Frequently Asked Questions

As far as possible! The busiest time of year is May through October and also December. If you are interested in ordering a celebration cake during these months, please try to allow at least 3 weeks to 2 months notice, and I am happy to take orders further in advance. I may be able to take short notice orders, depending on my availability. Plan ahead wherever possible. Wedding cakes are generally booked a year or more in advance. Please allow at least 3 to 6 months if possible. Again, short notice orders can be taken if availability allows. (Please note, a rich fruit cake requires 3 months to mature and be fed with brandy).

A non-refundable retainer of approximately 40% will be required to confirm a celebration cake order. The balance is payable in full by cash or by cleared funds such as bank transfer, 2 weeks before your date of collection or delivery.

Wedding cakes require a non-refundable deposit of 25% with a minimum of £100, to secure your date. The full balance is due 4 weeks before your delivery/collection. This must be made in cash or cleared funds such as bank transfer. Payment in instalments is possible if required.

Celebration cakes are to be collected from my address at 20 Beaufort Road, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 6QA. However, if your cake has several tiers it may be possible for me to deliver and set up at your home/venue. I can quote for this service if required. Delivery and set-up is advisable for all wedding cakes. However if you prefer to collect your cake, this is also possible. Full payment must have been received by myself in cash or cleared funds to ensure that your wedding cake is available for collection or delivery. Art of Cake cannot be held responsible for any damage to your cake once collection has been made.

Yes, certainly. When ordering several tiers, it is usual to have a variety of flavours to offer guests a choice. Rich fruit cake is very heavy and must be kept to the bottom tier if ordered as part of a tiered cake. Alternatively, consider a small rich fruit cake to order separately, which can be kept in the kitchen, but served alongside your main cake. Or it can be displayed alongside your main cake and decorated to coordinate.

I have a variety of display stands available for hire. I recommend that you consider displaying your cake on a stand, rather than flat on the table. This adds a great deal to the elegance of your cake and the overall effect. Hire price varies depending on the value of the stand. They include elegant pedestal stands, vintage glass stands and plates, a large stunning antique silver mirrored stand, a mirrored tiered cupcake stand, a rustic wooden fruit crate, a wooden log slice and vintage style wooden serving trays, which can be stacked to great effect. A deposit is required along with the hire charge. This will be refunded to you as soon as the stand is returned without damage.

I can use another cake artist’s work as inspiration, but I do not copy someone else’s work exactly, as this would be unprofessional. I can put my own interpretation and twist on the design. We can chat about which elements of the design appeal to you, and I can design you a personal, bespoke cake that includes these elements and style features.

Please see the PORTION GUIDES to determine what size cake you will need. Also consider how much impact you would like your cake to have. For instance, you may require only 10 portions, and a round 6 inches cake would be adequate, but you may prefer a larger cake to give greater impact. Also, more tiers will help your cake to have that ‘wow’ factor, which you may be looking for to celebrate a milestone birthday or very special occasion. For example, a round 9 inch sponge cake will give approx 28 portions, but perhaps you would prefer to have a two tier 7 and 5 inches cake, which is approximately the same number of portions. This will give more height for greater impact and allow for increased flexibility in design options. I am very happy to advise on design.

All cake commissions are made to each customer’s bespoke requirements, and are therefore individually priced. The price of a bespoke cake varies on the creative brief and the amount of detailed work required, as well as the size of the cake. 2D designs are generally less expensive than sculptured 3D carved cakes. Beautiful handcrafted sugar flowers are extremely time consuming, and therefore add considerably to the price of a cake. For a more detailed breakdown please look at the Pricing page. Alternatively contact me to discuss your requirements for a tailored quote.

All cakes are freshly baked in a kitchen which uses wheat (gluten), dairy and nuts, so I am unable to guarantee against traces of these ingredients in all cakes. Many of my cakes use recipes which are nut free. Unfortunately, I do not cater for any other allergies, with the exception that I can provide gluten free cupcakes to serve alongside a main cake, which is ordered at the same time.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to decorate a cake made by someone else. I would be unable to guarantee the size, shape and suitability of the cake for working with. In addition, sadly there would also be health and hygiene implications.

Yes, certainly. If you are planning your wedding cake, I offer a personal consultation with complimentary tasting samples and a design service. I recommend you take advantage of this service if possible.

A consultation can be arranged in person in the Art of Cake kitchen, or via Zoom online. For couples booking an online consultation, there is the option to order a beautiful cake samples box, to help choose your favourite flavours.