Real or Faux Cake? That is the question.

We are in the month of March and are approaching the Spring Wedding Season. During this time of year, many couples will be attending bridal shows with their planners to look for qualified cake vendors to be a part of their big day.   They will be looking at Pinterest to gather ideas for their ideal wedding cake. That dream may be diminished when they learn of the price of the cake! As a result, they will look for options to get that cake at a lower price.  There are published blogs that state the best way to save money is to 'Skip the real cake, and get a faux cake with sheet cakes.' The purpose of this blog is to discuss the Myth around Real and Faux wedding cakes, and discuss when a Faux is a better option.

Real of Faux Cakes

What is a Faux Cake? A Faux Cake (also known as a Dummy Cake) is a cake made out of Styrofoam Cake Blocks. These tiers are the same diameter and height of a regular cake tier (4 to 5 inches high). These cakes are decorated with fondant, sugar flowers, bling, etc.,  and may be stacked with a center dowel to support. The only different is that it cannot be eaten. The cake is basically a show piece.

A Real Wedding Cake is a real cake that is baked, covered with fondant, and decorated according to the bride's specifications.

Biggest Misconception

The biggest misconception that is conveyed to brides to cut costs is to  'Order a Faux Cake and get Kitchen Cakes to serve their guests!'  This could not be further from the truth.  Let's look at the example listed below:

Example:  A bride is planning a wedding for 350 guests and would like a seven-tiered cake.  Her budget does not support the amount required for a cake to feed 350 guests. Therefore, she inquires about the option of getting a whole faux cake with sheet cakes.  This scenario is a pricier option.  Let's think of it in terms of time and materials.  To make the faux cake, you need to buy the styrofoam, which would equal the price of baking ingredients.  The faux cake needs to be covered in fondant, decorated, and stacked.  You still need to bake the sheet cakes. Therefore, this it twice the amount of work.  The more time and materials used, the more it will cost. The better option would be to get a smaller cake for 150 or 200 guests and obtain sheet cakes to feed your guests.  You could also look at the possibility of supplementing one of the cake tiers for a faux tier for extra height.

Well, when should a bride look to use a faux cake?  A Faux cake should be utilized in the following scenarios:

Wants a showpiece and doesn't care about the cake or cost. A Faux cake should never be used as a cost saving option.

1. Wants a showpiece and doesn't care about the cake or cost. A Faux cake should never be used as a cost saving option.

2. Has a wedding with 250 or more guests and is concerned with the lead-time required to break down and serve the cake to guests.

3. Has an outside wedding, and the cake needs to sit in warm temperatures for an extended amount of time.

As you can see, a Faux Cake is not the best option when trying to cut costs. It is always best to work with your event planner to determine your cake budget and let the cake professional tell you the best option.

Let us know your thoughts. Please leave a comment below or share with your future brides or colleagues.