FLAVOURS
Traditional Sponge - I use a recipe that has been passed down through 3 generations and as a child I fondly remember eating this cake at Nanna's and Grandpa's house when I went there for Saturday afternoon tea. The sponge is lighter and moister than a traditional Maderia cake and I am regularly complemented on how lovely it tastes. It can be filled with ganache or butter cream or, for extra flavour, jam can be added as well (raspberry is always my favourite).
Funfetti Cake - Enjoy the lovely flavour of traditional sponge but with a colourful twist. My funfetti cake has a bundle of rainbow funfetti mixed into the batter to give it a pretty and fun rainbow interior. For a little texture and extra crunch, the rainbow funfetti is also added to the butter icing and you can have it with or without Jam.
Light Fruit Cake - My light fruit sponge has all the lovely flavours of fruit cake, but in a much lighter sponge than a traditional rich fruit. And because it's a sponge it doesn't need marzipan. One to try if you don't like the idea of a rich fruit and marzipan but still want to celebrate with the traditional fruit flavours.
Chocolate Cake - This chocolate cake is a hit with everyone, young and old, and is based on my traditional sponge recipe mixed with Cadbury's chocolate. It can be filled with chocolate ganache or butter cream and as an extra chocolate treat I add chopped up chunks of chocolate to the filling.
Red Velvet - Based on a light chocolate cake, red velvet layered with a white chocolate ganache filling looks amazing when it is cut and served. But don't just stick with red, if you have a particular colour theme at your wedding, let me know, and I can see about making your cake to match on the inside as well as the outside.
Chocolate Orange Cake - Mixing the delicious flavour of my chocolate cake with fresh orange juice and zest, creates this hugely popular and slightly more unusual cake. I then give it an extra hit of orange with a double layer of chocolate ganache with chunks of Terry's chocolate orange.
Lemon Cake - Made with fresh lemon juice and zest, this light and refreshing sponge is made even more zesty with layers of lemon curd and white chocolate ganache or butter cream.
Morello Cherry & Chocolate - The chopped Morello cherries that I add to this chocolate mix give this cake a wonderful feel of black forest gateau, a dessert often associated with celebrations. With smooth chocolate ganache and a rich cherry preserve this cake is a great way to celebrate any special occasion.
Carrot Cake (optional walnut) - This is a lovely moist cake, filled with tangy lemon curd and white chocolate ganache or butter cream, is perfect if you want something a little different or as an alternative to fruit cake.
Raspberry & Almond Cake - The addition of raspberries enhances the flavour and texture of traditional sponge, giving a sweeter flavour and moister texture. Then add almonds and you have Raspberry Bakewell in a sponge! Another hugely popular choice at weddings, this cake seems to be a particular favourite with the men!
Raspberry & White Chocolate Cake - Instead of adding almonds some love to make the raspberry treat even more indulgent with the addition of white chocolate. Mixed with layers of white chocolate ganache and raspberry jam, this cake is a lovely treat for any occasion.
Strawberries & Champagne Cake - The perfect summer celebration in a cake. Fresh strawberries are mixed into the sponge along with Champagne to give a lovely fresh, summery celebration cake.
White Chocolate Cake - This cake is a real hit with white chocolate lovers. The white chocolate sponge is complemented by 2 layers of white chocolate ganache with white chocolate chunks. A sweet and very lovely cake (always reminds me of vanilla ice-cream).
Lime (or Lemon) and Coconut - A lovely mix of zesty lime/lemon with coconut, creates a refreshing celebration cake. The cake is layered with white chocolate ganache or butter icing enhanced with either lime or lemon curd to give that extra zesty hit of flavour.
Lemon and Elderflower - New for 2019
A summery alternative to lemon with subtle hints of floral elderflower, layered with lemon and white chocolate ganache.
Elderflower and Champagne - New for 2019
The popularity of Elderflower has increased massively in recent years and this is a lovely floral summer cake which is given the special celebratory treatment with the addition of champagne essence. This cake is layered with white and Elderflower ganache.
Tropical & Coconut Cake - First made for a couple who wanted a cake to remind them of their tropical wedding abroad (and their pina coladas), this cake features flavours of mango, pineapple and passion fruit, mixed with subtle textures and flavours of coconut. This sponge is layered with white chocolate ganache and passion fruit curd for extra tropical punch.
Cherry Cake (with optional coconut) - Another cake that reminds me of traditional afternoon teas, with chopped pieces of glace cherry and additional coconut, not forgetting 2 layers of gloriously indulgent smooth white chocolate ganache and cherry jam.
Oreo Cake - This sponge is made with crushed Oreos both in the cake and in the filling, creating the perfect cake for Oreo fans. This is a great alternative to a chocolate sponge.
Salted Caramel Cake - Made with a dark sugar sponge, lashings of white chocolate ganache and salted caramel, this cake is a real treat for salted caramel lovers. Don't think about the calories though - just indulge!!
Biscoff Cake - Made with a dark sugar sponge and spices to remind you of Biscoff biscuits, layered with white chocolate ganache, Biscoff paste, this cake is a real treat for Biscoff fans. Very indulgent!
Mint Chocolate Cake - Described by many as an "After Eight in a cake", this minty sponge is a great alternative to after dinner mints. With added chunks of mint Matchmakers in the mint chocolate ganache, what more could you ask for in a mint cake.
Chocolate & Coconut Cake - My husband loves bounty bars so I thought I'd give it a go in a cake and hey presto, my chocolate and coconut cake was created. Lovely moist chocolate cake with coconut, complemented by a layer of chocolate and coconut ganache.
Rich Fruit Cake - Made with loads of boozy brandy, sherry and cherry brandy and heaps of dried fruit, these cakes will need time to mature, so the longer I have to get them prepared, the better they will slice - at least 6 weeks notice is ideal. Please note, short notice fruit cakes may have a tendency to crumble as they are cut, but will still taste great.
Gluten Alternative Sponge - Coming from a family with members who can't have gluten, I've spent a lot of time perfecting my gluten alternative sponge. This light sponge can be made in a variety of flavours such as lemon, raspberry and chocolate and those eating it often comment that they didn't know they were eating a gluten alternative cake as it tasted so good. Please see my terms and conditions before ordering a gluten alternative sponge for more important information on allergens.
Egg or Dairy Alternative Sponge - I am also able to make cakes without eggs or dairy, which work particularly well in many of the flavours available above. Please see my terms and conditions before ordering an egg or dairy alternative sponge for more important information on allergens.
Your favourite - Many of my most popular flavours were developed as special requests from clients, so don't be afraid to ask, I am always willing to try out something new (and you get to sample it first!).
FILLINGS
White chocolate ganache or milk chocolate ganache - a smooth, luxurious and indulgent filling ideal for weddings and tiered cakes.
Buttercream -Traditional and a favourite particularly in celebration cakes.
Jam - adding a layer of jam, whether its strawberry, raspberry, bramble jelly or cherry, adds a little something extra to the flavour of the cake.
Lemon or Passion Fruit Curd - a tangy addition to lemon and tropical fruit cakes
Chocolate Chips - a must have addition to all my chocolate cakes, available in white, milk, mint and chocolate orange
A touch of liquer - if you like liquer flavours in your cakes, please let me know as these can often be added in essence form.
Your favourite - if you have a particular filling you love, then just let me know.
COVERINGS/ICINGS
Fondant - a very flexible rolled icing that provides a lovely smooth finish. Fondant is ideal for celebration and wedding cakes as it is stable in hotter temperatures. Does not need to be chilled before serving.
Butter Icing - very popular at the moment and good for textures and those who don't like fondant. Susceptible to the heat, particularly over the summer and very delicate - wont withstand accidental damage. All cakes made in butter icing will be stabilised with ganache around the fillings and as an base coating under the butter icing to reduce the risk of bulging, slipping, cracking etc. These cakes need to be displayed away from any heat sources or direct sun.
Ganache - increasingly being used instead of butter icing as it is more durable in the heat. Gives a lovely smooth finish. Again ganache will not cope well in direct sunlight or extreme temperatures and will melt just like any chocolate.
Whether you are arranging a celebration cake for yourself, a friend or a loved one, there are a few simple steps you can take to make it run smoothly. Follow these steps and then let me do the rest of the work for you.
- Think about how you want the cake to look - Don't worry, you don't have to design the cake yourself but it is good to have a general feel for the sort of cake you'd like. The many cake galleries on this site can help you, or you can have a look on-line for further inspiration. This will help to give me a starting point for designing your cake. Don't forget all cakes are bespoke and can be adapted to any colour, theme, have elements added or removed, be made taller or smaller, be adapted to different sizes etc, etc.
- Think about how many people you want the cake to feed - my portion guide may help you with this.
- Think about what flavours you might like - take a look at my extensive list of flavours.
- Think about what icing finish you want - you can have no icing (known as naked), a thin layer of butter icing (known as semi-naked), a full coat of butter icing, coloured icing, textured icing, ganache or fondant.
- Make sure you know what date your want the cake for - This should be the actual date you are planning to present or eat the cake. We can then talk about collection timings. Please note that I ask for all celebration cakes to be collected from my home in Hockley, Essex. Please let me know if you need to arrange delivery (the cost of which will be calculated on a distance/time basis).
- Contact Finesse Cakes via email to check availability on
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - I aim to let you know my availability within 24 hours. My initial confirmation of availability is only provisional and is not secured in the diary or confirmed until a booking deposit has been received. Your booking deposit will usually be 50% of the cost of the cake. If you wish to secure your booking immediately, please let me know.
- Discuss design - Once I've let you know if I'm available we can then start discussing the design and collection arrangements. This is usually in the form of messages via email during which I will guide you on any ideas/options/info I need. At this stage I will usually be able to provide a guide price so you can decide if you wish to proceed with the cake.
- Receive full quote - Once you've let me know you are happy with the guide price, I will email you a full written schedule detailing all aspects of your cake. This document will include details for making you deposit payment and securing your booking.
- Make you deposit payment - Once you have made your deposit payment, please let me know so that I can confirm receipt - this will be in for form of an updated schedule again sent via email. If you have any queries regarding your cake between this stage and when the balance is due, please let me know as soon as possible via email. We can then discuss and make adjustments to the schedule/balance as necessary.
- 2 weeks before your cake collection date - please send over your final balance payment and let me know once done. If I don't hear from you around this time, I will drop you a reminder email. Once payment is made, I will confirm receipt via email. We will also finalise collection arrangements at this time. Collection is usually from 7pm the evening before or between 9-10am on the actual day.
- Collect your Cake - please collect your cake at the time arranged or let me know if you are delayed so that alternative arrangements can be made. Please note it may not always be possible to accommodate short notice changes to collection time.
- After your cake - I really appreciate feedback as it helps to maintain my very high standards and is also great to share with my future clients. I will have taken loads of photos of your cake and will post them on my website and social media from about a week after your event (although this sometimes takes a bit longer). If you have any objections to me posting photos of your cake, please let me know asap.
Planning your wedding cake is such an exciting time and although you might be a little daunted at first, there are a few really simple step to follow:
- Secure your venue and wedding date before contacting Finesse Cakes - the key information I need before we do anything is your wedding date as unfortunately I'm unable to provide any quotes or information on availability without a booked date and confirmation of your venue.
- Contact Finesse Cakes by emailing
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to check availability - I aim to let you know my availability within 24 hours. My initial confirmation of availability is only provisional and is not secured in the diary or confirmed until a booking deposit has been received. If you'd like to secure your date immediately you can pay a booking deposit of £100 and then carry on making all the necessary arrangements (just let me know if you'd like to do this as soon as possible so I can send over paperwork and relevant payment details). If you prefer to wait until after you've had your consultation, that's fine, and I'll always try to give you warning if anyone else is interested in your date to help avoid disappointment. - Book your consultation and cake tasting - Consultations cost £20 (payable by bank transfer in advance) and are usually held weekday evenings around 8.30pm. Some daytime or weekend appointments are available on request. Consultations usually last about an hour/hour and a half and are held at my home in Hockley, Essex (payment and address details will be supplied). I can comfortably accommodate between 2-4 people at the consultation, but remember to let me know who is coming so I can get out enough samples. Please also ensure I know about any allergies or intolerances in advance. The cost of your consultation is deducted from the total cost of your wedding cake once you have paid your deposit.
- Prior to your consultation, think about your themes/colours and style of cake you might like - take a look through my extensive galleries of wedding cakes for inspiration or searches online can also be useful. Spending time to think about your cake and looking at pictures will soon get you thinking about styles you like and more importantly styles you don't like! Feel free to bring photos/theme and colour ideas to your consultation as this will also help. Although not necessary, it is often good to already have a feel for how your overall wedding theme and flowers will look as these elements often influence your cake design.
- Come along to your consultation (and be prepared to eat plenty of cake!) - during your consultation we'll talk about your cake ideas, preferences and requirements, and I usually draw up a design(s) as we chat. We also chat about delivery and set-up options and any extras such as cake stands/cake menus. You will then also get to try a wide selection of different cake samples so that you can select which flavours you'd like.
- Receive your quote - shortly after your consultation I will email over your quote. This will take the form of a schedule detailing all aspects of your cake, along with deposit payment details and your cake sketches.
- Confirm your booking - if you are happy with your quote and haven't already done so, you can now pay your deposit to confirm your booking and secure your date in the diary. You will receive updated paperwork confirming receipt of any payments made. Remember you are welcome to contact me at any stage if you have any queries. Email always works best for this.
- 6 weeks before your wedding - I will contact you again to finalise arrangements and at this stage your balance will be due (again by bank transfer). If you wish to make any balance payments prior to this date, or if you have any queries, just let me know.
- During the week of your wedding - I contact your venue to finalise delivery and set-up arrangements and I will drop you an email to keep you updated on the delivery plans.
- Day of Wedding - unless otherwise arranged, I will set your cake up at your venue as arranged. I always take loads of photos of the cake once I've set it up!!
- After your Wedding - if requested and discussed previously, please return cake stand(s) to me or arrange for someone else to return it. Although I will have taken loads of photos of your cake, I would love to see any photos you get of you both cutting the cake as I have a "Couples Gallery" featuring many of my weddings. I also really appreciate feedback as it helps to maintain my very high standards and is also great to share with my future couples. I always try to add my latest cakes to my website and social media platforms (although it sometimes takes a while). If you have any objections to me using photos of your cake, please let me know asap.
Jo and Jonathan's original wedding date had been in May 2020 so had to be postponed due to Covid. After several attempts at new dates, the couple decided to get married with a very small socially distanced wedding in 2021, at which they had a single tier version of their cake.
Not wanting to miss out of the wedding they had planned, they celebrated in style with all their friends and family in November 2022 at Apton Hall and this is their 4 tier cake. Some of you may notice a theme to this cake, which as a cake maker, is such good fun to work with. Yes Guns N' Roses!!
The yellow and red roses individually handcrafted in icing reflected the Guns N' Roses colours, their personalised wedding invitation design (and logo on the front of the cake in edible print) closely reflected the Guns N' Roses logo and their hand sculpted icing toppers were based on scenes from the "November Rain" video with Axl, his bride and of course Slash on the guitar.
Such a lovely couple deserved the perfect day after all the rearranging and delays and they even had a little "November Rain". Sending congratulations to Jo and Jonathan and very best wishes for a wonderful future together.
Jess & Sam had been so patient with numerous changes to their wedding plans due to Covid restrictions, but when their special day finally arrived it was just beautiful.
Jess & Sam chose a fondant iced design, with soft blue marbling, hand-painted personalised monogram, hessian wrap, fresh flowers and delicate floral swag stencilling, which captured their country theme perfectly.
Their 3 flavours were Carrot & Walnut, Salted Caramel and Champagne & Elderflower, all double layered with indulgent white chocolate ganache. The cake was surrounded with the most stunning floral display creating the perfect backdrop for Sam & Jess's cake cutting ceremony later in the day.
Sending Sam & Jess heaps of congratulations and wishing them every happiness for the future.
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Designed & Managed By Sue Field - Finesse Cakes (est. 2009)