Do's and dont's of ordering a bespoke celebration cake!

Here are some tips for people who wish to order a bespoke cake form a home cake maker.

Do your research. – When looking for a cake maker, browse or ask for previous examples of work completed by the cake maker. This will give you a guide as to the finish you can expect on your cake and also the price range the cake maker may offer.

Do start any conversation with ‘Hi’, ‘Hello’ or something polite. - This may seem obvious but very often a cake maker will receive a message along the lines of ‘How much is a cake’

Do give as much information as possible. - A cake maker will need to know approximately how many portions you would like from your cake, how many tiers and as much detail as possible regarding the design you would like.

Don’t expect a price in your first message without giving any details of what you would like. - The ‘How much is a cake?’ question is never going to be answered with a price. It’s like going into a shop and asking ‘How much is a loaf of bread?’ The price of a cake depends on many different factors and is priced accordingly.

Don’t expect a message to be answered within 5 minutes. – Answering enquiries requires the cake maker to make decisions, this may require checking the diary, calendar or details of the order already placed. Just because messages are now received on smart phones does not mean that answers can be given immediately after they are received. A cake maker will often set aside specific times where they will answer enquiries, (often after midnight when cakes have been finished) when they can sit down with their order book and diary and answer enquiries. Most cake makers will aim to answer messages within 24-48 hours.

Don’t be afraid to say thanks but no thanks. – When making an enquiry a cake maker will assume that you are shopping around for the best price. If you have asked for a quote, this will mean that the cake maker will have to take time to work out a quote for you based on your exact requirements, this all takes time. If you have found another cake maker to fulfil your order then at least thank that cake maker for taking the time to calculate you a quote.

Don’t ever start an enquiry with “I have been let down by another cake maker…’. – This just explains that the cake maker you are asking for a cake (usually at short notice) is not your first choice. No one wants to be second best!

Don’t comment on pictures of cakes on Facebook with ‘hm’. – Apparently this is a person’s way of asking ‘How much is this cake please?’ Maybe I’m just getting old but PLEASE write properly and have manners!

Do turn up on time to collect your cake. – If you have arranged a time to collect your cake then try to collect on time, understandably sometimes this cannot be avoided. A cake maker does not have time to wait at home for hours on end waiting for customers to arrive. A home cake maker will often have children and another job; therefore time management is crucial and customers turning up on time are greatly appreciated.

Do expect to get what you pay for. - If you are shopping around for the cheapest quote, do not expect to get the best cake. Remember ‘Cheap cake is not good and good cake is not cheap’. If you are paying Primark prices you cannot expect Gucci quality.

Don’t expect to pay the same price as your local supermarket. – A bespoke cake means that the cake has been made to your individual requirement especially for you. A cake is not just butter, sugar, eggs and flour, there are fillings, sugar paste, boards, ribbons, packaging and none of this include the hours of time spent making the cake. Remember you are paying someone to make a cake for you; their time is not free. Would you work for less than minimum wage? Most cake makers do and they do this well into the night, as most things take longer than planned.

Do order the cake for the date you want to collect. – If the party is one 1st of the month and you want to collect the day before, then order your cake for the day before not the day of the party. It may not seem like much of a difference to you to collect a day early, but when all work is planned out, trying to complete a cake a day early is sometimes impossible. Remember you are not the only customer.

Don’t ask for a picture of the cake before you collect. – Cakes will always look better when you collect them and photos never do them justice. Also after spending many hours creating a cake for a customer, it is nice to see their reaction when they collect. In fact this can sometimes be the best part.

Don’t expect a reply to a text message sent late at night. – You would not expect New Look to answer enquiries at midnight and neither can cake makers.

Don’t send ???? 5 minutes after a message. – Yes a cake maker may have seen your message and logged that it requires a reply, but time is set aside to answer messages. Personally this makes my reply less of a priority.

Don't ask for a replica of another persons cake - you may have found the exact perfect cake for you, but a cake maker cannot replicate someone else's work without their permission.

Do make adequate arrangement to transport your cake. - The best place to transport a cake is in the boot of your car. This is the most stable place for your cake. Back seats are slanted and are not suitable for cakes that need to be kept level. The footwell is small and can make it difficult to get cakes into and out of. The lap of a passenger holding a cake is unstable. After paying a lot of money for a bespoke cake, you at least want to get it home in one piece.

Don't ask for a mock cake to be made so you can see what your actual cake will look like. - This requires as much time to make as your actual cake and is not included in the price. if you have done your research and like the work of your chosen cake maker then you need to trust them and know they will do a good job for you.