I thought Id' take this opportunity to show you all exactly what you'll get inside a That's Sweet! cake :)
As you all know - I bleat on and on about priding myself on the quality and flavour of my cakes. For me, cake has to be about he taste first and foremost. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of 'pop-up' cake decorators out there these days that don't share the same philisophy. I guess there is a place for packet mixes and 'cheap-end' cakes that serve the primary purpose of 'decoration' at events - but for me - I like knowing I offer the entire package :)
As you all know - I bleat on and on about priding myself on the quality and flavour of my cakes. For me, cake has to be about he taste first and foremost. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of 'pop-up' cake decorators out there these days that don't share the same philisophy. I guess there is a place for packet mixes and 'cheap-end' cakes that serve the primary purpose of 'decoration' at events - but for me - I like knowing I offer the entire package :)
All of my cakes are made from scratch using only the finest ingredients. No premixes or compound chocolate or magarine. Only the 'real stuff' - and the top end of it! That's step one. Step two is to take time to hand make an array of syrups, fillings and sauces to layer between the cake. I spend may hours perfecting recipes so that most of the filings you'll find in my cakes are unique to That's Sweet! cakes.
Take this snickers cake in the image for example. If you find a decorator who does layer and fill your cakes, chances are they'll make you a snickers cake by just chopping up some pre-bought snickers bars and throwing them into the mix. Not me :) If you order a snickers cake from me, I set about creating a whole cake that resembles eating a snickers bar - not just making it taste like one by throwing some snickers bars in it! That means I physically make batches of chewy, peanut nougat and stretchy, creamy caramel sauce and then stuff them generously into big fat layers of chocolate fudge cake. It tastes devine - and not a premade snickers bar in sight!
Step three is to wrap the entire cake in premium couveture chocolate. Couveture chocolate is considered the best you can buy to bake with and comes at a much higher price than the commonly used baking chocolate you get from your local Woolies store! Couveture is what the professionals use because it has a superior flavour and complexity profile. It's smooth and not grainy - and less sickly sweet that regular chocolate. It turns a nice cake into a beautifully rich and indulgent cake. All my mud cakes are wrapped in high end couveture chocolate.
Take this snickers cake in the image for example. If you find a decorator who does layer and fill your cakes, chances are they'll make you a snickers cake by just chopping up some pre-bought snickers bars and throwing them into the mix. Not me :) If you order a snickers cake from me, I set about creating a whole cake that resembles eating a snickers bar - not just making it taste like one by throwing some snickers bars in it! That means I physically make batches of chewy, peanut nougat and stretchy, creamy caramel sauce and then stuff them generously into big fat layers of chocolate fudge cake. It tastes devine - and not a premade snickers bar in sight!
Step three is to wrap the entire cake in premium couveture chocolate. Couveture chocolate is considered the best you can buy to bake with and comes at a much higher price than the commonly used baking chocolate you get from your local Woolies store! Couveture is what the professionals use because it has a superior flavour and complexity profile. It's smooth and not grainy - and less sickly sweet that regular chocolate. It turns a nice cake into a beautifully rich and indulgent cake. All my mud cakes are wrapped in high end couveture chocolate.
So yes, my cakes do cost a little more than your average cake decorator. And for many people, they'll never be able to justify the difference. Many people just don't appreciate a high quality cake. Lord knows I've seen a flood of verrrry mediocre cake decorators turning over enough orders to sustain them. But for me, I will never compromise on quality and taste in order to deliver a budget end cake. Perhaps I am guilty of having caviar taste, but for me, there just is no comparison. No 'fish finger' budget cake will ever leave my kitchen :)