You learn something new every day. Today I learned not all cakes are created equal. This afternoon, I had the honor of joining one of my favorite couples in Temecula for their cake tasting. Christina and Alfred are the type of couple you could spend hours on end with and have a ton of fun! I feel incredibly blessed to be working with such an amazing couple on their upcoming wedding at a neighboring winery. Aren’t they a cute couple?
With only three months to go until “I Do,” it was time for Christina and Alfred to select the cake of their dreams. I always advise my couples to go to more than one cake tasting. This way they have something to compare against and can truly enjoy the experience. I met up with the couple around 1PM and by then, they had already gone to one cake tasting where they were not exactly sold on the experience. Yes, even the entire cake tasting experience can be a huge selling point when deciding on your dream wedding cake.
As the three of us sipped our lattes at a local Starbucks awaiting our meeting with the cake designer, we discussed how optimistic we were about this meeting. You see, our own Ponte Wedding Coordinator Caren Perez tipped me off to these stellar cakes created by Debbie McLaughlin. She told me they were to die for and that I absolutely have to try Cakes To Celebrate!
My bride also had a great feeling from the minute she talked over the phone with the owner. Christina even knew the exact flavors we would be tasting. Now if you haven’t done your cake tasting yet, you should know most bakeries will not allow you to taste the flavors of your choice. For that, you would need to purchase a cake or mini cake slice. If you give it some thought, it makes perfect sense. First, a quality bakery will never freeze their cake, as it completely distorts the taste. If you take the number of tastings in a week, multiplied by the requests of each couple, plus the fact that only a small amount is used in a cake tasting, that would be a lot of cake going to waste. So, it makes perfect sense you never really get the option to choose. So, when Christina told me she was excited because all the flavors she wanted to sample would be provided, I was pleasantly shocked.
Upon greeting us warmly, the three of us got down to some serious business with the owner of Cakes To Celebrate. Debbie brought out four trays loaded with undecorated mini cupcakes and quite a few containers filled with various scrumptious cake fillings. Providing mini cupcakes for sampling cake is a fabulous idea because it allows the couple to taste the flavors they are particularly interested in for their wedding cake.
Today we were sampling all of Christina’s favorites. Cake flavors included, White Almond Champagne, Chocolate Almond Champagne, French Vanilla and Dark Chocolate Fudge. The fillings included Coconut Pecan, Chocolate Mousse, Vanilla Bavarian Cream, White Chocolate Mousse and Chocolate Cream Cheese Mousse.
Let me tell you, all of us were in heaven sampling these cakes! The cake is incredibly moist and delicious. This is attributed to Debbie using champagne from the local wineries as part of the ingredients. Yes, champagne in your cake! So, if you are a fan of Almond Champagne, Pineapple Champagne, or better yet, the Rose Spumante from Ponte, then you can have your cake and eat it too! I had to tell Debbie about how delicious and popular the Moscato at Ponte is with all of our brides and wine club members. She is going to test that sparkling in one of her next cakes.. I’m really looking forward to sampling that cake! The fillings are equally delicious when paired with the cakes. It was difficult to decide but my favorite fillings were the Vanilla Bavarian Cream and Coconut Pecan. One filling I would love to try is the Tiramisu Filling; that has to be wonderful.
Taste alone is not what sets Cakes To Celebrate apart. The designs are like no other. Debbie has always loved baking and was pretty good at her designs, but she wanted to become even better. Therefore, she hopped a plane and flew all over the world learning from some of her favorite cake designers in the industry, which in her opinion, learning directly from these pros was the best form of education. Just check out some of these beauties!
Are you a bride that loves damask? One of my brides getting married at Ponte is using black linens with damask runners. When I saw this photo, I contacted her right away and told her she had to meet with Debbie.
Are you looking for a cake that picks up some of the delicacy of your wedding gown? Yes, Debbie can create that too! Just check out this cake that surely was inspired by a bridal gown. Notice the cake jewelry created in the form of a brooch.
Debbie views each cake as art, and wants you to be happy with the entire end product, therefore she works closely with your floral designer and takes much care in the application of the flowers on your cake. The type of cake stands she uses are innovative because they are made in such a way that they actually support the cake in transfer from the bakery to your venue. For this reason, she prefers that you use her cake stands. Therefore she does not charge you for the rental of the stand. Yes, this includes that cake stands adorned with crystals around the base. That truly is the icing on the cake!
Check out my favorite cake creation by Debbie. When she showed up at the venue to set up this cake, everyone labeled it as “The Cake of the Year.” Just one look and I’m sure you are in agreement. You’ve just got to love all that bling!
The greatest part of the tasting was hearing Alfred reflect on the entire experience, noting he had a good time and he felt the tasting was exactly how he thought a cake tasting for your wedding cake should be. Debbie, thank you for providing my couple with an amazing experience they will forever remember. Christina and Alfred, thank you for including me on your cake tasting with Cakes to Celebrate. I had a blast with the two of you and I can’t wait to see your amazing wedding cake. I just know it’s going to be gorgeous!
If you would like to schedule an appointment with Cakes to Celebrate to discuss creating the wedding cake of your dreams, you can contact Debbie at (888) 522-4996. You can view a sampling of her cake menu and more of her designs on her website. Check back soon within the next few months as I unveil something very unique that Debbie will be releasing very shortly. I promise you will be impressed!
By Kerry Pulverman
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