Cakes: Presentation or Taste?

By The Pug Father

At many parties and celebrations, the cake’s appearance takes precedence over the decorations and activities.  The host may think, “If the cake doesn’t shine, neither will I.” Some party planners will even sacrifice the cake’s taste for its appearance.  Ideally, I want my guests to be awestruck by my cake’s appearance, but I want them to be mesmerized by the cake’s taste as well. If I have a cake at an event, I want the entire package. 

Some hosts may think they can get over on children with fantastically decorated cakes that lack flavor.  However, I’ve attended a couple of children’s parties where the toddlers and young children wouldn’t even devour the icing on the perfectly decorated cake. 

 I’ve made the mistake of ordering cakes for my children’s parties without seeing a portfolio or sampling a cake before committing to purchasing the cakes.  I was caught up in finding cakes to complement the parties’ themes.  The cakes were edible, but the appearance of them wasn’t what I expected.

How do you find that perfect combination of design and tastiness?  When you’re at an event, don’t be fooled by a beautiful cake.  Just because it looks good doesn’t mean it will taste good. Taste it.  If it’s tasty, ask the host if she’d give you the baker’s information.  Never assume that you’ll be able to locate the baker on your own.  Even in a small town, there are many bakers without a commercial bakery, and they can be found only through referrals.  Even if a cake is offensive to your palette, I’d ask the host the baker’s name, so you can record it for future reference, too.

When hosting your party, don’t sacrifice a cake’s taste for its beauty.  It’s just not fair to your guests.

July 28th, 2009 by Yolanda D. Young | Posted in Cakes, Party Planning, Tips | (0)