is an essential factor. The cakes are also custom made as per the occasion needs. For example, the birthday cake can be customized with a photo of the person, an anniversary cake can vary in colour and frosting, and a wedding cake will be completely different from the cakes of other occasions. So, always convey the baker the occasion for which it is ordered.
- Transportation
You should also ensure that the cake is transported safely to the delivery point. Cakes are extremely delicate edibles, and a slight movement and accident can cause big havoc for the cake.
- Packaging
Packaging matters. As much as the cake is important, it all begins with the beauty your receive. The packaging should be sturdy and cute, reflecting the celebration and joy of the occasion.
- Price
Ensure that the cake is rightly priced and you are not paying too much owing to the grandness of the occasion. The cake price is dependent on size, tiers, occasion, delivery location and any special customization requested by the customer.
- Size
As a thumb rule, a cake slice is 4 inches tall, 1 inch wide, and 2 inches in length. However, the height of the cake depends on the number of layers and frosting. It also depends on the need of the occasion. For example, a wedding cake is a tiered cake, and the number of tiers depends on the size of the crowd. A 5 tier cake, for example, ideally provides approximately 210 servings.
- Variant
The cake variant means the egg and eggless cake types. For vegans and vegetarians, bakers usually have the eggless variant, and it is vital to instruct about the same while placing the order.
Keep in mind that there are many factors, emotional and practical that come into play while ordering a cake, all exclusive to each individual’s needs. However, make sure you keep these basics in mind before deciding one for your next occasion.
