What's the cost of the cake I saw on TV??

Cake pricing can be such a mystery, how are you supposed to know what to expect?  What is a realistic budget as you walk into the store to order a cake?

Part of the mystery is perpetuated by the TV shows you see on Food Network and TLC.  They're so much fun to watch the cakes being created and see the drama unfold in the kitchen... but aside from that, these shows omit some really significant parts of the process: namely the time and labor and material costs that go into creating these cakes, which ultimately translate into the prices of these works of art.  No wonder you don't know what to expect!

In the industry we're a bit more knowledgeable and aware about pricing that's out there.  To put things in perspective for you, here are some points of reference--at Carlo's Bakery (Buddy Valastro's Cake Boss) a consultation costs $100, which includes cake samples and refreshments. This $100 is then deducted from the cake order total once you order.

Cake Boss's pricing for wedding and specialty cakes, with basic buttercream, starts at $8.00 per person. For more complex cake designs (things you've seen featured on TV or in a magazine), cost is closer to $12.00 to $18.00 per person. Adding unique design requests and creative artwork to the cake order then increases the price from there.

 

Duff Goldman of Ace of Cakes (Charm City Cakes) provides the following pricing: "Wedding and tiered cakes start at $7 a serving. We find that most of our clients choose designs that start at about $15 per serving. There is a 50 serving minimum on wedding and tiered cakes.  Minimum price for 3D [and] sculptural cakes $1,000."  Delivery is priced at $175/hr.

We want to share these things with you not to discourage, but to educate you about our industry!

Here's the good news!!:  Dessert Works' 3D and sculptural cakes start at $200 (cost for a smaller 3D figurine on a standard-sized cake is even less).   Our wedding cakes start at $4 or $4.50/serving.  We deliver cakes for $25/hr travel time, plus $0.50/mile (round trip). Pretty reasonable, no?  And these prices include the costs of producing our cakes fresh, made completely on-site, and with high quality ingredients.  We aim to produce cakes that taste as good as they look - the inside matters too!

Unique and specialty designs may be subject to individual pricing, but we're able to offer competitive pricing by offering "standard" designs and commonly requested themes at rates lower than completely custom cakes would be priced at.  Please call us (781-708-9088) to talk further!  We'd love to hear from you and talk about your specific cake ideas more!

4th of July Menu & Hours

We're open regular business hours on Sunday, July 3rd!
We will be closed Monday, July 4th.

Need a Special Treat for your 4th of July Cookout?

We have a variety of options available for order!

Red, White, & Blueberries Cake

Our traditional strawberries & cream cake with a twist for the 4th!
6" ... $25          8" ... $34

Patriotic Cupcakes
Vanilla or chocolate with red, white, and blue sprinkles or flags.
$2.25 each

Lemon Blueberry Roulade
Vanilla chiffon cake with lemon mousse and fresh blueberries
rolled up like a swiss roll, perfect for slicing.
Finished with fresh blueberries and fresh whipped cream.
16” serves 8-10 ... $18

Pies
Like all of our desserts, pies are made fresh,
by hand, from scratch, using premium ingredients.

9" (one size only); pies serve 6 to 8 generously, up to 12.

Blueberry Pie
Double crust ... $15

Three-Berry Gallette

An open pie crust with blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries, 
perfect for any of your summer events. Served at a cold temperature.
Individual size ... $3.95
9" size ... $18

MOVING!

Happy New Year!

If you haven't heard yet, we're getting a fresh new start to 2011 by MOVING! We closed our doors for the last time at our Norwood location on December 31st. We are now in the process of moving all of our equipment to our new location at 302 Providence Highway in Westwood (Lambert's Plaza).

We will be closed at our new Westwood location until everything has been moved and gets set up. We anticipate being open by the 15th, but please watch our website for our official Grand Re-Opening date! Then please stop by to check out our new store!

Wishing you all the best in 2011!

MOVING!

As of January 1st, we are MOVING to Westwood! 

In order to reduce the amount of product we have to move over to our new location, many things will be discounted in the store this week! Please stop by to pick up something sweet, and ring in the New Year at unbelievable prices!

Store Hours

December 28th, 29th and 30th - 9am-6pm

December 31st - 9am-4pm

At 4pm on December 31st, our doors will close at our Norwood location for the last time. January 1st, we will start 2011 fresh by beginning our move to 302 Providence Highway in Westwood. We hope to have the doors open to the public in Westwood by January 15th, but please check our website for the exact re-opening date as the time approaches!

And please come visit us and see our new store in the New Year!

Christmas Specials

Christmas is right around the corner, so today we're sharing all the information you need to place your Christmas order!

We will be closed Saturday the 25th, Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th. All Christmas orders should be placed for pickup on Christmas Eve - Friday, December 24th - or earlier. We will be open shortened hours, from 9am-4pm, on that Friday the 24th. All orders for pickup on Friday, December 24th must be placed by Monday, December 20th to guarantee selection. However, there will also be a variety of items available in our retail store, for your last minute dessert needs.

Yes, we will be open on Monday, December 20th from 9am-4pm! We are usually closed on Mondays, but in order to accommodate an already busy week for most people, we will be open for you!

Dark Chocolate Buche Noel
A traditional holiday favorite “Yule Log.” Classic chocolate mousse cake rolled & decorated with chocolate buttercream, meringue mushrooms, candy holly berries & leaves. Dusted in sugar snow. 2 sizes available:

Large (serves 16-20) - $39.50 

Small (serves 8-10) - $22.00

Finished in ganache and decorated with a frosting pinecone.

Tiramisu 16”x4” “log” (serves 8-10) $25
Vanilla genoise cake brushed with espresso & rum and filled with sweetened mascarpone cream. Decorated with chocolate shavings & fresh whipped cream.

Mum’s English Trifle Cake 6” (serves 4-6) $22, 8” (serves 8-10) $30
Kids & adults alike will enjoy this festive and fruity dessert. A spin on my Mum’s traditional recipe. Light sponge cake layered with seedless raspberry preserves line the outside of a cake that is layered with peaches, strawberries and pears barely set in berry jello, topped with vanilla custard, fresh whipped cream & chocolate shavings.

Gingerbread Roulade 16” (one size only - serves 8 -16) $20
This delicious, tender gingerbread cake is filled with a light & fluffy cream cheese filling, and then rolled to create the roulade. Garnished with fresh whipped cream and confectioner’s sugar.

Apple Strudel 12” (serves 6-10) $21
Fresh golden delicious apples with plump golden raisins baked in flaky puff pastry.

Eggnog Torte 6” (serves 4-8) $22, 8” (serves 8-12) $30, 10” (serves 16- 20) $40
Spiced vanilla cake soaked with rum and layered with vanilla mousse. Decorated with a buttercream holly berry wreath “holiday” design.

Flourless Chocolate Cake 9” (one size only - serves 12-16) $30
Dense chocolate cake covered in chocolate ganache & decorated with white chocolate adornments.

Holiday Cookie Platter
Our delicious holiday cookies are the perfect festive gift for a holiday party. Buttery and full of flavor, these beauties disappear quickly! Prices vary by variety. We can make various sized trays, and assortments. (± $10/ lb)

Gingerbread Houses
Ready to decorate! Includes all the candy you need, plus icing!
Small (measures 6” x 6” x 6”) $18
Large (measures 9” x 11” x 7”) $36

Gingerbread Men $8.50
Decorate your own gingerbread men! Set includes 6 large cookies plus icing.

Also Available: Pear & Cranberry Galette, Rustic Apple Tart…and much more!


Call us or stop by the store today to place your order before it's too late!

Before placing you order, please inform your server if a person in your party has a food allergy.

Thanksgiving Orders

Today is the last day to place your Thanksgiving orders and guarantee your selections for pick-up on Wednesday, November 24th. We are open until 2pm today, so call or stop by and get your order in! If you miss the deadline and don't get an order in, don't worry! There will be a selection of pies, cakes, pastries, cookies and other holiday desserts available for purchase in our retail store on the 24th as well!

Thanksgiving Specials

Maple Pumpkin Mousse Cake
6” $22, 8” $30, 10” $40
Moist, tender pumpkin cake layered with maple mousse. Finished in vanilla buttercream and our autumn leaf design.

Caramel Apple Cake
6” $25, 8” $34, 10” $48
Vanilla chiffon cake layered with creamy caramel mousse and fresh, sliced apples, seasoned with cinnamon & ginger. Our autumn version of the Fresh Strawberries & Cream cake.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
6” serves 6-8 $19, 8” serves 8-12 $28, 10” serves 15-20 $36
Back by popular demand!!! Creamy pumpkin cheesecake with a ginger molasses crust, finished with white chocolate cream topping & fresh whipped cream.

Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tart 
8” (serves 6-8) $21, 10” (serves 10-12) $27
Pecans and caramel in a shortbread crust, finished with chocolate mousse & chocolate dipped pecans.

Rustic Apple Tart
9” (one size only serves up to 16) $18.50
A deep-dish tart brimming generously with fresh locally grown apples topped with brown sugar oatmeal streusel crumble.

Pear & Cranberry Galette
9” (one size only serves up to 16) $18.50
A free-form tart filled with crimson cranberries & pears mellowed with a sweetened cream filling and baked inside a flaky crust.

Lemon Meringue
8” (one size only serves 12) $21
Buttery shortbread crust, fresh, tart lemon curd & fluffy meringue.

Cappuccino Buzz Bombe
6” (one size only) (serves 8-12) $19
Chocolate cake layered with milk chocolate espresso mousse & a lightened vanilla cream center. This dome-shaped dessert is finished in chocolate ganache & decorated with cocoa nibs & chocolate cigarettes.

Gingerbread Roulade
16” (one size only) (serves 8 -16) $20
This delicious, tender gingerbread cake is filled with a light & fluffy cream cheese filling, and then rolled to create the roulade. Garnished with fresh whipped cream and confectioner’s sugar.

Pies
9” (one size only) (serves 6 to 8 generously, up to 12)
Like all of our desserts, our pies are made fresh, by hand, from scratch, using premium ingredients.
Traditional Pumpkin $14.00
Maple Pecan $14.50
Chocolate Mousse $14.00
Double Crust Apple $15.00
Blueberry $15.00

Please be aware that we will be CLOSED Thursday, November 25th and Friday, November 26th so that our employees can celebrate Thanksgiving with their families. All Thanksgiving orders must be placed for pick-up on Wednesday, November 24th. We will be open regular store hours, from 9am - 6pm, on that Wednesday the 24th.

Call us or stop by the store today to place your order before it's too late!

*Before placing your order, please inform your server if a person in your party has a food allergy.*

Email Newsletter

We hope you all are enjoying your Columbus Day weekend! Today, we want to remind you to subscribe to our Email Newsletter, if you aren't subscribed already. We use this newsletter to keep you up-to-date with all the latest news here at Dessert Works, whether it's a new seasonal menu or information about our move.

With our big move coming up, there will be a lot of news to share, along with special promotions just for our current customers! So sign up for our email newsletter and keep an eye on our website. Lots of new and exciting things are on the horizon for Dessert Works, and we hope you'll be there with us to celebrate!

We're Moving!

That's right! In January 2011, Dessert Works will be moving into Lambert's Plaza in Westwood!

We will be opening the retail store only at the Westwood location in the beginning of November. But don't worry! Our Norwood store will remain open through the end of December, so you'll have plenty of reminders about the move! And with 2 locations for a short period of time, you'll have no problem getting all your favorite holiday desserts!

January 1st, the doors at the Norwood store will close permanently, and we will move everything right down the road! We will likely be closed at the Westwood location for the first 2 weeks of January, in order to get everything moved and set up in the kitchen. So please go to our website and subscribe to our e-newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest news on our move and Grand Re-Opening! And of course, be sure to stop by and check out our brand new Westwood store in mid-January!

Facebook & Twitter

Did you know that Dessert Works is also on Facebook & Twitter? Come find us!

Facebook
We'd love for you to tag us in your photos of your Dessert Works cake!

Twitter
Find out what happening behind the scenes, and day to day here at Dessert Works!


Wishing you all a Happy Independence Day!

Anniversary!

During the entire month of June, we are celebrating our 9th Anniversary! Stop by the store often as we will be celebrating by introducing NEW products and in-store SPECIALS along side all your other favorite cakes and pastries!

Spend a minimum of $10 in our retail store during the month of June and receive a coupon for 10% off a future purchase, while supplies last!

So please come join us and help us celebrate 9 years in business!

New Design Contest!

The Chef just recently created a new design for our portfolio and we need your help! We have so many designs that we're having a difficult time naming this one.

That's where you come in! Take a look at the new design and leave us a comment telling us what you would name this new design!

Upcoming Classes!

We have a few upcoming classes being held here at the bakery. If you are interested, please call to reserve your spot as soon as possible!

Introduction to Basic Cake Decorating
Saturday, March 6th
11am - 1:30pm

Participants will frost a cake with smooth, straight edges & will be introduced to piping techniques such as borders & simple flowers. Each student will receive a 6” cake to decorate and take home ($22 value), as well as a basic cake decorating kit that includes pastry tips & bags, couplers, and a flower nail ($13 value). Cost for the class is $65 per person, class recommended for adults.

Chocolate Truffles Demonstration

Wednesday, March 17th
7 - 8:30 pm

In this class, our chef will demonstrate how chocolate truffles are made. Types include rich dark chocolate cream, chewy caramel, rum balls and chocolate coconut squares. You will receive recipes for all types and our preferred chocolate will be available for sale, so you can make truffles at home…Perfect personal touch to any Easter basket! Cost is $25 per person.

Fondant & Gumpaste techniques

Saturday, March 20
2 - 4 pm

This class is geared towards the sculpting techniques used in creating 3D ribbons, bows, flowers, & figurines. Each participant will learn the uses for each medium, and how to mix the products, as well as troubleshooting consistency. Receive a 6” vanilla chiffon cake to drape in fondant and decorate with the embellishments we make. Cost for this class is $55 per person. (Class recommended for adults.)



Space is limited!

Pre-registration is required for all of our classes, and we recommend registering no later than 4 days before the class. Contact us at 781.769.1133 to register for any of our baking classes.

Payment & Cancellation policies

A deposit is required to reserve space for a class in the form of credit card, cash or personal check. Cancellations must be received 48 hours prior to the day of class for a full refund. Cancellations within 48 hours notice will receive a merchandise credit valid for 6 months towards a future class or store purchase. We reserve the right to charge credit cards , or keep deposits for "no-shows" in the full amount of the class. We require a certain number of participants to hold each class - in the event of cancellation, due to lack of participation, full refunds will be given.

Easy like Sunday morning...

For Sundays with the Chef this morning, we're going to share a little about Chef/Owner Kristen Repa's day last Sunday. We were hired to create a Lionel Richie cake for a wedding where the bride and groom were huge Lionel Richie fans. They requested that the cake look like the clay bust of Lionel's head from his music video, "Hello." (Skip to 4:40 to see the bust in the video if you don't want to watch the whole thing.)

With any three dimensional cake, there are structural issues to be concerned with. Kristen took the appropriate precautions and made the head out of a denser cake and put the appropriate dowels inside for stability.

Here, you can see the cake in progress. Kristen has stacked the cakes, carved them in the rough shape of his face and started to cover it in buttercream frosting.

Kristen then covered him in chocolate buttercream, to make him look like he was made out of clay, and to start to form some of the details.

Finally, she added the hair and he was complete!


The cake was ready to be delivered, so it was loaded into the delivery van and off Kristen went to personally deliver the cake. While she was driving, a biker cut out in front of her and she had to slam on the brakes! She heard a thud and pulled over, fearing the worst. Lionel had been decapitated!

Luckily, she had brought some extra chocolate buttercream and some supplies with her. She stopped at a hardware store for some extra wooden dowels, and when she got to the venue, she was able to put him back together in time.

We are closed on Mondays, but just 2 days after the wedding, on Tuesday, we had someone come into the retail store and say, "I was at the Lionel Richie cake wedding, and that cake was absolutely amazing!"

So last Sunday was not "easy like Sunday morning," but despite the stress and the unexpected, we still delivered an amazing creation that impressed the bride & groom, and guests alike!

Serving Suggestions

Welcome back to Sundays with the Chef! If you've ever ordered one of our cakes, you know that when you come into the store to pick it up, you'll first be greeted with a smile and then you'll be told how to serve your cake. We will tell you to keep your cake refrigerated, to take it out 1-2 hours before it will be served to allow it to come to room temperature, and to then refrigerate the leftovers (if there are any!).

Have you ever wondered why we go into so much detail? Well, today we are going to explain it to you!

Our cakes are made with all natural ingredients. They need to be refrigerated because the mousse inside will spoil if you leave it out for too long. On the other hand, the cake itself and the buttercream frosting are made with real butter. When refrigerated, butter is hard. By letting the cake sit out at room temperature to temper, you allow the cake and buttercream to soften, creating a much more pleasing flavor.

So what would happen if I ate one of your cakes cold, you're wondering? The butter in the cake would harden and the cake that we baked fresh for you would then taste stale, when in fact it is not. In addition, you would not get the creamy, light taste of our handmade buttercream frosting. It will instead be very hard.

So, there you have it! Now you know why we explain this every single time you order a cake from us. We do not want your cake to spoil and we want it to taste its absolute best when you serve it to your guests!

A little about us!

Welcome back to Sundays with the Chef! Today, we are going to share with you a little bit about how our products are made and the standards we have set for ourselves here at Dessert Works.

All of our cakes and desserts are made with all natural ingredients and are trans fat free. We use real butter - never shortening - fresh premium fruit and real vanilla. All of the ingredients that go into our creations are the freshest, highest quality ingredients we can find.

In addition, our cakes, mousses, buttercream frosting, cookies, desserts etc. are all hand-made, right here in our kitchen. Our kitchen staff are a highly trained and extremely talented group of individuals. They take great pride in their creations, and with every single cake, they set out to create something that is not only beautiful but also a delicious dessert that you and your guests will love!

Our retail staff also pride themselves on their customer service skills. Whether you come into our retail store or call us, you will always be greeted with a smile or a friendly voice. They are more than happy to help you decide on your cake design or flavor, to make sure you know how to properly travel with and serve your cake, or to help you make that tough decision between the Classic Chocolate Mousse cake and the Strawberries & Cream cake!

Our staff in the Wedding Sales Department will also go above and beyond to help you create your dream wedding cake! All you have to do is call us to set up a complimentary tasting and design consultation. We'll schedule an appointment, sit down with you in our Bridal Suite and help you figure out every detail of your wedding cake. Our goal is to create a cake that looks spectacular but is also a delicious dessert to serve your guests on your very special day!

For more information on Dessert Works Bakery, please visit our website or sign up for our newsletter!

In Store Demonstration

Every Sunday, we plan to feature a series that we like to call Sundays with the Chef! We will share photos of events that Chef & Owner, Kristen Repa, participates in, as well as posts about her background in the industry, what kinds of cakes she loves to create, what she finds most challenging, and lots more!

So to kick off Sundays with the Chef today, we're going to share some photos of the free in-store cake decorating demonstration Kristen gave today!

Making penguins out of rolled chocolate!

Decorating a cake with snowflakes.

Demonstrating spinning the cake while frosting.

Hand piping buttercream sunflowers.

Adding a rolled chocolate bow to the top of a cake!

Explaining to the girls how important it is to pay attention in
math class if they want to be cake decorators!

Adding the rolled chocolate band.

Adding some buttercream daisies.


Some of the finished creations!

For more information on upcoming demonstrations and classes, please visit our website or sign up for our newsletter!

Contact Us

Interested in learning more about us?

Please visit our website at: http://www.dessertworks.net


Have any questions or interested in having us create a cake for you?

Please call us at: 781-769-1133 ext. 208

Or email us at: cake.dessertworks@hotmail.com

Welcome!

Dessert Works Bakery is located just outside of Boston, in Norwood, Massachusetts. All of our items are handmade on-site and are trans fat free using only fresh, natural ingredients. This means your cake is custom made, start to finish, specifically for you! Not only will your cake look amazing, but it will also taste delicious! We also have an assortment of cakes, individual desserts, cookies and pastries available daily in our retail store.

If you have visited our website, you know that we already share several photos of our cakes there. However, we have started a Dessert Works blog so that we can share even more of our intricate, custom creations with all of you!