faq

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do you do sheet cakes?  Can I get a small cake for display and a lot of sheet cakes for serving?

 I make what the industry calls 'kitchen cakes', which are tall rounds of 3-4 layers of cake instead of single layer sheet cakes.  My kitchen cakes are built to the exact same specs as the wedding cake/display cake and therefore look absolutely no different when cut and plated, however are priced less per serving due to there not being decoration, leveling, stacking, and supporting required.  This makes for a classy, real slice of wedding cake served to each and every guest.  Please refer to the flavors menu for kitchen cake pricing.

can we only order a small cutting cake for us and our bridal party, and get all our extra servings from another bakery or grocery store?

No. I do not offer my work as a partial order for display, to be supplemented by cake/cupcake/sheet cake product purchased elsewhere from grocery stores, wholesale member clubs, or a friend or family member in bulk to serve to the remaining 80%+ of your guests. I hold myself to the highest standard concerning ingredients, processes, allergen concerns, equipment sanitation, and food safety. My cake isn’t shipped to me frozen in plastic wrap, and my buttercream doesn’t come in a bucket. When a guest asks where the cake came from and you say “The Baby Bird Bakery”, there needs to be no confusion on what slices I did or did not provide. I fully understand wanting to save money, but I have to be protective of my product and brand. This is another great reason to consider my Kitchen Cakes! They’re a fantastic way to stretch your budget, and then no one gets served a cube of sheet cake while watching the couple and a select few others dig into their beautiful slices. Special considerations may be made in advance on a case by case basis with established and licensed vendors who will only provide you with items I do not make, specific examples include doughnuts, ice cream, and ethnic or family heritage desserts. Your licensed caterer who offers non-cake items such as brownies, cookies, shooters, etc, with your dinner package is also acceptable. This clause is further outlined in the Terms & Conditions of all Event Contracts, and aided by the $400 minimum order for all weddings. And perhaps most importantly of all, don’t all of your lovely friends and family you’ve chosen to be with you on this day deserve to be served the same great product? No guest wants to feel they weren’t worthy of the same cake as everybody else!

I’ve read it’s cheaper to do a fake cake with several layers of styrofoam tiers, and then just serve kitchen cakes to everyone. Is this true?

This is a very common misconception that I still hear from time to time. The short answer is no.

The out-of-pocket cost of a fake tier is comparable to the cost of ingredients for a real cake between the surprisingly high cost of foam tiers, plus several pounds of real buttercream/fondant to cover that tier, plus the same supplies, materials, and most importantly—time and skill invested in decorating, stacking and supporting that tier. This results in significant added costs absorbed on the baker’s end, assuming all the real servings of cake you need for your guests are still being measured, mixed, baked, cut, filled, iced, and delivered, to be served straight out of the venue’s kitchen. Therefore, why would any baker do all this at a discount, and an allegedly significant one at that? This trend gained traction several years ago when bakeries would create dummy cakes to repeatedly rent out to multiple clients. Single use, custom fake cakes simply are not a viable option to stretch your budget, and in fact will cost around 10% more overall. Can they still be done? Of course! There are absolutely times when a fake cake is really practical (think, giant tiers) or even preferred (difficult structural designs, outdoor receptions in July (eek!), etc), but this does not make it cost less.

Can I have more than one flavor?

Of course!  The limit for any size wedding is 3 flavors total, however depending on the size of your guest list, just one or two total flavors may function better.   

dO YOU DELIVER?

Full delivery and set-up fees begin at $45, and can increase based upon additional travel distance required.  $400 is the minimum order required for delivery, subject to increase based upon the date and reception destination.

Do you stay and cut the cake?

I do not. The cutting of your cake is to be arranged by the client preferably via their experienced caterer. If you are not using a full service caterer, you’ll have to recruit a brave friend or family member for cutting duties.

Is it safe to put fresh flowers on my cake?

Absolutely!  (and yes, please do!)  Utilizing fresh floral is one of my favorite ways to accessorize a cake, not to mention a classic and cost effective design choice for the client.  Any floral used for the cake is to be set up by you through your florist, to ensure uniformity of the cake flowers with the centerpieces, bouquets, etc. At delivery, I will prepare and wrap the cut stems with waterproof floral tape for placement. Application of the floral to the cake is included in your delivery fee (full length cascades may be subject to a small additional fee).

Can I bring in a picture of a cake I found in a magazine/on a website to my cake tasting?

Definitely!  While I try to not replicate other's work verbatim, it absolutely serves as inspiration and a jumping off point that gives me an idea of the theme and style you're aiming for. 

What do I do with any cake equipment that isn't disposable?

My cakes are all built using either disposable or recyclable support materials, eliminating the need for the clients to return these items to me. Exceptions to this almost specifically pertain to display stands rented by the client with a refundable security deposit.   

Do you provide allergen-friendly desserts?

 I have a limited menu of some gluten-free and dairy-free options, as well as my products all being nut-free unless the specific flavor is nut based (i.e. Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk, Caramel Turtle, etc). I take extra precaution when an order is noted as having a food allergy/sensitivity, although I can never exclude the possibility of cross-contamination given the shared environment where I prepare all my product(s). Allergen-friendly cake(s) can be made in small amounts specifically for those who require these safe products for them to consume, but not for the entirety of your event, due to these products being very different from my signature cake and buttercream in flavor, texture and appearance. If you’re needing larger amounts of, or more varied options for these dietary concerns, I will recommend some local dedicated facilities for those items.