When we first began making Wedding Cakes at Satterthwaites, almost a hundred years ago now, they were all decorated with Royal Icing, the only icing strong enough to allow heavy cakes to be stood one on top of another. Nowadays few cakes are made this way (though we can still do them if you want us to).
The soft roll icing that is much more popular now will not support the weight in the same way. Instead, short plastic rods called dowels are pushed down through the cake so that the upper tiers stand on these and the lower tiers don't squash down. Or, alternatively, clever stands are used to display and support the cakes individually. We have a number of designs available for hire, and most of them are shown on the Gallery page.
Because of this it is possible to be much more imaginative, and new ideas are coming along all the time. However, it is fair to say that novelty for its own sake can look very dated in quite a short time, and the classic designs have much to recommend them; they are the result of experience and can be relied on. Having said that, we have accumulated a lot of practical experience on what can be done, what looks good and what tastes good, and we are happy to work with you to make your special cake appear at the Reception just the way you want. So, if you have seen a design in a magazine or at a wedding, we will put our experience at your disposal. We like a challenge; just ask us!
Our standard designs are available in white, ivory, peach, watered pink and yellow. If you require another ribbon colour, perhaps to make a close colour match with the bridesmaids's dresses, we would ask you to provide the ribbon as it is almost impossible to get a perfect match in any other way. Please allow about 1.5 metres of ribbon per tier.
Sponge cake instead of fruit cake is now popular. Because sponge cake servings are typically three times larger than fruit cake, a bigger cake is required if sponge cake is chosen. This can cause practical problems, but we have ways to meet these. Sponge cake doesn't keep well, so these cakes must be made and decorated at the very last minute if they are to be of the highest quality. However, we do not charge extra for this, and if a sponge cake is what you want, we can provide one all your guests will really enjoy.
We have found that a good compromise preferred by many is to provide with the decorated fruit cake an iced but undecorated sponge cake. The caterer can slice this up neatly in the background and is thus able to offer the guests a choice of fruit or sponge cake. We do not charge extra for this extra sponge cake.
The cakes shown in our website are decorated with hand-made sugarpaste or marzipan flowers. If you prefer, we can provide a cake suitable for decoration with a florist's flower arrangement. For this you must trust your florist, as they will have to perform their decorating right at the last minute. The results can be good, but it isn't easy to get it right and so it's vital that you make sure that your florist knows exactly what you want.
Don't forget to ask for a sample of cake. Such emphasis is placed on design these days that it is sometimes forgotten that cakes are meant to be eaten and enjoyed, not just looked at. We know our cake, and we want your special cake to please in all respects. So ask us for a sample before you decide!
This website © Roger Wilson 2003-2008
Satterthwaites Ltd, Registered Office 51 Coronation Road, Crosby, Liverpool L23 5RE
Tel: (+44) (0) 151 286 9690 Fax: (+44) (0) 151 284 0096