Question 1

How far in advance should I book my cake?

Accepted Answer

Each cake is a custom work of art, baked from scratch, and decorated with high attention to detail. While I wish I could take every cake order, I do book up quickly, especially for popular wedding months. I recommend booking at least 6-12 months ahead for your cake order.

Question 2

Do I need to know what cake design I want?

Accepted Answer

No matter where you are in your planning process, I will meet you there, and help you find your perfect cake design. You can send me photos of inspiration and cakes you love, or link to your Pinterest board. I love to see your wedding plans, from color to flowers, as your vision for the wedding comes together.

If you don't know where to start, I'll guide you through the process. During a design meeting, we'll discuss all your options. Inspiration can come from invitations, wedding dress details, colors, centerpieces, your personal story, even your hobbies and pets.

Browse my gallery for ideas, and to see some of the designs I've created!

Question 3

Do you offer cake tastings?

Accepted Answer

The cake tasting is one of the best parts of party planning! I offer to-go tasting boxes with a large selection of seasonal favorite flavors. For the tasting, I will provide cubes of cake and dishes of fillings so you can mix and match to create your favorite combinations. You are welcome to request flavors and I will customize the tasting box to your preferences.

Question 4

Can I choose different flavors for different tiers?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can choose up to two cake flavors and three filling flavors per tier, and you can choose different combinations for each tier of your cake. I generally recommend having 1-3 different flavor options for your guests.

Question 5

How do I reserve my cake?

Accepted Answer

Contact me for a quote and let's start planning your cake! To reserve the date, you will send a half-down deposit based on the initial quote. You are welcome to make changes to the quote up until the final due date, 30 days before your event. At that time, your final decisions on design, serving size, and flavors, along with your final payment, are due.

Question 6

Is there a minimum order?

Accepted Answer

I don't have a minimum serving size, however, I have a minimum order for all events of $500. This is typically a cake of 40-50 servings.

Question 7

What size of cake should I order?

Accepted Answer

Your cake will be custom sized based on the number of servings you need. You are not limited to set tier sizing, but rather can decide what shapes you love to get the perfect look for your cake. You have many silhouette options. For example, a small 3 tier cake can serve 50 people, a large 3 tier can serve 150. There are tall, thin shapes, short, wide shapes, rounds, squares, hexagons, endless possibilities!

How many servings should you order? Generally, you should order a slice per guest. However, you may want to order less or more cake depending on other factors. For example, if you are supplementing with other desserts, you may want a smaller cake as a focal point for your dessert display. If you have several flavor options for your guests, you may want more cake when they come back for seconds. During the consultation, we can discuss your event and determine the perfect serving size for your cake.

Question 8

How much will my cake cost?

Accepted Answer

Each of my cakes are thoughtfully designed and unique to each event. Please contact me for a price quote. My pricing is per serving based on the type of decoration, and some elements such as sugar flowers, sculptures, etc. may be priced separately. Please see my pricing page for starting pricing and my minimum order.

Question 9

Can I order a smaller cake and sheet cakes?

Accepted Answer

For larger events, you may want to have extra cake to feed all your guests. I offer the option to add kitchen cakes to supplement a decorated cake of 75 servings or greater. A 75 serving cake typically has 3 or 4 tiers. Kitchen cakes are stacked with multiple layers of cake and filling, just like your wedding cake, but they are not decorated or meant for display.

Question 10

Do you offer delivery and setup?

Accepted Answer

I absolutely recommend delivery for your wedding cake. You (or your family members) do not want the stress of transporting a tiered cake on your special day! I deliver to venues within 60 miles of Charlottesville, and will set up the cake so it's already a beautiful centerpiece for the reception when your guests start to arrive. My delivery pricing is based on mileage to your venue.

For venues outside my delivery area, I may be able to deliver the cake with a higher minimum order. You could also choose to pick up your wedding cake. (For smaller weddings and event cakes, pick up is always an option.)

Question 11

Do you offer gluten free cakes?

Accepted Answer

At Passionflower Cakes, I hope to share delicious cakes with as many people as possible. I have a selection of gluten-free and nut-free options. However, I am not a dedicated allergy free bakery with separate ovens, refrigerators and pans. Because of this I do not recommend my services to anyone with a severe allergy or celiac disease.

If you or a special guest require a gluten free cake, I recommend adding a small gluten free cutting cake or a small gluten free tier. However, I do not recommend doing an entire tiered cake as a gluten free cake.

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