Frequently Asked Questions
Here you'll find answers to some of the questions I'm most often asked about wedding cakes, celebrations, desserts and the Falmouth Cake Shed. For current prices and booking information, please see the relevant booking or enquiry page.
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD I BOOK MY WEDDING CAKE?
Bespoke wedding cakes can usually be booked up to two years before your wedding date. I don't generally take bookings further ahead than this.
For peak wedding season, I recommend booking around a year in advance where possible, as popular summer dates can begin to fill during the previous year. Once you have your venue and wedding date confirmed, you're welcome to get in touch and reserve your date.
For cakes and desserts from my online wedding shop, I open the following year's diary each autumn once I've completed the costings for that year. If the diary isn't open yet, you can still reserve your wedding date in advance.
HOW DO I BOOK A BESPOKE WEDDING CAKE?
Start by getting in touch by email or completing my wedding enquiry form. I'll check availability for your date and we can take it from there.
Your date is secured with a Save the Date retainer. Once the statutory cooling-off period has passed, the retainer is non-refundable, as I have reserved that date for your wedding and may have turned away other bookings for it.
For bespoke tiered wedding cakes, from a small two-tier cake upwards, a two-person cake tasting and consultation is included as part of the service.
For current booking information and retainer details, please visit my Bespoke Wedding Cakes page.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BESPOKE AND SET-DESIGN WEDDING CAKE?
My bespoke service is for couples who would like a cake or dessert table designed specifically for their wedding. You'll have access to my full range of cake flavours, a tasting and consultation, design sketches and the additional planning and communication involved in creating a completely tailored design.
My online wedding cake shop offers a collection of set designs that I've already created. You choose your preferred design, size, flavour and colour from the available options and order online. There is no consultation or custom design process, which makes this a simpler and more affordable way to order one of my wedding cakes.
CAN I TRY YOUR CAKES BEFORE I BOOK?
Yes. If you're local to Falmouth, the Cake Shed is open every weekend and is a lovely way to try the quality and style of my baking before deciding whether you'd like to book.
Wedding cake tasting boxes are also available to order at selected times of year, generally from September to November and again from February to May. I don't usually offer tasting boxes during the peak summer wedding season.
If you subsequently book a bespoke wedding cake, the cost of your tasting box is deducted from your booking retainer. Postage, where required, is not included in this deduction. Purchases from the Cake Shed are not deducted from a wedding booking.
DO YOU MAKE BIRTHDAY AND CELEBRATION CAKES?
Yes. I have an online collection of set-design cakes for birthdays, celebrations, elopements and other occasions.
I can also create bespoke celebration cakes, subject to a minimum order value. Please see the Celebration Cakes page for current designs, prices and minimum-order information.
DO YOU MAKE FONDANT WEDDING CAKES?
No. I specialise in buttercream and ganache cakes and don't cover my cakes in fondant, marzipan or royal icing.
I also don't make traditional sugar flowers or modelled sugar figures. If you're looking for a buttercream or ganache cake with painted details, edible flowers, texture and other decorative elements, however, you're in the right place.
WHAT BUTTERCREAM DO YOU USE?
My cakes are decorated with Italian meringue buttercream or Belgian chocolate ganache.
Italian meringue buttercream is silky and considerably less sweet than traditional icing-sugar buttercream, as well as being one of the more heat-stable styles of buttercream.
French buttercream is also available as a filling upgrade. Made with egg yolks, it has a wonderfully rich, custard-like flavour and texture.
CAN YOU CATER FOR DIETARY REQUIREMENTS AND ALLERGIES?
I can cater for a range of dietary requirements, including vegan diets, and the available options vary depending on the cake or dessert you choose.
However, my kitchen handles allergens including gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, nuts and peanuts. Although care is taken when preparing orders, I cannot guarantee that any product is completely free from traces of these allergens. Customers are responsible for deciding whether this is suitable for their own dietary requirements or those of their guests.
I don't offer sugar-free cakes.
CAN YOU COPY A WEDDING CAKE I'VE FOUND ONLINE?
No. I won't directly copy another cake designer's work.
You're very welcome to show me photographs of cakes, flowers, stationery, fabrics, interiors or anything else that captures the look and feel you love. For a bespoke cake, I'll use these alongside the colours, styling and details of your wedding to create an original design specifically for you.
CAN I HAVE FRESH FLOWERS ON MY WEDDING CAKE?
Yes, but any real flowers used on my cakes must be edible or otherwise suitable and safe for use with food.
I grow many of the edible and food-safe flowers I use in my own garden in Falmouth and work with a local grower when I need additional varieties or quantities.
Because I work with seasonal flowers, I can't guarantee exact varieties or match your florist's arrangements flower-for-flower. Instead, I'll aim to create something that complements the colours and overall feel of your wedding flowers while ensuring that everything placed on your cake is suitable for use around food.
HOW MUCH WEDDING CAKE DO I NEED?
I generally recommend having enough cake to offer a portion to every guest.
You'll sometimes see recommendations to cater for only 80–90% of your guest numbers, but I've seen large three-tier cakes disappear remarkably quickly! I'd rather recommend a little too much cake than risk some of your guests missing out.
Any leftovers can usually be enjoyed for several days after your wedding when stored appropriately, and most cakes can also be frozen.
Ultimately, the amount you order is entirely your choice. I can recommend an appropriate cake size based on your guest numbers, but you're very welcome to choose a smaller or larger cake. See my pricing and portion guide page for more information on serving suggestions.
DO YOU DELIVER AND SET UP WEDDING CAKES?
Yes. All of my tiered wedding cakes are delivered and set up by me on the day of your wedding.
I'll usually arrange access and set-up timings with your venue or wedding coordinator, so you don't need to worry about your cake on the day.
Single-tier cakes can either be delivered or collected from me in Falmouth. Please see the relevant booking page for current delivery information and charges.
CAN I COLLECT MY WEDDING CAKE?
Only single-tier wedding cakes are available for collection.
Tiered wedding cakes need careful handling during transport and may require final assembly or finishing at the venue, so I deliver and set these up myself.
DO YOU MAKE WEDDING DESSERTS AND CAKE ALTERNATIVES?
Yes. I make a wide range of wedding desserts and alternatives to a traditional wedding cake, including macarons, doughnuts, cupcakes, cream teas, tiramisù, brownies, patisserie and other seasonal desserts.
You can choose a single dessert or tower, serve desserts alongside your wedding cake, or create a complete dessert table.
Set options can be ordered through my online Wedding Dessert Shop, or you can get in touch if you'd like a completely bespoke dessert table.
You'll also find a changing selection of desserts in the Cake Shed every weekend.
WHERE IS THE FALMOUTH CAKE SHED?
The Cake Shed is on my drive at 17 Azenor Avenue, Falmouth, TR11 4FS, tucked beside my edible flower garden between Falmouth and Budock Water.
It is normally open:
Friday: 2pm–7pm
Saturday: 10am–7pm
Sunday: 10am–7pm
Or until sold out.
Occasional closures or changes to opening hours are posted on the Falmouth Cake Shed page and my social media, so it's worth checking before making a special journey.
CAN I PRE-ORDER FROM THE CAKE SHED?
Yes. Selected bakes from the current Cake Shed menu can be pre-ordered online for collection.
Pre-ordering is the best option if there's something you particularly want, as everything is made in small batches and individual products can sell out during the weekend.
Visit Cake Shed Pre-Orders to see what's currently available.