DIY cake anyone?

justinnmandy

so I'm wondering if anyone attempted to DIY their wedding cake? I've learned while planning this wedding that I'm very OCD and want it my why (and its horrible but i cant help it) I'm a stay at home mom and was thinking about trying to make my own red velvet cake with buttercream icing.......I've googled different instructions and recipes I'm just wondering if its extremely harder than I'm thinking! I'm keeping to my budget but have been loving the money I've been saving with DIY projects!  Any advice or opinions would be great! its a pretty simple cake with minimal decorating! TIA 

SSaltzman87

Does your venue allow homemade food? I'd look into this first before doing anything.

tldh

1.  OCD is an actual medical condition so unless you've been diagnosed, don't say you are OCD.

2. Since you're googling everything I'm going to guess you have no experience in cake making.  Yes.  It's harder than it looks. Hire a pro.  I make cakes for bridal showers, baby showers, birthdays and holidays.  It takes forever and is nowhere close to as easy as it seems.  It takes a lot of trial and error to get a recipe right and to get icing consistency right.

tldh

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-cake-anyone?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:54243dfb-fb4f-418b-b287-8bcf5317b404Post:c2b56a50-00cc-4022-9ba4-d42176938f91">DIY cake anyone?</a>:
[QUOTE]so I'm wondering if anyone attempted to DIY their wedding cake? I've learned while planning this wedding that I'm very OCD and want it my why (and its horrible but i cant help it) I'm a stay at home mom and was thinking about trying to make my own red velvet cake with buttercream icing.......I've googled different instructions and recipes I'm just wondering if its extremely harder than I'm thinking! I'm keeping to my budget but have been loving the money I've been saving with DIY projects!  Any advice or opinions would be great! its a pretty simple cake with minimal decorating! TIA 
Posted by justinnmandy[/QUOTE]

justinnmandy

sorry about the OCD comment didn't mean to offend anyone who has it....aparently thats just something that is said around here.....as far as venue it's on my parents lake so obviously no problems there.....I think I'll just try it and see what happens and if not I'll pay the crazy prices : (

tldh

Skip the fondant and go for buttercream and watch the crazy prices drop like a rock.

justinnmandy

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-cake-anyone?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:54243dfb-fb4f-418b-b287-8bcf5317b404Post:cadea074-437d-4fce-8359-d5f63ab3cf1a">Re: DIY cake anyone?</a>:
[QUOTE]Skip the fondant and go for buttercream and watch the crazy prices drop like a rock.
Posted by tldh[/QUOTE]
I'm actually not a fan of fondant at all, maybe it's just me wanting to spend money elsewhere but I think $2.00 a serving for 200 is expensive.....originally i planned on spending $250-$300 for a cake but maybe I'm being un realistic.  thats why I'm thinking about trying to DIY it.

tldh

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-cake-anyone?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:54243dfb-fb4f-418b-b287-8bcf5317b404Post:a1b8a3cc-2bb2-4c80-ad7c-ef0c9ada0dd0">Re: DIY cake anyone?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: DIY cake anyone? : I'm actually not a fan of fondant at all, maybe it's just me wanting to spend money elsewhere but I think $2.00 a serving for 200 is expensive.....originally i planned on spending $250-$300 for a cake but maybe I'm being un realistic.  thats why I'm thinking about trying to DIY it.
Posted by justinnmandy[/QUOTE]

Keep looking around.  Ask your local board for recommendations.  I found a baker <em>in Philadelphia</em> who made an incredible three tiered cake for $150.00.  If you're near Cincinnati, I know there are small bakers who aren't expensive, I just can't think of any right now.

justinnmandy

well that gives me hope atleast! I'll definitly search more, and I have family comin from Cinci. so maybe I'll ask them also.....thanks for your info!

char6405

don't forget the costs involved in buying materials such as pans, mixer, spatulas, support systems and a cake stand.  then i'm assuming you only have a standard oven.  baking a cake for 200 is no small cake.  it will take you all day just to bake the cake and make the icing.  depending on the fillings and icing do you have refrigerator space for a large cake?

i make cakes for a living and i did not even do my own cake.  why?  well basically i had a million other things to think about the few days leading up to my wedding.  remember you want to enjoy the day, not be so stressed that you forget what the day really is for.

also if you are a perfectionist (or whatever) are you ready for the possibility that you are not able to make the cake as perfect as you are picturing?  it takes a lot of practice to get smooth icing, pipe borders and etc.

just a few things to think about.

its not as easy as it looks on all those cake shows on tv.  if you do decide to do it yourself, make a test cake first and practice before your big day!

good luck and congrats on your upcoming wedding!

SSaltzman87

I'll have to echo PPs in that cake making is definitely NOT as easy as it looks, even if you're just simply frosting it and not adding any detail work.

I think you'll just end up being more stressed out than you should be, leave this to the pros.

justinnmandy

now that I know if i just keep searching I might not have to spend $500 on a cake, I'll hold off.....and if i decided to try iti would definitly be doing it a few months before as a test run! thanks ladies

kaesha

If you haven't done it before, you HAVE to do a trial. And then, you need to figure out if the cost for the trial + the cost of the real cakes + the time and frustration involved < paying 2$ p/p.

ashhalsey

I am faking my cake.  Perhaps you could by one sheet cake of really delicious red velvet, then top it with cardboard or styrofoam, decorate it, and voila! Just cut the bottom layer, wheel the cake it back, and slice up the sheet cake. No one will know the difference and you won't have to pay upwards of $4 per serving (ridiculous!)

tldh

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-cake-anyone?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:54243dfb-fb4f-418b-b287-8bcf5317b404Post:12db1add-6e8b-409f-a79e-ddf291715081">Re: DIY cake anyone?</a>:
[QUOTE]I am faking my cake.  Perhaps you could by one sheet cake of really delicious red velvet, then top it with cardboard or styrofoam, decorate it, and voila! Just cut the bottom layer, wheel the cake it back, and slice up the sheet cake. No one will know the difference and you won't have to pay upwards of $4 per serving (ridiculous!)
Posted by ashhalsey[/QUOTE]

The decorating isn't as easy as it looks.  If you don't do it a lot, it's frustrating as can be.

Debbie111111

why not skip the cake?  or get it at the Walmart - they have tons of leftover cakes usually; that'd probably be the cheapest way to go.... good luck!

djshumway

I decorate cakes as a hobby...

Honestly, I would tell you not to take it on. The last 4 tier wedding cake I did took me 3-4 days.... there is a LOT of work that goes in to cakes, hence they are not cheap.

I made my fiance promise to do whatever it takes to stop me from doing my own cake.... brides have enough stress as is

alehayes

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_diy-cake-anyone?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:54243dfb-fb4f-418b-b287-8bcf5317b404Post:08165e8b-dac4-472b-905a-6c865688d720">Re: DIY cake anyone?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: DIY cake anyone? :<strong> Or just get your actual wedding cake from Wal Mart or from a local grocery bakery.  We did that and saved a TON of money.  We were actually going to go with Wal Mart (we did a tasting and it was really decent cake) but you have to pick a design exactly from their book and we couldn't find anything we liked</strong>.
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]

Walmart does actually make pretty good cakes.  My family's used them for birthday cakes a time or two.  They even do fillings.

I will say that if you really want to try and make your own cake, you should sign up for one of the Wilton cake decorating classes at Hobby Lobby.  You'll be able to learn basic cake decorating from an actual person and you'll get an idea for the kind of tools you'd need.

ASDH11

To be honest, making your own cake will be an added headache. A friend made her own wedding cake and it was a disaster!  Just go with a pro and choose buttercream.

jessuser01

I would say if you are a perfectionist in any way that maybe the DIY cake isn't such a good idea. No matter how hard you'll try the cake will NOT be the perfect vision you might be seeing. Cake is for the professional, but if you're really determined I would say stick to something simple.

neongreenbox

That would be quite a bit of work as everyone is saying. Check your local grocery stores as well - a lot of them will do afforable wedding cakes.

TLDH : can you share your secret Philly baker???

Thea519

I took the WIlton cake decorating classes at Michaels and made this cake for my bestfriend's wedding. It took me about 2 days, but it only cost me about $80.00 to make. Just something to consider!

shellyamf

I was considering making my own to save money too.  But after doing a lot of research on making my own cake, I decided to just spend the time searching for a great deal at a bakery.  I'm having a destination wedding in CO and trying to make a cake after I arrive while finishing all the little stuff seemed crazy.  That's just me though.  If you aren't travelling then you might have the time to make your own.  If so then I would recommend going with simple decorating.  Frost and use real/silk flowers or something.  It's your wedding but don't add extra stress you don't need! 

My wedding is also going to be very small so I've been looking at cupcakes with a small cutting cake to better fit my budget.  Just trying to get the idea approved by the fiance.  He's not sold on the cupcake thing yet.   But if you are going to do it yourself cupcakes are an option.  Again with easy frosting and a silk flower on top.  Seems pretty easy.  And now I feel like I'm talking myself back into DIY for me.  I did find a great website save-on-crafts.com that sells wedding cake stands and cupcake trees along with silk flowers and tons of other crafty wedding stuff.  They are very reasonable.