Weddings are a celebration of love, a gathering of family and friends, and they are often characterized by symbolic gestures and traditional customs. One of these traditional elements is the wedding cake. But why are these often elaborate masterpieces so expensive? We get to the bottom of this question in an interview with cake designer Corina Davatz from “Pan de Miel“.
Corina, how did you get into your profession as a cake designer?
I found my passion in the world of sweet delicacies during my time out in Buenos Aires, where I was able to work in an exclusive “closed doors” restaurant. I was particularly fascinated by the sweet sector. On my return, I recognized the enormous potential for creative, high-quality delicacies in Switzerland. Based on this, I took the plunge and opened my catering business for dessert creations with the aim of combining modern design with unique taste.
At a wedding fair, I then discovered the great demand for wedding cakes – which not only look beautiful, but also taste unique. I have been working passionately as a cake designer for more than seven years now, always striving to make my customers’ sweet dreams come true.
What makes your cake different from a “normal” cake from a bakery or restaurant?
The difference lies not only in the cake itself, but in the entire service. With me, the selection of the wedding cake begins with a tasting of various seasonal flavors, which are individually coordinated with the bridal couple. The next step is to create a sketch of the visual realization of the cake, matching the “mood board” of the wedding. In a nutshell, the difference is that each cake is uniquely tailored to my clients and their occasion.
How is the price of such a cake calculated?
Many factors play a role in calculating the price of a bespoke wedding cake:
- high quality ingredients: The use of high-quality ingredients is essential to ensure the incomparable taste and quality of the cake. Fresh, seasonal and local products from the market are preferred, even if they are slightly more expensive.
- production and decoration: The production of a wedding cake requires time and care. Each flavor combination is carefully worked out and several hours are invested to create the perfect cake. After production, the elaborate process of assembling, decorating and embellishing follows, including the use of fresh flowers from the market. A sketch of the cake’s appearance is made and discussed with the bride and groom. This production and decoration process alone takes around 10-12 hours per cake (not including the other points mentioned).
- services, expertise and advice: The price also includes the service that goes beyond the actual production of the cake. This includes the time spent developing the cake together with my clients, coordinating with the other service providers of the event such as florists, wedding planners and the event location, preparing and conducting tastings and more.
- delivery and on-site service: Another important aspect is the careful delivery of the cake to ensure that it arrives intact and on time. As the cake designer, I coordinate with the venue managers to ensure proper storage on site and also provide a personal explanation of the flavors and expert instruction on cutting the cake for the on-site team if needed.
If you take all these factors into account, it adds up to a considerable amount of hours and knowledge that must be appropriately remunerated. Therefore, you can generally expect a price per portion of around CHF 20-25.
You are always coming up with special new flavor creations – where do you get your inspiration from?
The creation of my new flavor combinations is often a result of chance combined with hard work. Sometimes I discover inspiration during my travels, or it comes from a basic savory idea that I then refine with something sweet. Of course, a lot of work goes into it, and I experiment until everything is harmonious and fits together perfectly.
My creations are based on a balanced composition of sour, sweet, umami, salty or bitter. If a cake only has one flavor, it often appears boring on the tongue. A variety of these notes, harmoniously combined and seasonally/regionally produced, stimulates different taste regions and creates a light, refreshing and exciting taste highlight for an aperitif with a glass of champagne or after an opulent wedding menu.
Overall, creating a bespoke wedding cake is an art that requires time, knowledge and passion. From the careful selection of ingredients to the perfect balance of flavors, every step is a careful consideration and an expression of attention to detail. Through personal consultation and individual design, each cake becomes a unique masterpiece that reflects the personality of the bride and groom and makes their special day even more unforgettable.
Many thanks to Corina Davatz for the interview and the helpful information for this blog post.
