When is the right time to order a cake?

Several times a week somebody asks for a custom cake for the next day. We have to say no, and that is uncomfortable for both sides. So we would rather set out in advance how much time each thing takes.

The short answer

Four to five days for a simple cake, one week with lettering, one and a half to two weeks with figures or a print, two weeks for a tiered cake, one to two months for a wedding cake.

Why it cannot be rushed

Not because we do not want to. A decorated cake has several stages, and you have to wait between them. The sponge has to cool, or the cream melts on it. The cream has to set, or the coating will not be smooth. Marzipan figures have to firm up, or they fall over. These are physical processes, not scheduling questions.

An edible print is a separate case: after printing, the sheet has to dry, and that alone takes days.

When we can still help

If you need something for tomorrow, ask what is in the display. A well-assembled tray of slices solves a lot of situations – and honestly, at a family lunch for fifteen it often works better than a cake, because everyone picks what they like.

Sometimes a simpler cake does fit within a week. It depends on how many orders are already booked for that day. One phone call is enough for us to tell you.

When to ask earlier than usual

• May and September – graduations, end of term, back to school.
• December – Christmas and New Year.
• The week before Mother’s Day and long weekends.

In these periods, allow an extra week. We would rather not rush something that is taken home only once.