Food Allergies- Should we bake our own cake?

Midwest2Texas

I (and several people in my family) are allergic to gluten and dairy. I haven't been able to find a local baker (Waco, TX) who will make a gf/df  cake. There was one lady I found on a local Facebook wedding board who made a (sad) attempt and it looked like she didn't even try. The cupcakes were like soggy, flavorless rocks and the frosting was gritty and lumpy.

The closest bakery I've found that does this type of baking is on the north side of Dallas (Unrefined Bakery). They have excellent reviews, but it starts at $5.50 per serving and I'm worried about having to transport a cake that far.

My fiance things that between the 2 of us we can bake and decorate the cake. I'm just not sure if we'll have time.  I'm sure we could. My mom used to make wedding cakes and she knows how to assemble (although my decorating skills are decent, hers are pretty rusty). I'm attaching some pictures of cakes I've done in the past few years. I have over a year to practice, so I'm not really sure what to do yet. What do you think?

ShesSoCold

How many people would you be trying to feed?

Midwest2Texas

Opps, I forgot to put that in the post. We only expect to end up with 60-65 people.

Knottie80779227

An easier option might be if you are willing to do cupcakes (you can set them up on a tiered platform to resemble a wedding cake). Cupcakes take less skill to decorate/ice than a wedding cake and you can practice making different batches. There's a little more leeway with them as far as transporting them to and from the venue and also if you mess up one batch, you haven't screwed yourself out of the entire bunch. If you like the idea of doing the cake cutting ceremony, you can use the local baker to possibly just make a small cake or the equivalent of the top tier and you and FH can cut that in front of your guests and then save the small piece for just the two of you to enjoy later. Or again, you can make that yourself as well, but it would take the pressure off of having to assemble more than one piece. You still have plenty of time to figure it out, so take the next few months to practice and if it doesn't seem to be coming together, rethink your options. Good luck!

julieanne912

Why not just do a small cutting cake and do other desserts?  It's probably a lot easier to feed 60-65 various desserts from a bakery that fit the gf/df criteria than it is to do a cake.  We did this at our wedding and all the desserts got eaten up, and from what I could tell, there was leftover cake (which was annoying since the cake was the expensive part!).

Plus really, do you really want to be worrying about baking a cake to feed 65 people in the last few days before your wedding?  I can't even imagine doing that and I was a pretty organized bride that got a lot done ahead of time.

Midwest2Texas

I thought about doing the cake + other desserts, but my mom is against it. My parents are paying for cake, so I feel like I don't have as much say as I would like in the matter. My parents are very understanding and accommodating to my wishes though. My mom always brings up how tacky she thought it was when my friend got married and after they cut the cake, everyone was served pie.

We're getting married here, where he is from, and most of my family and friends won't be traveling down here because plane tickets are expensive and its 2 solid days if you drive. Most can't afford the cost or the time off work. That being said, his family and friends are big cake eaters. Also, his mom and sister have made comments on how everyone should get a piece of the actual wedding cake. The only person I know that will refuse gluten free is his dad. Trying to get him to taste gf items is like trying to make a rock swim.

cupcakes aren't my favorite thing in the world (I prefer a slice of cake), but maybe I should really consider that option.

MesmrEwe

Simply put - you do not have time!  The $5.50/pp plus delivery is WELL worth it!  Also, you don't have to have the entire thing be DF/GF.  At the end of the day, if you're up front with bakers to say "you don't offer this product, are you o.k. with us bringing it in from ____ with clear understanding that the DF/GF cake is from there" chances are you won't run into too much resistance. 

The only reason I mention this is because I'm allergic to many of the substitutes used in GF/DF mixes.  Doing some traditionally also gives you the opportunity to cut costs if you're worried about $5.50/pp for something those guests can eat. But really, at the end of the day, my vote would be given the size of your group to go ahead and order the GF/DF at $6/pp (think about it - if you go to a restaurant, this is what a normal serving of dessert will run, there is an additional cost to the supplies used, time for additional precautions since an allergy is not the same as an intolerance, be realistic, your baker is running a business, not a charity).  Yes, the additional cost for delivery is worth it as well, you WILL spend more than $6/pp to make them yourselves by the time you add every supply, ingredient, multiplier of the value of your time the week of the wedding, set-up, design supplies, stand, etc..  For $360 if you have 60 guests, that's not bad at all for a wedding cake to accommodate allergies!!!

[Deleted User]

Will your venue allow you to make your own cake? That's the first question. My venue said that all food distributed had to be made in a professional kitchen.

Cupcakes are easier to decorate (in some ways) and transport, as PPs have said- that might be a good alternative to an actual cake.

Pupatella

I would not bake and decorate your own cake. That just sounds so time consuming, and will add unnecessary stress before your big day.

What about ordering a regular sheet cake (non gf/df) for the majority of your guests.

And then order two small tiers of the gf/df from the bakery on the north side of Dallas? One of the tiers will be for you and your family with allergies on your wedding day, and the other tier is for you and your FI to freeze and eat on your 1 year anniversary.

lyndausvi

FeeleyToBe said:

Will your venue allow you to make your own cake? That's the first question. My venue said that all food distributed had to be made in a professional kitchen. Cupcakes are easier to decorate (in some ways) and transport, as PPs have said- that might be a good alternative to an actual cake.

That is the most important question.    Many venues do not, others will.    The reason is liability.  A venue doesn't want to get sued (happens all the time) because of food they didn't even prepare.   The assumption is always going to be on the caterer and/or venue if it's in-house. 

princessleia22

I like the idea of doing 2 cakes, one traditional and one GF/DF.  You could do the GF/DF yourself or order one (I'd probably go that route)... and if you do 2 cakes, it would be cheaper than doing all GF/DF.  Or you could do the traditional decorative cake and have a GF/DF sheet cake for those that prefer that option. I've seen weddings where they did a small decorative cake for the cutting, then used sheet cake as the main serving cake to save cost. Or the cupcake idea is good, too.

Midwest2Texas

That's a good point  FeelyToBe. Now that I think about it, the venue does require all food to be prepared by someone with a food handlers' license in an approved kitchen.

I was thinking about doing a grooms cake too. So maybe a good option would be to get a small 2 tiers GF/DF and then a larger grooms cake that is normal.

ryanandjoe4

I luckily have a baker that will do this option, but I am only doing 24 out of 150 as the Vegan cupcakes, this is for the few that have the allergy or need. the "special Made" cupcakes are more expensive I think $1.50 more, and we had to pay a delivery fee for all of it. we are having a two tier cake for the actual cutting so for people that like you that like slices of cake, (MY FMIL )they can have that too (our baker makes you a new cake for your one year so no frozen cake needed).

I am not sure of how far the cakes would be transported, but bakers know their limits, and are practiced in the transport of the cakes. as long as your not having a bunch of tiers cake you should be fine. also you would have a contract with them, make sure that the contract covers that the cake will make it to the wedding. So if a disaster does happen your covered the baker has to come up with a solution.

OliveOilsMom

I think you have a good compromise on your hands in having a small tiered cake that is GF/DF and then having a traditional groom's cake.  It would satisfy all sides.  Just make sure that each bakery knows the other exists.  I would also pay to have the cakes delivered.

And I say all this as a baker myself.  Many people asked me if I was making my own wedding cake.  My answer was always to laugh at them!  I wanted to enjoy my wedding day, not focus on trying to finish up our wedding cake!  I did make H's groom's cake, which was served at the RD.  That I was able to bake completely without his knowledge and drop off to a friend's house - she kindly brought it to the RD for me.

[Deleted User]

Another vote for a small cake to show & for cutting that you can enjoy. Then some other GF/DF dessert options along with some regular dessert options. From a non-GF/DF person, I went to a wedding where the cake was GF. to be honest, it looked nice but the taste, left something to be desired. I think people who eat GF are more use to it. But for those of that don't eat that way, it's not very yummy. I think I threw half my piece away, as did many other guests. So basically a lot of money thrown out. I think it would have been money better spent to have some regular desserts that would have been eaten.

futurecptkirk

Midwest2Texas said:

I (and several people in my family) are allergic to gluten and dairy. I haven't been able to find a local baker (Waco, TX) who will make a gf/df  cake. There was one lady I found on a local Facebook wedding board who made a (sad) attempt and it looked like she didn't even try. The cupcakes were like soggy, flavorless rocks and the frosting was gritty and lumpy.

The closest bakery I've found that does this type of baking is on the north side of Dallas (Unrefined Bakery). They have excellent reviews, but it starts at $5.50 per serving and I'm worried about having to transport a cake that far.

My fiance things that between the 2 of us we can bake and decorate the cake. I'm just not sure if we'll have time.  I'm sure we could. My mom used to make wedding cakes and she knows how to assemble (although my decorating skills are decent, hers are pretty rusty). I'm attaching some pictures of cakes I've done in the past few years. I have over a year to practice, so I'm not really sure what to do yet. What do you think?

Not to be a debbie downer, but one of my friends had some things from there and she hated them. Have you had their cake yet? Make sure you do schedule time for a tasting there if you go with Unrefined! 

Midwest2Texas

No, we haven't tried the cake yet. But we will definitely be doing a tasting before we book a vendor.