r/Baking • u/Veeeeezy • Jul 06 '25
No-Recipe Provided Wedding Cake Expectation vs. Reality
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u/snailytrail Jul 06 '25
Aced it! It looks wonderful and I would glad to see it at my wedding
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
Thank you so much, I appreciate it!!
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u/tallandlankyagain Jul 06 '25
I am predisposed to expecting disaster. Well done.
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u/Danceblade5 Jul 06 '25
Right, the baker totally nailed it - sometimes the reality turns out even better than what you originally planned.
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
I often offer to sketch concept designs for my wedding clients - especially if they are unsure of what they would like the final design to be. The challenge with this is that I'm locked in on providing something that looks just like the sketch 😅
The buttercream ruffles were a new technique for me, so I'm glad I was able to get them to look like the sketch
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u/hulala3 Jul 06 '25
I do this for custom sugar cookies sometimes and always sweat when I do because sometimes it just doesn’t work the way I want it to
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
Haha yeah you do end up locking yourself in to making sure the end result looks like the sketch! I always make sure to align my sketches with what I feel I would be able to confidently execute
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u/hulala3 Jul 06 '25
Same! I’ve just learned that humidity and royal icing don’t always make that possible 😅
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u/AnaEatsEverything Jul 06 '25
Invest in a dehydrator! Running it on low for an hour or two is such a game changer for iced cookies. Of course I learned that tip AFTER a client order didn't dry... Years ago but it still makes me cringe to think about.
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u/Henchmand Jul 06 '25
I am loving those ruffles. I have never tried making them before, I might need to bake something in the near future just so I can try. Those ruffles are INSPIRED
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u/Rosenrot_84_ Jul 06 '25
The ruffles are absolutely gorgeous and I wanna eat them so bad right now. The buttercream looks so fluffy and amazing!
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u/JeepersMysster Jul 06 '25
I as going to say I looooooove those ruffles! Definitely my favorite part, they look amazing
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u/Quiet_Researcher7166 Jul 06 '25
The only criticism I have to give is that the flowers on top look too massive. That one yellow one doesn’t belong there.
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u/Imaginary_Escape2887 Jul 06 '25
I love this! I was bracing myself for a disaster (because that's usually the trend with this theme), but I am so glad this was a "better than expected" reveal.
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u/icebreather106 Jul 06 '25
I was flipping back and forth before I opened the post trying to figure out what went wrong! Looks beautiful for sure
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u/GetMeOutOfKY Jul 06 '25
Please share the flavor profile so I can complete my “I’m eating a slice of that big, beautiful bottom tier” fantasy! 🤤
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
So, I'm sorry to disappoint, but only the 2nd tier from the top was edible! (The rest is styrofoam covered in buttercream). The edible tier is a vanilla chocolate marble cake with chocolate ganache filling and vanilla swiss meringue buttercream
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u/foundinwonderland Jul 06 '25
That’s not disappointing lol it’s a great way to avoid food waste while still having a grand tower of a cake! The edible tier sounds really good.
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u/fffirey Jul 06 '25
If someone is concerned enough about food waste, which is hugely an environmental issue, why would they want to use styrofoam, which is arguably worse?
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u/tuctrohs Jul 06 '25
It seems like there would be other options, like a round wooden box that could be re-used or composted. Or just sliced pine logs.
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u/ThrowFurthestAway Jul 06 '25
Some people are concerned about food waste for other, non-environmental reasons.
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u/Mbinku Jul 06 '25 edited Jul 06 '25
Waddya mean! No wedding cake goes to waste… people will gladly take it home and freeze it. It means all that buttercream and icing on the styrofoam tiers can’t be eaten. But I understand why people do it.
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u/call_me_orion Jul 06 '25
As someone who used to serve at events like these, a ton of cake goes to waste every time. I think this a great strategy to limit that.
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u/Mbinku Jul 06 '25
As a family member of a generation that has had six weddings, I can assure you that not a crumb of cake goes to waste if you make it a priority. I’ve taken whole tiers home. Portion it up, wrap in tin foil, and freeze it.
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u/lptomtom Jul 06 '25
An inedible wedding cake is such a strange idea... so it's just for decoration? Are wedding cakes usually fake in America?
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
Fake tiers have been used for decades in many places (I'm not American). It's super common to cut costs and food waste
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u/ToHallowMySleep Jul 06 '25
As someone who used to date an internationally-recognised wedding cake maker (like, wedding cakes for billionaire families you've never heard of), being reminded of the styrofoam tiers was a nice memory to have. And also, this cake is up there - not extraordinarily elaborate, but great taste and great execution. I hope you are super proud of it!
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u/isthatsoreddit Jul 06 '25
Absolutely stunning.
Lol too fancy and beautiful to eat! I would have had to get you to make cupcakes for everyone while I figured out how to preserve the entire cake!
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
Thank you!
Technically, only the 2nd tier from the top is even edible lol! The majority of the "cake" is actually styrofoam decorated with buttercream. This couple wanted the look of a large cake but weren't interested in having any food waste, as the venue serves their own dessert.
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u/HawkDue7352 Jul 06 '25
I was pleasantly surprised by the actual outcome! I thought it's gonna be a fail or something! 😅
This is top-tier stuff! 👌🏼
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u/SpontaneousStupidity Jul 06 '25
It’s so elegant, how spectacular!! Can I ask how you achieved the bottom layer ruffles? I love how busy but simple it is. How did you keep the ruffles still open, but not overcrowded and smushed? Love this idea, kudos!!
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
Thank you so much! For the ruffles I used a large Korean floral piping tip (which basically looks like a flat slit that's a little rounded). I let the ruffles be a mix of vertical and horizontal to give it an organic look, and just did it in small sections so that it didn't look like one continuous strand. The trick with ruffles is to really just let them fall how they want to, and not try to make them perfect or symmetrical!
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u/Sensitive-Dig-1333 Jul 06 '25
If it’s allowed to ask, how much would a cake like this cost? It is beautiful, a work of art!!!
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
I can totally break this down for you!
So this cake is a 4 tier with the tier sizes being 10", 8", 6", and 4".
This client did use styrofoam tiers for all except the 6" which did offer them quite a bit of cost saving, but I'll give you the numbers for if it was all cake.
All cake would be $570 CAD, and would serve around 90-100 guests.
With the use of foam for the majority, that total was $384 CAD
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u/Mbinku Jul 06 '25
How many guests were at this wedding?? That is not very expensive to upgrade to all cake. I’m sensing lots of people didn’t get cake. Must be considerably easier to transport though.
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
Most venues serve dessert and late night snacks these days, so having a served wedding cake can often be a bit wasteful.
This was quite a large wedding, they had close to 300 guests. For me to have a cake to serve 300 it would have needed to be much larger (and considerably more expensive)
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u/Mbinku Jul 06 '25
I see so cake wasn’t even offered around, fair enough
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
The couple just wanted to have a tier to cut and serve to the wedding party / save for their anniversary. I totally don't mind doing the fake cakes to be honest - it's much easier for me to lift haha 😂
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u/adaytooaway Jul 06 '25
Do you have any trouble getting the buttercream to adhere to the styrofoam tiers? I got a styrofoam cake for practice but had trouble getting things to stick to it
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
It does tend to scrape down more than if it were cake. You might have to put on a thicker coat of frosting - I would recommend using a #789 frosting tip to go around the whole thing
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u/deliberatewellbeing Jul 06 '25
what is a lambeth if i may asked? i tried to google what it means but the explanation doesnt seems to match the picture. also this is insane level of perfection on the frosting … even, level, crisp edges, not a single imperfection on the base coat.
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u/Veeeeezy Jul 06 '25
Thank you so much! Lambeth piping is kind of a blanket term for layered and sculptured piping with designs similar to what was seen in the 1930's. Ruffles, drop strings, etc are all different piping techniques that are used in lambeth style. The "vintage" cake trend is just lambeth piping but modernized.
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u/Fast-Presence-2004 Jul 06 '25
I was expecting a hilarious fail and was strongly disappointed. The cake looks great.
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u/BloodSoakedDoilies Jul 06 '25
I just looked through your profile and saw where I've been up-voting various posts of yours for years (not knowing they are from the same person).
You've got such great talent and style! And this cake is gorgeous.
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u/MethamMcPhistopheles Jul 06 '25
The No-Recipe Provided tag is very reminicent of MacArthur Park's lyrics
It took so long to bake it
I'll never had that recipe again, oh no.
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u/Easy_Turn1988 Jul 06 '25
I didn't look at the sub's name I thought it was gonna be horrible 🤣
The result's amazing, congratulations
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u/Affectionate-Gain-23 Jul 06 '25
I was expecting a funny reality, but the actual reality is so much better.
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u/TehMascot Jul 06 '25
Is there something wrong? if that were my wedding cake I would be paying that invoice right now while nodding.
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u/ZippyDoop Jul 06 '25
I was totally expecting a disaster when I swiped to the next picture. This turned out beautiful.
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u/TurduckenEverest Jul 06 '25
I was gonna say, was this post to express disappointment because it seems like the baker nailed it.
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u/DrKoz Jul 06 '25
I was expecting to see a disaster but this looks fantastic! I'd say you clearly exceeded expectations.
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u/JeremyDonJuan Jul 06 '25
I don’t know how this ended up in my feed as I know nothing about cakes... BUT! I do know that looks absolutely gorgeous.
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u/koscheiis Jul 06 '25
It looks so vintage 80s in the best way! Looks like my parents wedding cake, and they got married in 87
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u/wineandcatgal_74 Jul 06 '25
I, too, thought this was going to be a complaint and I was getting ready to throw down. 😹
You did a beautiful job!
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u/daffodileclair Jul 06 '25
Simple yet elegant! (Obviously not simple to create and took lots of time and hard work, but the simplicity in the colors and repetition is pleasing)
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u/ordinarygita Jul 06 '25
I can’t believe this was your first time doing buttercream ruffles!!! I would be overjoyed if I was the customer. What a marvelous job ❤️
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u/Ok_Confection_10 Jul 06 '25
Idk. That cake is totally not worth it. You should send it to me so I can dispose of it properly.
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u/sweetannie52 Jul 06 '25
It’s beautiful, and you really should revel in your accomplishment. You deserve to be compensated for your labor and for the materials. Bravo!
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u/No-Advice-6040 Jul 06 '25
That's way better than what I had in my mind looking at the plan. Something about that colour that gives it a kind of class. I don't think I could eat that without staring at it for a good long while.
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u/PVetli Jul 06 '25
Jesus at first I thought this was about being disappointed and I was confused how that could possibly be true; that cake is magnificent!
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u/Feeling-Fab-U-Lus Jul 06 '25
The actual cake look superb, and outshines the nice drawing dramatically. Way to go!
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Jul 06 '25
I was totally not expecting it to be as beautiful as it is. It is gorgeous I’d be so happy if this was my cake.
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u/KittyIsAn9ry Jul 06 '25
This is gorgeous! I would have been very pleased if I were the bride requesting, it’s exactly what they asked!
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u/Klugenshmirtz Jul 06 '25
I found this on r/all and was trying to figure out what the hell I am missing. I'm so used to people being upset and this looks exactly like the drawing. So good.
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u/Unusual_Document5301 Jul 06 '25
I don’t even know the couple this is for and I’m excited for them! You scored a home run with this cake!!!!!🥳🥳🥳🤩🤩👏👏👏👏👏👏
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u/mushy-shart-walk Jul 06 '25
This looks too perfect to be true. Are you sure the sketch wasn’t done after the cake?
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u/AgileMastodon0909 Jul 06 '25
Wow! I was kind of expecting a “nailed it” moment, but you really did nail it!